As I begin my class on using technology in the classroom, I find myself somewhat overwhelmed. I wouldn't consider myself "bad" with computers or reluctant, but I sit in class and realize that some of the words coming out of my professor's mouth are foreign, seriously she is speaking a foreign language and I think to myself "how am I going to remember how to use all of this?", "what is all this for?", "do teachers really use this in the classroom?"

But each class I see bigger and better examples of technology used in the classroom. It amazes me how easily teachers have adapted to new technology and how essential it has become in an elementary school classroom. No matter how skeptical I was at the beginning of the semester I now realize the relevance of what we will be learning in class, my skepticism was completely naive.

I obviously am completely unaware of what is "out there" in the world of technology. I heard of many of these ideas but did not know their popularity, especially in the education field.

I wouldn't say that I am behind the times, with computers and things, my family got a computer when I was very young and I have always used one, I had my own most of high school....I guess I just never took advantage of all the things the computer had to offer. I had never made a power point presentation till I got to college. My teachers in high school did not have the equipment to use powerpoint presentations often so I saw very few. We did group presentations on overheads...of course my friends and I did like to draw tons of pictures, so maybe that contibuted to our choice...but I guess other kids did powerpoint presentations and video clips, but I stuck to what I knew.

Now I use much more technology than I could have ever imagined. I use Blackboard everyday, it connects me to every class and teacher quickly and easily. I easily see changes and updated assignments, it's a huuuge help. I check my email 30 million times a day because it's the way i communicate with friends. I set up plans, change plans, and get updates through email. I never even thought that my life would rely so heavily on technology.

I know that soon nothing about new technologies and ideas will intimidate me.
I hope to be able to apply these ideas in the classroom, I think it invokes immidiate intrest from the students, it will provide an easy way to grab their attention, and keep it long enough to teach them EVERYTHING I know. I have come to realize that exposing children to new technologies is an essential part of our job as teachers. I know this from experience.