CLRN

This website is awesome! What a great way to end the semester with having access to such a useful website for teachers. Nevermind google and searching the web for information on education anymore. This site allows us to narrow down exactly what we are looking for, especially info on the state content standards eventhough they are for California. I am definitely using this site to help me develop my own lesson plans during the course of the year and I'm sure I won't be the only one.

Lesson Plans

When I decided to become a teacher, I would always hear from others how annoying lesson plans are. Throughout college, many of my friends went to become teachers and I would always hear them dread over it. "I have to do lesson plans all weekend", "Don't ever become a teacher", "I hate doing lesson plans". Those were some of the things that were said. What can possibly be so bad about them? I think there's some importance that goes along with lesson planning. But I also think there's alot that is a waste.

I think lesson plans are great for structure and organization for a teacher. It gives them something to go by and it's a great practice tool before the school day begins. Although it's great for organization, you really can't plan how long something can take. Every class is a different group of students and we sometimes get caught up in a discussion that may take up more or less time than originally expected. Therefore we sometimes don't get everything in that we have planned for the day and alot goes to waste.

Social Networking

I think Social networking can be both beneficial and risky at the same time. Sure it's great to keep in touch with those who you lose contact with over the years. Or even communicate through blogging on friend's walls. They just have to be careful with what they say because there's many people who have access of seeing what someone has wrote. Problems sometimes may occur and that can lead to serious conflicts. Its important to set your page to private so that only the one's that you know can view your page. But then again, are you positive that you can trust if its really that person or not?

Videos

I watched and enjoyed all 4 videos from modules 8 and 9. The first one on "introducing the book" was my favorite and really funny. It's crazy to think how people deal with things related to this video, especially nowadays. We live in an era now where technology has taken over. It's funny to be around older people trying to use cell phones. Most of them have no idea how to use certain feature available with cell phones such as texting and taking picture, or even how to use voicemail.

The last video on special education and social networking was very insightful. I think it's important for children with special needs to have a purpose for their future. It gives them a way to learn at their own pace, be productive, and most importantly gives them a future. Some kids have great difficulties communicating with others in this fast paced world. Technology gives them that chance to communicate in their own way and at their own pace.

School Web Pages

I think that school web pages are such an important tool for teachers, students, parents, and visitors to have access to. Most of these web pages are well structured, organized, and reliable. There's tons of information that the visitor can gain upon viewing such as access to contact information, staff directory, calendars, schedules and all sorts of other news. The overall presentation of the website can also be viewed as a general representation of the school. I've seen many school websites and the biggest difference is that some are more up to date than others.

In regards to personal web pages, I believe that every teacher should have one for their own classes. In this day and age technology is beginning to take over as we see many teachers creating their own pages. It also creates relationships with the parents as they are also informed on any events, announcements, assignments, etc..