The new school year has begun and we are running on high speed.  My students are preparing fore their first Psychology test this week.  I would like  to hear all their comments on the class so far.  What do you need for this class? 

You may take this opportunity to find an interesting article on apa.org to read and discuss.  Mrs.T

I entered this class convinced I was fine on the computer and have exited knowing more and wishing I knew even more.  For the first time someone has explained to me the concept of Excel and how it is useful for someone like me who is a non math person.  Every other time I tried to use Excel I was intimidated by all those lines and now I have learned to use them to my advantage. (Thanks David!)  David also taught me a valuable lesson-Control Z.  Ha!

There were two things I really wanted to learn before this class-how to blog and how to do a PowerPoint.  I have “done” a blog-I am not sure how to use it for my classes but I am still working on that.  The PowerPoint is another matter.  One of the most exciting things I’ve done in years was make my own PowerPoint. I will use it during the first weeks of school and impress my students! I am still working on using the slide master and will master it eventually.  I learned how to find and insert pictures, videos and to finally cut and paste!  Even though I accidentally cut my first PowerPoint out of my life and it is gone forever. That was devastating.  I am working on my web page and will use it during this next school year.  I am very impresses by tools Catherine gave us; not only were they helpful for the class, they will be useful for me during the school year.

Nothing (except for the birth of my first child) has intimidated me as much as this class.  But I did preserver and I have learned not to be afraid of trying to do something on the computer.  I will continue to try, make mistakes and hopefully conquer my fear!

I want to thank all of the teachers-you did a womderful job and you really never lost your co0l.  Thanks

Well I can’t believe it is finally almost over.  When I entered this class, I was afraid to even touch the computer for fear of ruining it.  Now i can make a power point !@!  I am very happy.  I have 2 powerpoints done.  I will use them the first fedw days/weeks to get started.  And I have a brochure and a newsletter.  I want to make the newsletter a permanent thing so I can keep the parents informed.    It has worked out very well for me.

Thank you David for teaching us abolut the brochure.  It is a great tool and I will continue to use it when I get back to school.  I am going to use to newsletter tool to send newsletters home to parents.  I am gion to hand out the brochure to parents and students during the first few weeks of school.  It will be a great addition to my bag of tricks to impress students and parents!   I will probably show it to my principal the first day back.  IF Gracie says  it’s okay!

I just wrote a page about what I learned in this cyber -teacher class.  Before I came I received two different viewpoints about the class.  One guy told me it was wonderful and that even I could handle it!  He knows me well.  Another lady told me it was way too much and it was beyond me!  It has been a little beyond me!  But I did not quit.  I kept on because I really do want ot learn how to use this machine.  I think I have.  I found it intimidating  that there were people in the class who KNEW everything but they were very helpful.  I think it turned out well and I do like the laptop!  I will continue to try to learn as musch as I can.  Next I want to learn how to use edline to my advantage.

Learning about the idea of web design is fascinating.  Who knew?  The language of html is not as difficult as I thought it would be.  However memorizing this code is proving a little more complex than i first believed.  I was pleased to finally lean how to make brochures–I have seen them in school-work that other teachers have done or students have done and been so impressed.  Now, hopefully Iwill learn how to do it, too.  I cannot wait to get to the computer lab now and assign my studengts brochures for homework!

I wrote the title of the blog in caps to emaphasize the importance of paying attention and my lack of listening skills!  Maybe now I won’t want to moan when my kids say what wsa that?  My temporal lobes are on strike now and my ability to listen and interpret are lacking.  TO adjust that i am going to try to focus my attention on the speaker, try it for myself first and then call for help.  I may even eat breakfast in the morning–for the extra energy it is supposed to breing.

So far I am not insane!  I truly enjoyed the word section where we can make charts without me going insane!  I also think the color chart area is beyond cool.  It reminds me of all th4 times I have painted and repainted rooms and furniture.

Excel has almost driven me insane.  I do not like to do formulas or figure out tax stuff.  However, i did it .

The best inservice I have attended is one I did last year.  It was about the holocaust and the presentors were actually members of the National Holocaust Memorial and its education wing.  The info was interesting, we stayed on task, no one screamed at us ( pay attention teachers) and there was FOOD!  Coffee and bagels in the am and a good lunch.  I have all the materials and still use them to discuss things with my students.