Wow! What a fast slow ride it has been! I can’t really beleive the end (or the begining ?) is here. It’s so much a metaphor that it reminds me of how I feel about this class. It has been really difficult much of the time, mostly completing projects at such a fast pace with very little expirence. It faintly reminded me of when I returned to college after 20 years and wasn’t very fluent with computers or processing programs. It was like tourture trying to figure the stuff out under a strict deadline and then getting caught up on little things or a button that I would hit inadvertantly! I wish someone told me there was a back button! I did get through it and I am better for it now! This class is alot of the same I think that everyrhing is important and I do not take anything for granted becasue I may need it for the future. On the other hand it is hard to justify all the hard work because of the different constraints that go along with this knowledge. Not being able to use, not having time to master the programs and not all of them being relevant to what I am trying to accomplish. But all in all I really did learn a lot of new things and I do hope to be able to put them to use in the future (if they don’t change on me!) And I do see myself as being a teacher who is a life learner and someone who likes to keep up with the times so I will try to use my new knowledge and pass it along to my students!
{April 30, 2009}
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Angela,I really feel you when you talk about returning to school after twenty years,that’s me all the way. I struggled so much when I first went back to school because of all the technology you were expected to have a grip on.There is no magic strategy to learn this technology, you just have to practice and play with it. I made my share of mistakes and will make more but one thing for sure I will not be afraid to try.
Angela, everyone’s needs and interests are unique – which makes this course so broad in scope. However, what you say here:
“And I do see myself as being a teacher who is a life learner and someone who likes to keep up with the times so I will try to use my new knowledge and pass it along to my students!”
… is what is most important. Always be looking for opportunities to engage your students in meaningful and powerful learning, whether you are using a “technology” or not. That is the hallmark of a great teacher.