Thursday, October 31, 2013

Technology System Screencast

Screencasts are videos showing what a user is doing on his/her computer. Some of the available resources for creating screencasts are Jing and Screenr. Screencasts can be very helpful in the classroom. If I assign homework that requires accessing an online resource, I can create a screencast to help guide students to the correct page. At the elementary level, I can create a screencast showing parents how to access different online educational tools.

For my screencast, I used Jing. I showed the viewer how to identify certain things on a computer. I use a Mac so this video shows how to do that on a Mac only. It would be different on a PC. I demonstrate how to find the type of operating system, the operating system version, the processor speed of the computer, the amount of Random Access Memory (RAM), the total size of the hard drive, and how much available space remains on the hard drive. Please access the video from the link below. Please see the video below:
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

About Me

I graduated from Boise State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish. I also received my Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, with a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Education, from the University of Idaho in 2012. I am currently working towards earning my teaching credential through Northwest Nazarene University. I previously served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala where I taught preventative health education and English. Upon my return, I began working as a field instructor at the McCall Outdoor Science School in McCall, ID. I had the opportunity to work on my graduate degree and teach science in Ponderosa state Park! Most recently I served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer as an elementary reading and math tutor. When I am not teaching, I spend my time swimming, skiing, running, hiking, and playing with my dog.

 I became a classroom teacher so that I could positively impact the lives of children. I enjoy spending time with kids and watching them discover and grow. Teaching children is my passion and I love that every class, every year, and every day is different. My goals for the students are to find success academically, socially, and emotionally. My goal for the students, and myself as a teacher, are to grow and learn something new every day. I holy my students and myself to very high behavior and academic expectations.

 My teaching philosophy is shaped by my belief that every, single child is special and possesses unique gifts that they can contribute to our society. It is a teacher’s job to help the child understand their strengths and guide them in the process of becoming a young adult. I also believe in life-long learning and connecting content to children’s lives. For students to see a purpose in education, they must understand the “why” behind each day’s lessons. Finally, I believe that children need to go outside and experience the world in which we live. Children pay better attention and are more engaged when given the opportunity to explore their environment.
I visited Glacier National Park this summer!