Post #10~ Last One!

Although I did not really know who’s blog I was looking at (because I went through different classes and because I don’t know the names of the people in my class), I liked the fact that a lot of people have the same cares and concerns that I do. I also found it interesting how I identified with some of the posts. For example, one person was having major computer troubles, and I sympathized because I know what it’s like to have your computer go haywire at the most inconvenient times.

In my last post, I said that I wanted to learn how to use an electronic grade book. I guess I also want to be able to use bigger kinds of technological equipment, like projectors. In most of my classes at FSU, the teachers use projectors to display parts of the book, diagrams, websites, pictures, and any other relevant information. Some of my high school teachers used things like overhead projectors, but I would really like to use those projectors that connect to the computer, because they are more modern and versatile.

I have lately been considering becoming a TA or grad assistant when I finish my bachelor’s degree, and I know that they have to learn how to use all of that equipment. If that doesn’t end up happening, I suppose I can look for a teacher workshop that goes over technological advances where they might teach how to use projectors. I know that teachers are required to go to a certain number or workshops per year (at least in the Miami-Dade County Public School System), so that would be a worthwhile workshop to attend.

Post #9

While my group and I were working on our final project, we stumbled upon a free family tree web site. We had decided to base our final project on an assignment where our students would make their very own family tree using technology. We found a couple of resources for making a family tree that were similar to Inspiration, but we also found a family tree on http://www.familytree.com/. I really liked the idea that we came up with, especially because I want to be a history teacher, so this is something that I would like to use in the future.

The website has many resources for looking up one’s family history. There is a link to a free trial for ancestry.com (which is usually pretty pricy). The site also has a link to look up one’s coat of arms and surname history. Best of all, the website offers a number of different links and resources to other sites that have great tools for making a family tree. There is no subscription fee, and you don’t need a user name to access it, which makes the site very user-friendly.

Although it might sound a little boring, I would really like to learn how to make a grade book on excel. I am usually the kind of person who likes to use pencil-and-paper, but using excel will make everything easier for me. For one, I can easily average out the grades without having to do it manually. In addition, I can access a student’s grades on specific assignments, and even print out their own page for them to track their progress in the class. I would like to learn how to use a template, though, because I am not too thrilled about having to make my own grade book from scratch.

I was hoping that I would be able to reach this goal in this class (and if the class went over it, it was probably the day I was sick), but I will hopefully gain exposure to this somewhere down the line with my teacher education. If not, I am sure I can ask a teacher in whatever school I work to help me figure it out. I know that electronic grade books were already becoming popular when I was in high school, so it will surely be common practice by the time I become a teacher.