Other
thoughts about my experience
Challenges
My experience was FULL of challenges. Technology in general has always been an area in which I struggle. There has always been a "fear" of failure that comes with technology. The biggest challenge for me was changing my attitude from "I don't know how to use technology" to "I don't know how to use this technology but I will play around and figure it out". Seems simple, but was a huge challenge for me. There was a vast variety of new skills and tools that were required of me to use. I was challenged to try new things in new ways in every class. I was challenged to create lessons and activities incorporating technology within my kindergarten classroom which I would have assumed to be impossible.
Successes
For every challenge I faced, came a success. The success may not have come in the form of a perfect grade or an incredible presentation, but in a feeling of self-confidence. The biggest success I had in this program was overcoming my self-doubt and gaining the confidence to try new things in the field of technology. I found that my passion for creativity can be broadened and utilized with the use of technology. Another huge success is the fact that I teach kindergarten successfully with implementing technology into my classroom and instruction. I have gained the tools and confidence to be a technology advocate in my school and am continually looking for ways to support, inspire, and motivate my students and colleagues.
Future
My portfolio will mainly be a place for me to visit and remind myself of the potential technology has. Specific artifacts will be used in my classroom by my team and myself on a yearly basis. I will share my portfolio with my colleagues and encourage them to use my site as inspiration. My portfolio is a great example and showcases what I can do using technology. If I ever have a change of heart and think that teaching in the classroom is no longer for me, then my portfolio will be a great addition to my resume.
Shout out to my favorite tools
The best and hardest part of this experience is the fact that different tools are used in every class. I was forced to explore and use a vast variety of online tools. Many of the tools had similar abilities but some were favored more than others.
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Wix- This is a website creator. Very user-friendly with an abundance of free options.
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GoogleSlides- A free online presentation builder. This is similar to PowerPoint or Keynote. I used Slides because my students and staff have access to it. It's user-friendly and gives the user freedom to create.
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GoogleForms- Another free tool. I created assessments, questionnaires, and assignments. The tool collects the data and analyzes it for you. It is automatic feedback.
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Photoshop- One class was not nearly enough time spent on this tool. I LOVED it. I had a blast creating and manipulating images to tell my own stories.