2 Months and Counting.....

2 months from now (tonight) I will be contentedly sleeping on an airplane just after leaving Halifax for London, England. HUGE step for me, as until now the farthest I have been from home is Florida and the longest I have been away from family is the time between holidays at UPEI. (StFX time doesn't count). Starting to get pretty excited.

The gameplan thus far is.....London: March 5-12. Leaving the 12th for Jokkmokk, Sweden; where we will spend 7 weeks teaching above the arctic circle. Found out today that they don't believe in dress clothes either, teachers wear sweats in class (CRAZY considering the amount of lectures I have heard on professionalism in the past 2 years).

So Big Adventure is within sight.


Oh and GO CANADA GO!!!!!

Today's Lesson

Sitting in class and a professor just told us that we should really learn to read books.....

I thought that was a requirement to get into this program? Guess I should expand past Dr. Seuss one of these days.

Technology in Education

Technology in Education

Today’s world is changing at an extremely accelerated speed and yet I have been trying to create my technology related teaching philosophy for what seems like an eternity.

The process has gone a little like this:

-       look for articles – check

-       find one that suits – check x 10

-       pick ONE – check

-       write a philosophy – not so easy

The problem?

            I can’t wrap my head around solidifying my ideas and beliefs into two really well written pages and saying, done! I did a teaching philosophy right, so why does it become mission impossible when I try to add technology to it? Every time I write a line, I stare at it for a few minutes and the blinking cursor drives me insane until I delete it, nothing can adequately sum it all up. Then it hits me, why does it have to be in the form of words on a page? Why does it have to be neatly contrained into two white pages with black font? Why can’t it reflect the concepts and not be full of gibberish added to simply increase the word count and make it look professional.

The solution?

            Be creative! Practice what you preach!

What I created instead is a mosaic, a visual and technological representation of what technology in education looks like to me. What it encompasses, what it can be. It may look like a bunch of words to someone else, but to me, it is the ideas that I will bring into my classroom. The programs and the creative approaches that I will try and the opportunities that I believe our students deserve. Is it conventional? No, but it is like technology because it has room to grow, expand and change, an attitude that we should all consider bringing into our classrooms.

How did I do it?

            First, I brainstormed, a lot. I thought about what types of technology I would use, what my student’s use, how we can try different things and so on. What resulted was a list. Then when sitting in International Development, our professor introduced us to a wonderful internet site: wordle.net. It takes your lists and creates a visual collage. I went through my list again and repeated words that seemed more pertinent, more necessary. Then I imputed my list and viola: one philosophy! That is, until something new and cool comes out that makes the cut.

The Big Plan

       While busily finishing up assignments and unit plans, it has suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks. Practicum 3 begins in 3 weeks, which I couldn't be more excited for. Then it's Christmas, back to school and then in March I am off to Europe. When I come home I will be one week away from graduating with a BEd. Then what? Then am I a grown up? No I despise that term. Then am an adult? a teacher? Where do I go from here? So many questions, so little time, so few answers.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Albert Einstein

Sweden it is!

Heading to Jokkmokk, Sweden in March for a 6 week practicum. This is up above the Arctic circle, brrr. We are heavy into the fundraising now, amidst projects, assignments, readings and more. Practicum at Rankin begins in 36 days!!!!! Can't wait, very excited after spending 2 days with grades 5/6.

Back to School

Year 19 as a student! Busy already with readings and projects. Very excited for practicum and actually being a teacher again. Especially excited for an international practicum next spring!!! Sweden?! Looks promising, should find out soon for sure.