Tech Dummy

Throughout my K-12 years I had very little experience with any form of technology.  Manchester school district is considered a "district-in-need" meaning there is very little money going around and going into the education of students, therefore there is hardly any extra tech in the schools other than regular computers in the libraries and classrooms.  There were a couple Mac labs we were allowed to use occasionally, but they were simply used for research.

In third grade, my school Highland Goffes Falls received some grant money and was able to purchase a new "Mac lab" (cart with about 20 computers that was shared throughout the school).  This was pretty much the first bit of technology I was taught in my educational experience, and it was not something I enjoyed.  Having never really used the computer before I had no idea what the purpose of it was.  My teacher explained to us that computers were used to find facts and information we didn't know, so most of what we did was typing in the URL given to use and simply reading whatever we were to read, and then taking paper notes on such.  Throughout the remainder of elementary school I seldom used the computer or any other form of tech, and when I did it was only to do research or play on paint.

My middle school years at Southside Middle School were the first in which I received true instruction on computers and their usage potential, in my Computers class.  In such we learned what Microsoft Word, Excel, Spreadsheet, and other techy things were and how to use them.  I didn't like this class.  The teacher was mean, and I didn't know what I was doing half the time, but I suppose in the long run, it helped.

Come high school I had full knowledge of how to use a computer to research, write, make spreadsheets, and how to use databases.  However, the computer was the only form of technology offered to me, due to the financial struggles of the district.  Now, as I study in college I am learning that there are far more forms of technology that can be useful in the classroom and future classrooms of mine.  I still do not understand much of all the many forms of tech, and that scares me, but I look forward to learning how to use them personally, as well as how to use them in future classrooms.

I would very much like to include active technology usage both in and outside of my future classroom.  I find this blogging thing to be pretty cool and useful and I think I would like to use this as a way to communicate with parents and students as well as engage them into higher level teaching/thinking.  I do not however like Twitter or any other social media site, nor do I feel they are an appropriate tool to be used in education so I would not like to include such technologies in my future classroom.  Overall, I feel as technology advances, we as future educators should advance with it, keep up with the times, and include such in our classrooms.  For, what is the point of having all this great technology and not using it?

How did I get here, Word Cloud :)

How did I get here?

What brings me to SNHU? Well to start, I live only 15 minutes from campus so the location is perfect. I can keep my jobs, I can work at home, I can see my family, and I can sleep in my own room!  I recently transferred to SNHU from the University of New England for many reasons, but to keep things brief I will list only three.  First reason:  the caliber of education SNHU has to offer, specifically their Department of Education, is much greater than that of UNE.  Second reason: SNHU is much cheaper, for I can live at home and commute, cutting out room and board cost, among other things. Third reason: overall, I very much disliked UNE due to multiple happenings throughout the year, the overall community, and the food… In short, my “journey”, if you will, to EDU 235, stems from all such happenings last academic year, as well as my many childhood experiences which further supported my dream of one day becoming an elementary school teacher.