Wikispace

I had a lot of fun creating my own wikispace for Project 8.  I made it for a kindergarten level and students would be learning the alphabet and making two and three letter words.  I had to think about what kindergarteners are learning to do and what would be fun for them to do while learning.  So I thought since they are learning spelling, making words, and the alphabet then why not put it all into one.  There were some parts of this project that would get me a little angry but once I figured it out after using different tools and learning how they work then everything started to work out and I was able to create a interactive project for the students to learn how to spell and make words.  I would use wikispace in my classroom with students because I think it would be fun for them to use and I think it would be effective and help them spell and also help with their reading skills.  The students would also learn to work together and learn from each other.

Final practicum

I finished my practicum last week, Friday December 2, 2011.  I have learned a lot from being in the classroom and observing the teacher and the students.  I have learned that there is going to be a lot of diversity in the classroom and that every child has a different learning style and figure out how to include every style in lessons.  I have learned that the first year of teaching is going to be difficult and that mistakes are going to be made but I will always be reflecting and changing and learning from the students and learning what works for the students and what doesn't.  I was in the Sixth grade for my practicum and I enjoyed working with an older age because I am use to working with younger children so being around older students was a challenge.  There were things that I could take into the classroom with me that I was learning from my block 1 classes and I was able to see what I was learning being applied in the classroom setting.  I have learned a lot from the  classes I have taken and from being in the classroom.

End of Semester

The end of the semester seems like it has come so fast.  There are only two weeks left and I still have quite a few things left to do to finish off the semester.  It has been a long stressful journey but I have had a lot of support from my classmates.  Block 1 has been a great experience and along  the way I have meet many new people and have made friends along the way.  I do not know where I would be without the help of my classmates.  Everyone worked together to help each other make it through.  We have built a strong community and have stuck by each other.  This is what we have been learning all semester to build a community and find ways to support our future students and their different learning styles.  I know that I have put all my energy in this semester and the work that I have done.  There were times that I questioned myself but I made it through and told myself that I can do this and this is what I want to be doing.  I want to become a teacher and in the end all this hard work will be worth it.

SMART Board

In EDU 315 we had to create a lesson using the SMART Board and it was fun making a lesson.  I have learned a lot from this lesson and one thing I learned is that it takes a lot of practice to use the SMART Board.  To learn how to use the smartboard program and getting use to using the smart board is going to take a lot of practice because I know that without practice it could be difficult to use.  I had fun making a lesson with my group and I know that I am going to have to keep practicing with the smart board to get use to it because I know that I will eventually be using one when I enter a classroom and start teaching.  Learning to use this new technology is interesting and seeing it used in the classroom that I am in for my practicum is nice and it seems like a tool that makes teaching easier for the teacher.  I think that the smart board is a great new piece of technology that is coming into more and more classrooms and will help teachers with teaching their students new material.  I am thrilled to be able to learn how to use a smart board and I can't wait to learn more and practice more with the smart board.

Social Networking

Social Networking is something that can be useful especially to teachers for communication.  Using social networks like facebook and twitter can be helpful because teachers can post new things that they have learned from conferences.  Social networking can be a good thing to use to keep in contact with people and stay up to date with what is going on around you.  Twitter and facebook can be used to make updates about what is going on in  schools and staying in contact with new things that are being taught, and teachers can share ideas with each other to help support and create a good learning environment for the students.

Practicum 2

It is getting close to the last day of my practicum and I have to say that I have really enjoyed being in a 6th grade classroom and working with the students.  I have seem strategies being used that we are and have been learning to do by our professors.  Seeing the strategies in action by my host teacher has been interesting to see.  I now how much work and time a teacher has to put into everything they are teaching.  The time they have to spend on grading is quite a bit.  I have been able to grade tests and packets that the students have done and it takes time and can be a bit difficult trying to figure out what the students are trying to say.  I have learned a lot from being in the classroom and my host teacher is helpful and willing to answer any questions that I might have about the work or the students.  I know that I still have quite a bit to learn but I know that I am going to enjoy it.

Digital Citizenship

After reading the nine elements of digital citizenship I have learned that a lot of things have changed with technology like communicating with people, new technology coming into the classroom, and new technology at the work place like video conferencing.  For the new technology in communication, people are able to stay in  contact with anybody, from anywhere with the help of cell phones, email, and instant messanger. Learning how to use new technology is something that everyone is going to have to do because technology is growing fast and coming into the classroom.  As the new technology comes into the work place people need to be able to learn about the new technology so they will be able to use it anywhere and at anytime and they need to be able to use it quickly and accurately.

School

I have been enjoying block 1 even with all the work that we have to do.  Being around the same people everyday can be helpful because we are all doing the same work so if anybody is having trouble with something everyone is able to help each other.  This semester has been a challenge for me.  I have done more work this semester then I have in any other semester since I have been in college.  It has been stressful but I know that everyone else is in the same place and we all are able to work together to get through the semester.  This semester has also taught me how to be more organized with my work so that I'm not all over the place.  I still need to work on my organization but there is a difference from previous semesters.

New Technology

In technologies to watch it talks about the new technology that will be coming up in the next 12 months and the next few years.  Within the next 12 months mobiles and electronic books will be coming into the main stream.  Just by seeing the new technology with phones and have the internet on the go, shows me that I need to learn a lot about technology.  Seeing Smartboards coming in the elementary classrooms and just now starting to learn how to use one and how it works.  I have just recently bought a tablet and it has been about a month and I'm still trying to figure out how to buy apps or where to go to look for them.  I am slowing figuring out how to buy apps and I am always using my tablet everyday so that I can try and figure out new things that I haven't learned yet.  Learning about all the latest technology is going to be important for me and I am ready to take on the challenges they bring with them.

Week 5: Practicum

I started my practicum on 9/26/11 in a 6th grade classroom and I love it already.  Even though I have only been once so far I was able to interact with the students and help one student with her math skills.  When I had finished helping her she seemed to understand the math a little bit better, maybe not a hole lot more but enough to where I left good that the host teacher gave me the chance to help her student.  I know that I am going to learn a lot from this practicum and going to have a lot of fun doing it and interacting with the students.

Week 4: RaquetteLake!

Having the opportunity to go to Raquette Lake was great.  Taking this trip helped me see how shy I really was when it came to doing any presentations infront of an audience but have to come up with a performance in a matter of a couple of hours and then having to perform it in front of everyone madae me see that I shouldn't be as nervous as I really am and that I am able to do it.  Also that I have to because I want to teach.  I was able to step out of my comfort zone.  I also think that having the opportunity to see our professors in a different way and not as our professors and outside of the classroom was great.  We were able to get to know our teachers in a different way and they were able to see us not just as their students.  I was able to meet new people and get to know others people that I probably would have never met.  All in all the trip to Raquette Lake was a great experience to go through and I have learned a lot from it and will definitely take every thing that I have learned into the classroom with me.

About Me

Hi, my name is Beth Hulslander and I am from Cortland, New York.  I have one sister and she is 4 years older then me so that makes me the youngest.  Right now I am a full time student at SUNY Cortland so I don't have a job at the moment.  Four words that describe me are caring, athletic, happy, and kind. The three things that I love the most are my family, my friends, and watching sports like baseball and football.  I am someone who feels grateful to have a great family to support me, doesn't like to get up early, and I feel lucky to be going to college to get a teaching degree.  I have several fears but my top three are thunderstorms, the dark, and spiders.  Finally, the three things I would like to see or people I would like to meet is seeing Italy, seeing a broadway musical, and meeting Derek Jeter. 
• Your First name
• Four adjectives that describe you
• Sibling (son or daughter of)
• Lover of (3 things)
• Who feels (3 things)
• Who fears (3 things)
• Who would like to see (3 things)
• Resident of (street, city, state)
• Your profession (job - where do you work?)
• Your last name

week 3

Hello my name is Beth.