Bitter/Sweet WEEK 10

WOW   This is definitely bitter/sweet for me.  Bitter because it came to an end, and I felt I really met great people my classmates and teachers.  Bitter because all the great resources will not keep coming.    Bitter because I won´t be learning new and useful tools to improve my teaching practice.  Finally sweet because I can go back to sleeping.  I normally worked at night and I would sometimes just fall asleep from exhaustion on top of my computer. 
My favorite parts the rubrics, ABCD objectives, nicenet and wiki. 

If has been a wonderful experience.  See you soon and wish everyone the best.

week 9

It is always good to refresh our memories on the different learning styles students have, so we can make sure that when we teach we are reaching all of our students.

Teachnology is and extra tool for teaching our students,  it only benefits the different styles.  It´s our job always to find the ways to make students learn.   

The reading this week has made me reflect on making sure I reach all my students.

Week 9 I did it. Hooray!!!!

I did it.  I uploaded my Final Report.  YES!!!
Now I still have to finish week 9 assignments.  No worries I feel proud and happy.  :)

Week 8

This week I definitely learned a lot.  There is just so much out there.  Now the problem picking what is best for me.  I think having experience firsthand the blog, nicenet and wiki make these resources much more appealing to me.  This week I went from thinking of a blog for my project to actually thinking nicenet would be a better fit.  And since this week they explained how to set it up it did not feel complicated at all.  I guess I changed my mind, just because the Nicenet feels much more private.  And as the teacher I feel I have more control over things.
I feel amazed how the internet is so useful, I mean someone from South Korea gave me her input on my draft, miles and miles away from Nicaragua.  Thank you Hannah. 

Week 7. My role as a teacher

Well this week was really a great challenge.  I had a couple of personal issues, and was really struggling to meet the deadlines. 
As always I find the readings insight full.  This week my reflection has been on how important my role as a teacher is.  More than meeting deadlines, more than covering all the units of the textbook, more than having good results on grades my main objective should be to have students learn for life and enjoy doing so.
I feel the need to make sure I’m giving students all the tools, strategies, skills etc.  So they are well equipped.  And truly become autonomous learners.

Week 6

This week was a lot of fun, getting to see everyone´s PPT.     And the discussion on Large Classes is something I can definitely relate to.   When we have conferences with teacher from other places here in Nicaragua that are not the capital, having large classes is always a hot topic.  The discussion go on as who is at fault, why it doesn´t improve, teachers are tired, students are not learning……and do on.  But in the end all those teachers attended these conferences because they wish to improve as teachers.   And during breaks you will hear conversations between them, on tips and ideas to engage and motivate such a numerous group. Jajajaja
My bump on the road this week was my lack of high tech knowledge or practice.  My PPT usually were not even animated, and because of my poor knowledge would seldom do PPT.      But now, it’s a challenge I’m willing to undergo.  

Week 5 A personal note

I can’t believe we are half way there.  It seems time just goes by so quickly.    My favorite part of the week was the Rubrics.  They are completely useful.  Creating a rubric was a new experience for me.  The benefits of allowing students to know ahead of time the criteria’s of their evaluation and the specifics on each point offers a better result.  Student’s outcomes are much better.
On a personal note.  One of the reasons I took this course was because of the alternative of working/studying from the comfort of my home.  Not having to sacrifice my job or family to study some course that would have physically removed me from everything.   For example, if I would have studied abroad for 2 months or studied 3 times a week in a University here in my country to study, that would have been time away from my family.  But most definitely studying through the web in this course is not less demanding.  Actually I feel it’s harder because life goes on, and I actually have to find the time to do my homework, which most of the time it´s when everyone is sleeping.
The first weeks where overwhelming, but I´m getting used to the routine.

Week 4 Not confused, but GRATEFUL

Hi everyone.
I feel a bit more comfortable this week.  I guess because we did things we are used to doing on an everyday basis; planning and reflection on issues we as teacher want to improve. 
The readings were very useful this week, and on a personal note motivating.  Reading about the many benefits of the web.
1.  Topics seem related to the present day.
2. Students have the whole world at their finger tips
3. No obstacles or cost.
This according to Warshaver and Whittaker, which I agree with.
Teachers always play a crucial part in any class, but it seems that when it comes to computers we have to be extra prepared.  Even with minor technical problems, as teachers we have to be equipped to solve.
I feel Delicious.com came in the just the right time, because so many of my classmate have shared great resources. 
I feel much better this week, not confused or overwhelmed.  But actually well-informed because of the content of the course and the sharing of all the classmates.  This week especially the common problems we have as teachers and the different lesson plans have been useful information.
I feel like I need to thank everyone this week, my teacher and classmates you have taught me a lot.  Thanks

Week 3. Confused

At this point I have mixed feelings.  I still feel eager and impatient on what´s to come.  All the great resources that I didn´t know of, are and will definitely be beneficial in my teaching practice.

 At the same time I fill overwhelmed, so many accounts, usernames, passwords and so on.  I try my best to keep it simple but it worries me (even though I’ve written the information just in case I forget)  that I won´t be able to access one account.  I wish there were a website where I could just write my username and password once and just like magic I could see all my accounts, my email, my Jupiter grades, my wiki class, my delicious page, my blog, my nicenet, etc. 

This week the readings were very interesting.  I agreed with what was suggested and through experience can completely relate to the CALL advantages and disadvantages.

The delicious page is certainly a resource I will be using often. Being able to see the links others have found on topics I´m interested in cuts the work in half.  I see myself using it as a search engine.  Just because I will be able to see how popular the link is.   It feels though I’m suggesting something completely inappropriate, but just think of putting the resources into good use.

The project worries me a bit.  Just because I saw how detailed and well planned some of them were.  But at the same time Jodi said in the nicenet thread of projects that we shouldn´t start.  That we will do everything step by step. 

Hence my mixed feelings, because of everthing I expressed before.
I finish this week on an indefinite note.

Week 2

Wow, there is way too much to blog about this week.
 I went from feeling as a beginner on Internet use, specifically by searching only with Google.  From searching on different search engines and understanding how each one worked.  What I mean using the engines appropriately. 
The next task was the ABCD objectives.  In my personal experience, writing objectives have always been difficult.  In my school there is an emphasis of objectives being specific and well written.  The objectives have to be properly written grammar wise.   The ABCD objectives make sense and are well thought.  My plan is to incorporate this in my class.  I might not be able to change the class objectives but I can certainly write my objectives for my daily plan and activities. 
In the Additional Resource reading about Bloom´s Revised Taxonomy was stimulating and then the Digital Taxonomy by Andrew Churches was thought-provoking.  The truth is that as technology advances we have to advance with it.  
Finally the Higher Order Thinking Skills are a great ladder to encourage students to increase in.  Of course it’s my job as a teacher to teach students in the end to CREATE and INNOVATE. 
I´m left with the Chinese proverb:   He who learns but does not think is lost.
Glenda.

Week 1

This first week took time to get use to.  Now it´s done, hoping there is only room for improvement.  

Let´s start at the beginning.  My name is Glenda Torres I have been a teacher for 10 years and it has been a rewarding experience.  In the classroom I am the teacher, but in life I feel all my students have taught me so much.  

This online course and blog is a first for me.  It wasn´t easy, but I guess this is why I picked this specific course: Building Teacher Skills Through the Interactive Web.  It represents a greater challenge for me as a teacher. I  tell my student to push themselves and take the greater challenges, and I like to teach through example.  

I have learned a lot this first week.  The discussion on ground rules and rubrics where very interesting, especially when reading all my colleagues input.

I guess this is all for now...... 

Remember:  Everything worthwhile takes a while.    I´ve learned this the hard way.

Best of luck to everyone.