The Texas Star Chart

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The Texas Star Chart

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250 word opinion on the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology

I believe that the Texas long range plan for technology for 2020 is good. I think that it provides a goal and focus for the state to strive for. The long range plan for technology is for students to use technology on a daily basis as well as use collaboration for technology based projects. Develop a welcoming atmosphere for the use of technology on a 24/7 basis. Educators will be will develop new learning environments that uses technology flexibly in the classroom and incorporates interactive and customized products. Teachers will integrate this daily in the classroom. Instructional leaders will implement and develop a budget that requires technology in the classroom. Administrators will provide a vision that is shared by the whole staff that technology is vital to our student's future. Administrators will provide time for professional development and the encouragement of using technology in the classroom. Our campus falls short in the area of teaching and learning with technology. The state is much higher and our campus needs to do a better job of developing and maintaining technology use in the classroom. In the category of educator preparation programs we are also falling short. This statistic is true of our campus because so many of our teachers are alternative certification candidates. We are continuing to make progress. I just don't know that our campus will meet the expectations of the state in the timeline required. I hope we do. The trend is progressive growth for the state, and national progress as well. Our goal is to become more technologically savvy and provide a successful future for our future leaders. I recommend that we focus on the teaching and learning category and I believe that the rest will fall into place.

Pre-K Technology Applications

Students in Pre-K are introduced to technology by first being introduced to the computer. they begin to use the touch keyboard and learning the key strokes. They begin to use technology to access information by ways of text, audio, video and graphics. They start to create presentations just become familiar with the parts and components of the computer. This lays the foundation for future grades because it provides students with a solid background knowledge of what needs to be known in order for students to be successful. Students begin to develop a positive attitude towards technology that will make them become life long learners. Spiraling and scaffolding curriculum is a way to provide learning to all. These technology TEKS provide multiple opportunities for students to learn and understand technology. If a student does not understand what an operating system is in kindergarten a student is provided another opportunity in first, second and so on grades when teachers spiral review the information they should already know. If a student has a technology gap in the concepts they will learn and have other opportunities to learn the information and master the knowlege and skills.

Long Range Plan for Technology

My long range plan for technology is for students to use technology on a daily basis as well as use collaboration for technology based projects. Develop a welcoming atmosphere for the use of technology on a 24/7 basis. Educators will be will develop new learning environments that uses technology flexibly in the classroom and incorporates interactive and customized products. Teachers will integrate this daily in the classroom. Instructional leaders will implement and develop a budget that requires technology in the classroom. Administrators will provide a vision that is shared by the whole staff that technology is vital to our student's future. Administrators will provide time for professional development and the encouragement of using technology in the classroom.

EDLD 5352 Week One Assignment

In week one's assignment we were to take three survey's of our own technology in the classroom and how comfortable we are in applying it with our students. I found these surverys to be most helpful with my self evaluation process of technology. Previous to the these surveys I though myself to be a technology native rather than technology imigrant but now I believe I am a technology native but I need to continue to strive for more technology in the classroom. I use a smart board in my room daily. Students are welcome and encouraged to go to the board and use it to work out real life application math problems, TAKS related problems and drill and kill basic mathematics problems. I could be better about letting my students create projects involving the web as well as powerpoints or other technology related projects. A weakness in my classroom is facilitating the use of technological projects and or printable products in my classroom. It seems with our focus on TAKS I forget that statistics show our students do so much better with applicable uses of technology in the classroom. A strength of mine is my attitude toward technology. I think that it can be entirely beneficial to a staff and students in applied in the classroom on a daily basis. Sure it is uncomfortable at times and sometimes is unreliable but that is no excuse for trying new technology in the classroom. Students love technology and like it when teachers try new applications of the old way of doing things. Most of the time I have found that students often want to help the teacher learn how to use a new technology product in the classroom. I agree with the assessments and found the the questions were geared toward professional development for myself. I would like to try the web lessons and webcast or record a lesson of my own so that others can play it over if they need more practice or would like help at home from the day. In my first assessment I found that I looked like I had more experience in technology than I thought. Although I realized that I can try other forms of technology that I haven't before. For example the web classess and or letting students create more products in the classroom. In the second survey I quickly found that at our campus the reading and writing teachers do not have the use of smart boards in the classroom. First priority on our campus is for science and mathematics teachers. We lost our AYP for a year because of our science scores. That is why science has first pick and then mathematics teachers. I understand why but I know that if language arts teachers had the technology it would make a difference on our campus.

Family Pictures

A little of this and that

Sorry it has been so long since we have posted. Not much is going on here. We are still eating and growing like a weed. Addie likes finger foods but still prefers her veggetables in a liquid form and spooned. She is still really fond of yogurt, vanilla wafers, crackers and anything bread. She liked the cranberry orange bread we made. She loves whole milk now, especially if Daddy shares. I know this is a poor habit to teach. We are working on that. Addie understands no. Sometimes I take her to her room to throw her tantrum and then we go back to the scene and discuss why we were in trouble....for example the dishwasher, when mommy was loading it and she wanted to touch and take out the utensils. She is a selective listener but can be very good when she wants to be. She really likes the baby einstein videos with sign language and Jared taught her to whistle. We are still trying to tape that. I will post it as soon as we can. Walking has turned into a run. She bumps into things all the time now. She likes to play in cardboard boxes. Addie gets so proud of herself when sitting in one.

Jared and I are definitely in a busy part of our lives. I am going to do my best to stick out this graduate school until March. I think I will be done by then. I am starting my 10th class out of 12 on Monday. My face looks like a pepperoni pizza and I am thankful my husband is so understanding our how our house looks. It is really taxing and I am praying about the end in sight and just finishing. Big party in the spring when we are done. No summer school, cheerleading or anything this summer or next year! Just us and the family.

This weekend we are taking family pictures. Then we are moving furniture and boxes for my parents on Sunday. They are getting new flooring in their house. LUCKY! and they deserve it too!

Addie has two more teeth that have broken through on either side of her front two teeth. she is hard to photograph now days!!! Always moving and hard to get to sit still. So we will see how the pictures go! Here is Addie playing in the kitchen on the floor. We have to watch what is on the floor because little miss thang will find food left from dinner the night before and eat it up.