All About Me Survey!!!

Journal 4

Courduff, J. (2011). One size never fits all. Learning And Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


Journal 4 NETS-T 1

“One Size Never Fits All,” is about integrating technology into the special education classroom. It talks about how Etiwanda School district in California is implementing technology into its schools. They are doing this by having the teachers trained in technology and giving them support and guidance once the teachers are back in their classroom. This article also gives steps on how to make technology reach more special education classrooms with tips, ideas, and examples.

In “One Size Never Fits All,” it gives specific examples of how to incorporate technology into the classroom. It says that teachers must be trained for at least three years in technology and what it can do for the classroom. From there the teacher will still need help once in the classroom to get it started, because of time constraint, student needs, and IEP goals among others. Thus, teachers need group mentoring, collaboration, and support to get technology off the ground in their classrooms. The article then discusses how its three tiers will help with this. Teachers will take part in hands on workshops to learn how to use Fusion Writers. The next tier talks about e-portfolios, which are then student lead conferences. Tier three explores teachers getting help face to face and digitally. It is time consuming, but the end result is worth it. Some of the technology tools one can use in a special education classroom is speech-to-text, which is a program that allows the student to talk to the computer and the computer writes what the student says. This can help with a student who needs help with writing, spelling, and grammar, making them comfortable and feel empowered. It then can go text-to-speech, which is where the student types and as their typing the computer says the word that is being typed.

In this article it sounds like special education doesn’t always receive the perks that other students receive. This article is trying to make this known and to get the perks into the special education classrooms. If I were to become a special education teacher I would definitely use speech-to-text with students who have a hard time in writing. I agree that it can be difficult to initially get technology started in the class, when one hasn’t been using it, but I also agree that it is possible and that collaboration and support will help it go a long way.

What can speech-to-text do in a special education classroom?

In a special education classroom, speech-to-text can help the students who struggle with writing, spelling, and grammar. It does this by allowing the student to speak into the computer and then the computer typing out the word that is being said. This will then boost the child’s confidents and hopefully give them the strength to do it on their own.

What kinds of things can special education teachers do to gain more knowledge of technology for their classroom?

The teachers can take a three year training course. This is followed up by group mentoring, collaboration, and support. Time must also be flexible, so the teachers should create short term and long-term goals to meet their technology goals. 

Journal 3

Raphael, R. (2011). Abracadabra-it's augmented reality!. Learning and Leading with Technology,38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


Journal 3 NETS-2

 “Abracadabra- It’s Augmented Reality,” discusses how technology is becoming a better tool for education. It begins with examples of how on tv yellow first line is a augmented reality or new technology tool to something students can use called zoobust. From here the article talks about other technology tools that are on the rise and how it will only continue to flourish. Some technology tools that help the class are wikitube, which provides information about immediate envirnonment, Tagwhat which allows one to map tags that they’ve made.

This article calls the technology tools that one can use in a classroom augmented reality or magic because technology is doing new and exciting things all the time. It discusses mobile apps like pocket univers, which is an app that one can have on their phone, that allows one to point their phone at the sky and receive star names and constellations.  It talks about how soon you’ll be able to use an app like pocket univers and point it at people and instead of getting constellations, you will get their facebook or twitter. The article also touches upon visual desktops. Being able to put their desktop on the wall or floor and then being able to walk onto folders or touch them with their hand to open a folder. This article really emphasizes the never-ending possibility with technology.

There are a few things that I took away from this article and they are things that I see myself using in my classroom. For example, Zoobust, which is digital story telling pop-up. It allows the students to drag and drop ideas and information into a story, a story they are creating. For older students it also works to make portfolios and comic life. Another tool that I see being helpful in the classroom is wikitube, expecially with older students. It allows the students to use their cell phones to gather educational information by just pointing their phones at the object desired. This could be used in a science class when the class is learning about trees, insects, or other plant life. These are two useful tools, I’d like to use in the classroom.

How can I use Zoobust in the classroom?

I can use zoobust in my classroom by having it help my students create stories. Then being able to display it on a classroom wall, to have the rest of the class read when it is all done.

What is Wikitube, what does it do?

It provides additional information about the environment around us. For instance with wikitube on ones phone one can point it at a movie theater and a get a peak of what movies are playing and at what time.

Journal 2

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx


Join The Flock NETS-3/5

Join the Flock is an article about twitter and its valuable uses for teachers. It talks about creating one and writing a description about yourself for others to read. It discusses how to follow others and whether you want to respond or just look at what the person you’re following has to say. The article then goes into how you can take action by retweeting or using a tag stream.  Join the Flock is describing how as a teacher one can gather and respond to useful information that one finds or receives from those they follow, thereby broadening horizons and keeping the classroom interesting and up to date, because the world, learning, and students are always evolving.

My analysis of this article is that twitter is a useful tool for an educator. I was also struck by the self -description that one has to make to be on twitter and how others that might want to follow you can check it out. In this article it sounded like doing the self -description is like being interviewed by whoever wants to follow you and that you have to make your self look good. I also liked the section that talked about how one can just follow another without responding until comfortable. Thus, allowing the person to ease into twitter or the discussion that one finds on twitter.

After reading this article I see that as an educator, twitter has many benefits. And now I think that I will use twitter to find out about new lessons for my future class. I also think it will bring a great variety of teaching styles, lessons, and knowledge for me as and educator and for my future students.

How can I use twitter to connect with students? 
I can use twitter to find lessons that pertain to the age group that I'm working with. From there I can find games to help teach math or ways to incorporate my students interests into the lesson, like using twilight to connect with modern day students and learning.

How can I use twitter to enhance my teaching style?
I can follow others on twitter and get information from them. I can start a discussion and those that follow me can chime in and give advice. Then gather all this information and create a creative and enhance teaching style.

Journal One: 100 Things That Make Elise Happy!!!

Journal One: Things That Make Me Happy!!!

1.     My Family ( Mom, Dad, Billy, Nick, Matt, and Julia)

2.     My Dog (Napoleon)

3.     My Little Blue House

4.     My Friends (Near and Far)

5.     Casa Jane

6.     JVC 09/10

7.     Soccer

8.     Being Athletic

9.     Sports

10.  Beach

11.  Botchy

12.  Paddle Ball

13.  Color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple…)

14.  Peace Signs

15.  PS7

16.  The 4^th of July

17.  Burritos

18.  Fish Tacos

19.  Jamba Juice

20.  Dunkin Donuts Coffee

21.  Road Trips

22.  Traveling

23.  Pictures

24.  Hiking

25.  Hugs and Smiles

26.  “Friends” (TV Show)

27.  New shoe smell

28.  Old book smell

29.  The smell right after a good rain

30.  Hot Tubs

31.  Arts and Crafts

32.  Tie Dye

33.  Costumes

34.  My comfy bed

35.  Mail (hard copy letters, not emails)

36.  Jokes

37.  Being sarcastic

38.  Running

39.  Painting

40.  Doodling

41.  Coaching (Soccer, Cross Country…)

42.  Movies (Romantic Comedies, Comedies, Action, Drama…)

43.  Teaching (Subbing, Camp Coronado, Teachers Aid…)

44.  Being around Children

45.  Dive Restaurants

46.  Assumption College (YNWA)

47.  Worcester, MA

48.  Camping

49.  Bonfires

50.  S’mores

51.  Quoting movies

52.  Singing in the car

53.  Bike riding

54.  Ice Cream

55.  Pillow Sessions (Friends talking before bed)

56.  My eight bracelets (I never take off)

57.  Shoes

58.  Running/soccer shorts

59.  Sun Dresses

60.  Bathing Suits

61.  Music

62.  Souplantation

63.  The San Diego Zoo (With My Brother Nick)

64.  The Wild Animal Park

65.  Giraffes

66.  Poetry

67.  Dr. Suess

68.  “Heroes” (TV Show)

69.  Crazy Color Nail Polish

70.  Flip Flops

71.  Claytons

72.  Mexican Take Out

73.  Going to Baseball games

74.  Fireworks

75.  Tahoe

76.  Cape Code

77.  Breezy, Long Island

78.  Receiving mail from my Dad

79.  Phone calls with Mom

80.  Helping my sister get ready for Prom

81.  My Brother Matt’s Wolverine Hair/HS graduation speech

82.  My Brother Billy’s stories

83.  Mock Weddings

84.  Helping Others

85.  Sushi

86.  Playing Monopoly at Christmas Time

87.  Family Christmas Photo Shoots

88.  So You Think You Can Dance

89.  Creating Sandwiches

90.  BBQ’s

91.  Crazy Sunglasses

92.  Silly Faces

93.  Watching the World Cup

94.  Watching March Madness/creating a bracket

95.  Exploring

96.  Collecting my movie stubs

97.  Decorating

98.  My favorite number 3

99.  The feathers in my hair

100.                 Collecting sea shells by the sea shore

School 2.0

NETS: 1-5
This technology self-assessment let me know what areas using technology in the classroom I needed more help with. I choose to learn more about PLNs. The tools for the PLN that I was given helped promote responsible social interactions related to technology and learning.

School 2.0

         I decided to read "Grow Your Own Personal Network, New Technologies Can Keep You Connected and Help you Manage Information Overload," by David Warlick, a Nets-T Module: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. I chose to read this because connecting with students, peers, and colleges using technology beyound email and Facebook is new to me. This article talked about three different ways that technology helps people connect and receive information: Personally Maintained synchronous connections, Personally and socially maintained semisynchonous connections , and Dynamically maintained asynchronous connections. Together these are strategies to create a personal learning network (PLN).
           The first, personally maitained synchronous connections, is about the traditional way people consult one another through chatting. There are numerous tools to enhance this, such as chat, texting, skype, and twitter. We no longer need to be in the same room to consult one another, but can be as far apart as living on different continents. The seconf PLN is personally and socially maintained semisynchronous connections. This reviews how in class the students can have computers and comment on the lesson or discussion in class by adding a comment on the class site or chat online with one another to help one another with ideas or homework. It doesn't stop there, on these online discussions one might send it to a specific person, but it's a community setting and thus, when responding or posting the online discussion it reaches others with similar questions or interest. These people can then comment and suggest ideas to the initial sender. The third is dynamically maintained asynchronous connections. This PLN goes over how one can bookmark a site and then also have relevent sites attach itself to this boomark. Thus, giving one more options and information on the topic of the site one bookmarked.
           I found this article very helpful because it helped me learn about opening my learning and lesson plans to a wider spectrum. A spectrum that reaches more than the halls of the school that I will one day work in. It has helped me find ways to reach out to others and share my interest. It will help me teach in a variety of ways, reaching more students. It has also shed light upon ways to meet the interest of my students and have them communicate differently in class. I look forward to learning more about this and then implementing it in my classroom.

Introducing Elise Hennrikus

Hi, I’m Elise Hennrikus born in Coronado, CA. where I lived until second grade.  I then moved to Fresno, CA until I graduated from Clovis West High School.  My first experience with East Coast winters occurred when I went to Assumption College in Worcester, MA.  After four years I went back West, joining the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Sacramento, CA as a teacher’s assistant for second and third graders. I’ve returned to my roots back in Coronado, now attending Cal State San Marcos for the graduate program in multicultural education.

My technologic savvy is fair, not great. I’ve had the same hotmail address since middle school. I’ve used computers for school: word for papers, power point for presentations, the internet for research.  I use the internet for leisure as well: facebook, emails, current events, sports, movies, music. I’m a recent PC turned Mac user and look forward to learning the ins and outs of this computer.

CSUSM’s multicultural education grad-program’s mission statement attracted me. It speaks about learning and fighting for diversity, educational equity, and social justice. When I was a junior in high school I went on a mission trip with my church to Mexico and had the privilege to be a big sister mentor to an orphan for about a month.  Since then I’ve known that I want to work with children, to support those who cannot always speak up for themselves. I had the opportunity to do so during my year as a teacher’s assistant in a low-income school, while participating in Jesuit Volunteer Corps.  I feel that CSUSM emphasizes the same goals and values that I possess and want to further develop as a future teacher.