Cool Class Blogs

English Corner-This blog was created by Julia Osteen, a sixth grade Language Arts teacher from Norcross, GA. I love this blog, it has interactive learning that students can answer bloom taxonomy questions about their reading material. The blog lists several interesting sixth grade level books. The books suggested are great for reading material ideas. I know that because I could tell what the books were about by the teacher's summarizations and questions.
Above is the Classroom of Ambrose, a fifth grade blog that has something dedicated to almost everything. It is a really fun blog that has technique building games like speed typing to improve typing skills and all kinds of other cool games that are very relevant to learning. It provides resources and information for parents and students. Including Science links, Math links, Standardized test practices and study resources; you can pretty much name it!

Shift Happens

The movie "Shift Happens" acquires information that when put together paints a picture of the future. It offers facts and statistics that tomorrow will advance much faster that previous generations are accustomed. It is an awakening compilation of information that shows me, a future educator, that not keeping up with advances in technology will result in a somewhat irrelevant pursuit.

The movie provided statistics on technology, such as the Internet, myspace, and text messaging. The Internet has become the fastest growing use of technology, surpassing television significantly. The number of Myspace members are equivalent to populations in countries. In fact, if a country consisted of the amount of the members it would be the eighth largest country in the world! The world is expected to change dramatically within the next ten years. In ten years China is predicted to be the most English speaking country in the world! Wow!

ACCESS Distance Learning

The Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators, and Students Statewide is a learning initiative that serves Alabama High Schools in order to provide equal access to many areas of high quality instruction to improve student achievement, regardless of location. ACCESS opens opportunity to earn advanced diplomas by distance learning; For example, a student that is interested in a different language has the opportunity to learn the language as an elective even if the school they attend does not give the option within their curriculum. An objective of the program is to provide every Alabama High School with ACCESS by the year 2010. It is an exciting program that assesses technology needs and is leading today's high school students into the 21st century.

It also provides educators with the technology and resources for necessary professional development to aid in the success of their students.

ALEX

Alex or the Alabama Learning Exchange, I learned is a very valuable website for teachers to use as a resource. The website is easy to navigate and gives you the following options to find information: You can find Courses of Study (ALCOS), and Lesson Plans that are conveniently categorized by subject, grade level, and keywords; There are also links to other website resources that you as a teacher can explore for more ideas and information on lesson plans, technology, and subjects that you are teaching. There are websites listed that you can provide for students as well! This website includes professional learning and offers a personal workspace that teachers can log on to and organize favorite lessons, and submit their own lesson plans to. And finally there is a link to ACCESS Distance Learning, which we will talk more about next week. Thank god for websites like this for teachers-in-training and for first year teachers!

About Me

I am 22, and a lot is going on in my life right now. I'm at a place where taking care of a house, getting married, and getting into the job world is becoming very real. It is very exciting and I am sure that a lot women at my age experience the same transition, cause I have grown up with a great group of girls that are in the same boat.
It took me a while to decide to become a teacher, cause at first I figured if I'm going to pay for college for four years then I'm going to make some money. But I realized that money only makes things easier, not necessarily happier. So, when I get a good job at the end of college then hopefully I will lead a happy life doing something that I really want to do because I love kids and have strong beliefs about education.