Reflective Wrap-Up

When I think of the classroom I will have in the future, what that looks like entirely depends on the school. Schools in nicer districts would definitely have access to iPads, smart boards, and etc. But in schools with less funding this many not be the case. If students did not have the ability to utilize resources like these, I don't think it would greatly hinder my classroom in particular, because I want to teach Spanish and that is not something that technology benefits as much as other subjects in the classroom. If my students do have access to technology, I imagine most of the homework given would be online rather than on paper. Aside from that, I don't know how much technology would realistically be utilized. 

I plan to be working with high school students or possibly late middle school. I think the biggest challenges with incorporating technology would be applicable in more poverty stricken areas. Places where schools don't have the funds available to increase use of computers, smart boards, iPads, and etc. Online homework would also be a problem if students didn't have access to a computer at home. There are always going to be problems with students home situations and other difficult subjects. I think the key is to make sure students know that you are there to help, but setting very distinct boundaries and knowing what the national, state, district, and individual school policies are when it comes to the specific situation. The same applies to handling the use of social media. As a teacher, I will be abiding by the laws and rules put in place for my own protection.

Most of the things we've discussed I have been familiar with, but there have still been things that I have learned throughout this semester that I will be able to use in my professional career. I definitely think that Prezi is a cool tool to use. I was already aware of Pinterest and I love the great ideas I find on there. When it comes to technology, I think my biggest fear in the classroom is that we lose the purpose in things with too much of it. There are lots of ways that technology improves student learning. The tech tools we discussed are a great example of these, as are smart boards and the capabilities they have. I'm excited for the direction we are heading and the capabilities we will have in the future to improve education!