I have learned a tremendous amount already in EDT 610. Because I am pretty clueless when it comes to technology issues, I have been eager to see how all of this will fit into the classroom. In just a few short weeks, I can already see how incorporating technology into the classroom can be such a valuable tool. Learning how to use Excel was particularly helpful for me. I can see how relevant this is for creating a grade book and keeping track of an individual student’s progress as well as the entire classroom. Utilizing the features of Excel can save so much time and provide a much richer amount of knowledge. Being able to calculate the percentage of students who scored less than a certain amount on a test is valuable information that will help me know if concepts need to be retaught and teaching methods altered.
When preparing for the Unit Introduction, I had a difficult time coming up with a topic that I thought would fit all of the criteria throughout the assignments for the semester. This was my first time to take a look at the curriculum standards for the various grade levels. This was a real eye-opening experience for me. Through this Unit Introduction assignment I am able to see how things can all fit together in terms of planning a cohesive lesson plan while simultaneously adhering to the standards. Having this exposure early on in the program will serve me well as I will be focusing on this not just in school but when I am a teacher as well.
The organization of the Unit Plan seems particularly helpful. It helps to keep everything organized and makes for optimum preparation. I can definitely see the importance of developing quality essential and unit questions. Taking a look at the Bloom’s Taxonomy information while frustrating at first has been extremely revealing in terms of expectations for what and how students learn. It would be so easy to have students just learn the facts, but I can now clearly see the importance and value of the high-order thinking skills that need to be components of all lesson plans. It helps to guide my creativity when thinking about this especially as a future elementary teacher.
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