Desoto Caverns Virtual Tour Fieldtrip

Ms. Collins 4th grade class will be taking a field trip to Desoto Caverns Park in Childersburg, Alabama to learn about some of Alabama's oldest history! We will explore the caverns, pan for gems and gold, and get to navigate our way through the exciting maze.

http://desotocavernspark.wikispaces.com/

Classroom Seating Chart

Inspiration 8.0 offers an easy canvas to create any kind of set up you want for your classroom. It is easy to use and offers numerous options of pictures, editing capabilities, and spaces to place seats and objects.
A limitation of Inspiration 8.0 is it can be difficult to acquire an image from a website. 

Assignment 5 - Dream Computer

Dream Computer

            I chose a Dell computer system for my classroom. The website offered useful tips, research, explanations, and support. The Dell computer system comes with numerous accessories that will benefit my students’ learning and will create a connected classroom. The Dell system also offers classroom management software to limit the distractions students may be faced with while researching or surfing the web for activities.

The system I chose is the Dell Professional P1911 PLHD 19-Inch Widescreen Monitor with Optiplex 780-USFF All-in-one stand. I chose this one because it is efficient for conserving space and has a 5-year warranty. It also has fast response time, clear image display, seamless video streaming and document viewing. The cost of this system is $377.99, which is comparably inexpensive for such a dynamic, energy-saving, space-saving, efficient system.

 Accessories for the system would include the Wireless Media Desktop 1000 Keyboard and Mouse which costs $44.99. This keyboard is spill proof and compact which would be perfect for an elementary classroom. I would also get the Dell AX210 USB Stereo Speaker System which costs $21.99. Speakers would be beneficial when showing videos, movies, or doing classroom activities. The students would need headphones so they would not disturb other classmates while doing quizzes, AR tests, or online class work, so, I would get the Sony MDRXB300 Extra Bass Headphones which costs $34.99. I would purchase 4 sets of headphones so more than one student can work at a time. These headphones have a 4 foot cable and a cupped headphone form to eliminate any sounds that might be disturbing to other students. I would also need to print newsletters for parents, classroom announcements, assignments, worksheets, scan pictures onto the computer, scan worksheets, and many other functions that would require a printer so I chose the Epson Stylus NX525 Inkjet All-in-one printer. It is a printer, scanner, and copier. It is small and lightweight, which would be good for a classroom to conserve space. This printer prints black and white and color, and prints quickly. It costs $137.99, but it serves numerous purposes such as the ones listed previously.

Accessories I would like to have for classroom activities would be an ELMO, projector, and an Interactive Whiteboard System. I chose the ELMO system because it was highly rated among teachers and schools. It had good reviews and since it is commonly used in schools, I could get good feedback and questions answered quickly from teachers who have used it before. I chose the ELMO TT-02RX and Eiki XGA Projector combo. This would allow me to display images up close to the entire class, display worksheets we are doing to show corrections or to do worksheets together, demonstrate how to draw letters, or numerous other activities. The system is currently on sale for $974 so I would save $666. This system has video/audio recording capability and microscope viewing mode for science or any subject lessons and projects. The projector has a built in amplifier and speaker system, which would be good for videos during lessons and projects.

The Interactive Whiteboard I would like is the Polyvision WT1610 USB Walk-and-Talk Interactive Whiteboard. It costs $995 because it is currently on sale as well. This Whiteboard is touch-sensitive with a Teflon coated, dry erase, low glare, projection-optimized surface. It allows you to print or save images in many formats and has a 2-year warranty. This whiteboard would be used for all subject areas and would allow the students to interact and stay focused. You could set up the whiteboard as a center while doing math activities or reading activities as well. This would encourage students to pay attention and work because it is fun and engaging. 

Assignment 3

Assignment 3

My results for the cognitive style inventory test show that I am a “Dominant Introverted Feeling.” I have no idea what this really means, but according to the summary I am gentle, kind, intense and passionate about my values and beliefs. I live my life very personally and am sensitive to other’s feelings and pain. I believe that actions speak louder than words and that each person is unique and that social norms are to be respected if they do not hinder personal development or expression. I want to fight the good fight and am tolerant, open-minded, insightful, flexible, and understanding. “They live for the understanding of others and feel deeply grateful when someone takes the time to get to know them personally. They have good listening skills, are genuinely concerned, insightful, and usually avid readers. At their best, they inspire others to be themselves.” (from, http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html). I believe my results sound very similar to the person I am; Although I am not as avid as a reader as I used to be, but am starting to read more.
My second results for the learning style inventory test show that I am a “very visual learner.” I already knew this about myself because I have to take notes, I have to see pictures, and I have to have things drawn out or written out. I doodle and draw all over my notes. I was an AP Art student in high school and carry the love of aesthetically pleasing and interesting visual things into most of what I do today. The results told me to use flash cards when I study, which I already do, and it helps me. It also said I take notes and use color coded highlighting, both of which I also already do. (http://homeworktips.about.com/library/quizzes/bltypea.htm).
My own classroom will be brightly (but not too over stimulating) decorated with most of the decorations made by hand. I cannot wait to decorate my classroom and make crafts and letters. I will probably make almost everything in my classroom, including some activity materials. I will also use my intrapersonal skills and insight with my students, to best meet their needs and pay attention to their moods. I consider myself a very patient person which may go along with my cognitive style, and I will apply that to my teaching and how I work with my students as well. I believe that my “dominant introverted feeling” personality will coalesce nicely with my early childhood special education teaching. I will hopefully be able to learn from and understand my students extremely well with my cognitive style.

PollEveryWhere Poll

Create interactive meetings at Poll Everywhere

Assignment 1

I have worked in a few classrooms, some of which were more technologically savvy than others. My classroom at Taylorville Primary gave me the opportunity to incorporate technology with lesson plans and units. I was able to utilize the Elmo in this classroom to present my Social Studies Unit to the students. This technology allowed my presentation to be smooth and keep the students attention. I showed videos, maps on the Elmo’s projector, pictures, and artifacts. I think technology in the classroom is extremely useful if utilized in the appropriate and correct way. I have seen the use of computers, Elmos, projectors, and iPods. There is one thing (I am not sure of the name) that allows the teachers and students to write on the white board that is being projected from the computer and from what I have heard, it is a great tool for learning and engaging students. Technology, when approached in an appropriate way, can greatly enhance the learning experience in the classroom. Videos, documentaries, creating models and presentations online and on computers, and many other methods can allow students to visualize concepts and lessons they may not be able to visualize otherwise. I do think it is important to maintain a kinesthetic-tactile approach to learning for those students who learn best that way. Not every student is a visual or auditory learner and may need a concrete model or object to grasp and manipulate, especially in special education. Learning visually works for many students, but some need an actual concrete example. Incorporating technology in the classroom keeps students interested since our society is now based on a lot of technology. I fear for the disappearance of real books, though. It is a skill we take for granted being able to turn pages the correct way and read a book the correct way. There are some students and children who are unable to do this, so I think Nooks, Kindles, and e-books would be helpful in that sense, but also, students need to learn how to correctly open a book. This helps not only with cognitive skills but motor skills as well. Converting manipulatives, books, and toys to online or virtual experiences could be detrimental to learning for some students. There are some things that deter technology from being used in the classrooms, aside from the ones I mentioned, there are slow connections, systems crashing, computers freezing, and many other technological malfunctions that could occur; Also, some teachers may not want to take the time to learn about all this new technology because they already have so much to deal with on a daily basis. I think that if the administration provided workshops or if teachers arranged meetings to get together to learn about new technologies, that could encourage the use of technology in the classroom. Teachers could also go to other classrooms to see how the technology is used and see how it positively (or negatively) affects students learning.