Autobiography projects

I want to start by saying that I absolutely loved everyone's projects. I think that everyone did a fantastic job with them. It was so nice to take a little trip back into my literary history. I expected that many of us would have some of the same books and TV shows in our presentations, but it was also interesting to see the differences between them as well. This was something that I really enjoyed putting together and perhaps when I have a little more free time I will improve it to use in my classroom one day. I think this is a project students could be eager about, as so many of us obviously were.

I wish I was a little more technologically advanced. I would have liked to use a program other than PowerPoint, but that would not have been an easy task for me. I think part of the reason I enjoyed putting it together was because it was simple.

I actually had a lot of fun interviewing my mom before I started collecting images. She remembered so many stories we read together that I had completely forgotten about. It seemed to me that she had a lot of fun with this project too, and she was excited to see it when I was finished. I give my mom most of the credit for starting me on reading becasue she read to me everynight and was always buying me books. I could cry and whine in WalMart because she wouldn't buy me a Barbie, but she would always buy me a book.

There is one thing I wanted to comment on that I was a little disappointed in. I feel that I spent a great deal of time on this project, but I wasn't given an opportunity to share it the way I wanted because we were running out of time. I did not think this was very fair because those that went first got to explain everything they wanted in their presentations. Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved listening to every second of their presentations, but I would have loved to have been given the same courtesy. Instead I had to "move it along." Everything I planned to say and comment on pretty much went out the window, and I felt a little cheated. I don't feel that my presentation was anywhere near as good as it could have been the way I practiced.

Overall this was a fun project, and I am glad to have this little reflection of my literary life. It would be nice to keep adding to it in the future.

Stephanie

PS. Here is my movie related link www.rottentomatoes.com

As it is, I am at this very moment using technology in the classroom. I am in my Teaching High School Journalism class and I just finished taking a test on the laptop. (HI! Everyone in this class with me right now. How do you guys think you did on the law quiz?) I have to wait for everyone else to finish their quizzes because we have to be here till 8:15 tonight, so I figured I'd take this opportunity to post.

I'm attempting to work on my multi-modal presentation, and it is not going as smoothly as I had hoped. I wanted to include some videos to go along with my still pictures, but unfortunately that whole Debut business is not working out so swell for me. I'm hoping that it was just my computer because I really wanted to include some of that stuff. I guess you'll all see if I succeed in class on Monday. Originally, this project had started out as something fun for me, but of course technology ruined it. I'm crossing my fingers for better luck later this week.

We talked about books that are normally included in a secondary English classroom, but I felt like I was missing out because at my school we didn't read half of those books. Fortunately I had read them on my own at my mother's suggestion. She loves to read and she was always checking out good books for me at the library. I hope that wherever I end up teaching the curriculum includes a variety of novels. It is my opinion that students will get more involved in novels than textbooks. Unfortunately though, I apparently have no say in the curriculum, which is also something we discussed in class Monday.

Well, I guess I better end this because I think almost everyone is done with their tests and we have to get back to business. I can't wait to get out of here. It's my Mom's birthday and my whole family is in town, and there is ice cream cake waiting for me at home (my favorite!!)

Stephanie

This is my first blog...ever. I never had a blog before, mostly because the thought of sitting at the computer and typing turns me off for some reason. I don't like to sit at the computer any longer than I absolutely have too, which is difficult this semester because I have an online class. I was actually nervous about the whole Multi-Modal deal because I thought it was gonna be a technology class, and I'm not a huge fan of the computer. I am really glad it isn't :) Anyway, I really like trying new things, so I hope to make this blog a good experience and something to use in the future.

I think for a classroom to have Multi-Modal capabilities is a tremendous advantage. Teachers have so many options these days about what they can relate the curriculum to. The kids that we're going to teach (let's face it) are going to be interested in so many other things besides school. It is nice as teachers, to be able to bring a little bit of their outside world into the classroom. Using Multi-modal techniques is a great way for students to be engaged in learning without really relizing it. Plus, if they're having fun that's always a bonus.

In class we talked about Facebook and MySpace and how they relate to teacher professionalism. I personally, do not have a problem giving up my Facebook (as I mentioned I'm not a huge fan of sitting at the computer) but I completely understand why many people are not so eager to get rid of them. I'm not sure about where I stand on completely getting rid of an account, but I do think that if you have one you need to be professional about it. I'm sure that all of us future teachers are in agreement about this.

As I sit here and think about it, it almsot makes me wish for a simpler time, back before the Facebook's, and blogs, or even the computer. I'm not talking like Pony Express time, but I do know for a fact that people actually managed to survive without being constantly surrounded by technology. Of course, if it were that simpler time then I probably would have been married at 13 and have seven children by now (kidding kidding). I guess it doesn't sound so simple. I suppose I kind of take this easy and instant access to information for granted. Now that I think about it I guess I should stop doing that...

Til next time...(this was kinda fun)

Stephanie