Using productivity Tools

I can use the productivity tools to make various games, such as hangman and wordsearches, to help my students learn vocabulary. I can also make flashcards, which can be used for both learning words by sight, as well as numbers. Instead of making these by hand, I can use templates or tools on the internet, and these games and tools will be made much more quickly. With the time I gain by utilizing these tools, I will be able to find more activities that students will enjoy and be more engaged in. When this happens, students typically learn more.

Because I want to teach Kindergarten, the templates for the certificates, and newsletters are applicable. Most young children love to be praised, and their parents love to hear about what is going on in the classroom. The games from Discovery are also applicable. My students can learn their vocabulary without feeling like they are working to learn the words. Another tool that is useful was making a seating chart on Powerpoint. This way the teacher can see how his/her room will be laid out without having to move furniture. Also, this can be useful for if there is a substitute teacher. Finally the attendance sheet is applicable to all grade levels.

One of the QCC standards states "Explores the uses of the media center, picture books, audiovisual resources, and available technology for reading and writing." By guiding my students to use the tools offered on the internet, the students can learn not only from resources in the media center, but also in my classroom. I can include these various sites in the newsletter to inform parents of these tools, and perhaps the students can continue to learn outside of the classroom.
Another standard states that the students be able to identify even and odd numbers. Below this standard there is a button that says "Web Resources" by clicking on this, I am lead to a site that has a ready-made worksheets on identifying even and odd numbers.

Student boredom

Because I want to be a Kindergarten teacher, I realize that keeping my students motivated and alert is going to be one of my biggest challenges. I plan on having many games for various subject areas, some of which will keep the students moving. I also love culture, so I plan on having my students learn about various races and ethnicities, especially of those students whom are in my class.

Another way to keep the students alert is to break up the day into many activities. Like the article mentioned, one of these activities will be having time to read about a subject area of the students' choice. While I can not afford to get a book about every child's interests all at once, through out the years I plan on getting books about sports, art, pets etc.

Computers also tend to peak students' interests. Hopefully I will be able to teach at a school that offers at least one computer for the students to work on in the classroom. I remember looking forward to being able to use education-based programs. Because I got to take control over what I was learning, doing, exploring etc.