Saturday, May 11, 2013

The 21st Century Classroom

When it comes to my classroom I'm not going to be too worried about the colors that the walls are or that the floor is.  What ever the school gives me I'm okay with.  Though studies have shown that the best colors for students would be blues and yellows.  The blues have been shown to make the student feel more calm and relaxed and not as nervous.  The yellows bring out the creativity of the student and stimulates their intellect.

Website to make classroom

I plan on becoming a special education teacher some day so my ideal classroom would have only a handful of students so that I would be able to spend more one on one time with them and really get an idea of what they need help with and what their strengths are.  I think with less students in the classroom it makes it easier for them to learn.  Also I believe that they will feel more free to ask questions and not thing that someone else is going to thing that it's a dumb question.  It reduces the anxiety factor that being in a b=large group can make.


I used tables rather than desks because I believe that it makes it easier for the kids to work together and collaborate with one another.  They can freely share their ideas with the other people at the table.  It's important to teach them how to be part of something bigger than just themselves and work cohesively with others.  It will make sure they are connected with other students.

I planned on using the interactive whiteboards frequently with the students since there are activities and games on there that could be used for multiple class subjects.  I would also like to utilize iPads in my classroom to also give the kids another way of learning.  They can use the iPads to look things up on the internet or to play school related games giving them a more pleasurable way of learning.  I think it's important to promote the use of technology in learning because today it's hard to get by if you're technologically dense.




As a special education teacher I will always have to keep growing as a learner.  I will have to remain educated in all of the subjects that the kids will be in, to do so I'm going to have to sit through the same classes that they sit through and basically do all of the work they do and make sure I know how to explain things in a way that they can understand.

As a teacher I can only do so much to help the students with their work and to help them succeed.  I plan on making it a priority that their parents know what they are doing in the classroom whether it's sending home biweekly report or meeting them with open house meetings.  Also if the child is struggling I would call home to discuss what we could do to help that student.  I also believe that it's important to talk to people of the community about what the kids should be learning.  They are the ones hiring the kids when they come out of school and they sometimes can provide another viewpoint on what kids might be missing and some things that they need to learn.















Monday, May 6, 2013

Digital Citizenship (Mid-Level 6-8)

What is digital citizenship and how does it affect you as a teacher?  The whole concept of digital citizenship sounds more complicated than it really is.  Basically it's teaching people how to use and utilize technology and the online world without overstepping your boundaries and breaking any rules.  It's the responsible behavior that one needs to have when online.

"Your online reputation is just as good as your normal reputation.  How you act online is important"(Dunn).



Complications with digital citizenship have been a problem.  Students are influenced both in school and outside of school.  Parents are a big part of teaching kids what is good and bad in the online realm.  Kids do not spend all of their time in school and chances are they start learning how to use technology before they even start school so parents play a very key role.

Works Cited