Rhyan Delatorre

Professor Flowers

EDU 214

11 July 2017

Reflections

Assignment 1

The task of assignment one was to write a personal essay that way Professor Flowers and

our peers could get to know a little bit about us. The assignment also asked us to take the VARK

Quiz and post our scores. A major strength of this assignment was that it opened up the

classroom. Often the nature of online classes is a do it yourself mentality and there is little peer

interaction. But by starting the class off with such an open and honest forum, as students we

were able to see past the name and the picture on the screen and have an idea of the person

sitting behind the computer. This made the online classroom much more like a real classroom

and paired with discussion boards made the page very friendly and insightful, by always

providing the opportunity to see anothers perspective. Taking the VARK test was also a strength

of this assignment, because not everyone knows what kind of learner they are, but this test

spelled everything for us and then provided ways to best attack learning by way of our learning

style. My results opened me up to new ways of studying and taking in material which was an

awesome advantage, especially in a six-week class where every second counts. The only

weakness to this assignment was that I think some people take online classes because of the do it

yourself style of learning which was not part of this assignment. Professor Flowers encouraged

us, the students, to go back and read about our peers and to open the space to creating some sort
of relationship with our peers. Not all online learners want such an inclusive classroom, but for

others it works really well.

I learned more about myself in this assignment than in any of the others. As I was sitting

down, trying to decide what to share about myself, milling through all of my random quirks that

I could possibly share, I found myself writing about my undying love for special education. I

blinked and Id written an entire essay on why I wanted to teach such an overshadowed

profession. I learned a lot where I wanted to see my future as an educator go and that was such a

fantastic gift that Professor Flowers completely unknowingly gave me. I was still pretty

undecided at the start of this class as to what I wanted to teach, but after the first assignment, I

knew the direction I wanted to see my career go in. I also learned about my classmates and

professor through this assignment. Reading a few peers and Professor Flowers personal essay

gave more depth to the names I was seeing on the screen which was a nice change for an online

class.

I will definitely be using some variation of this assignment in my own classroom. I plan

on teaching elementary school special education, so I like the idea of a Get to Know You

paragraph for my students. I would have students start with a rough draft, using sentences to list

three things about themselves and then adding in an introductory sentence and a conclusion

sentence. Throughout the week or we could edit the paragraph and then copy it onto a fun final

copy sheet. I would have the students illustrate their work and then open the classroom up for

anyone who wanted to share their Get to Know You. Since I dont plan on teaching online

school and dont have a forum to display each assignment, I would post all of them on a student

work bulletin board in our classroom to display for the first couple weeks of school. I like this
assignment because it allows both the teacher and students to get to know one another and is a

nice ice breaker for the beginning of the school year.

Assignment 2

The task of assignment two was to create our own classroom. There were specific

requirements, like labeling everything, using certain tools including WordArt and ClipArt, and

having technology in the classroom. The greatest strength of this assignment was getting see

what goes into a classroom and getting a glimpse at working within a space. It was an almost

welcomed challenge trying to get so many things into preset borders all while still trying to keep

things looking nice. Another strength of the assignment was getting to see a different function of

Microsoft Word. Before this assignment, I thought Word was just for writing essays and taking

notes, I had no idea that an entire classroom could be formatted into the same space as an essay.

It also nice to really consider what I would want in my classroom and prioritizing what got to

stay and go. I did not see any weaknesses with this assignment. It was very straight forward and

to the point, Professor Flowers did not leave any room for misunderstanding.

The most important thing I learned in this assignment was the idea of space. I had never

thought about my classroom layout before this assignment so it was nice to consider that aspect

of teaching as well. I think its really easy to get caught up in the lesson plans and work side of

teaching, but there's also the fact that your classroom needs to be set up. Planning things out and

trying different layouts to figure out what worked and what didnt also helped me to figure out

all of the features that Word has. As I said before, I thought Word was just for writing papers and

this assignment taught me that there are multiple uses for Microsoft Word.

I plan on teaching elementary school special education, so this is not an assignment that I

would incorporate into my classroom. I think this assignment or one similar, where students plan

out the layout of a bedroom or their home would work well for high school students. I did a

similar assignment in my Personal Finance class in high school, and it definitely works well for
older students who understand the concept of space and who have more experience with

computers. I might use the idea of this assignment to figure out how I would like my classroom

to be laid out, which desks will go where and maybe incorporate a seating chart into it, so

students could see where their desks are on seat change day or for substitutes.
Assignment 3

Assignment three asked us to create a classroom flyer for an upcoming event or activity

and then create an award for that activity. This was an activity that again, showed me the

multiple uses of Microsoft Word, which I definitely see as a strength. Another strength of this

assignment was that it forced us to go easy on the words. I tend to be a little wordy and I had to

redo the assignment because of that. But in doing so, I figured out how it should look. This

assignment was also a great opportunity to play with the border feature in Word to create a flyer

that stood out. As for the strengths of the award, it was awesome to get to see all of the preset

templates Word has for awards. I choose a template and manipulated it to fit what I needed it to,

changed a few graphics, and I was very proud of the result. I dont think this assignment had any

weaknesses other than my own ability to not do it right the first time. My first attempt was more

of a parent letter and less of a flyer, but with Professor Flowers critiques I was able to fix the

mistakes and create a nice final project.

What I learned most in this assignment was about the features of Word and how to use

them. Before this class, I always used Google Drive for any kind of writing, so Word was

completely new to me. Getting to figure out borders and images and WordArt was a learning

experience I will take with me both through my educational career and as a teacher. I really

appreciated the opportunity to figure out how the software works since it is one most school

districts use almost exclusively.

This assignment is one that I see the potential to use with older elementary students. I

would have students create a flyer about a book that we read. Each student could make their flyer

on a specific character or setting of the book and use ClipArt to illustrate their topic. I think it

would be a fun way to incorporate the use of technology with reading time. It would also act as a
nice review of the book we read. For younger students, I would take the same concept and have

them complete the task on copy paper, because their computer skills would not be advanced

enough to complete the task on the computer. I would also have each student create an award for

a classmate, complimenting them on some part of their work. I would probably have a template

designed for that part of the activity, so students just had to fill in the peers name and why they

were giving them the award. Overall this is an assignment I enjoyed and would incorporate into

my own classroom.
Assignment 4

Assignment four introduced the us to the CSN resources and CCSD resources and had us

create our E-Portfolio on Weebly. The biggest strength of this assignment was the introduction to

so many resources. There is so much available to us as students looking to become teachers

through the CSN website and through the CCSD website and this assignment showed all of that

to us. I was amazed at how much information was out there for both teachers and teachers to be.

The assignment forced us to explore all of the different aspect of both sites and that was very

insightful. There was not a weakness to this part of the assignment. The second part of the

assignment tasked us with creating our E-Portfolio on Weebly. This entire part of the assignment

was a strength because we will use our E-Portfolios throughout other education classes. It was

nice to get that set up and kind of figure things out. The only weakness to this assignment was

that it was not most user-friendly site, but the tutorial video helped a lot.

What I learned the most in this assignment was through the resources we had to navigate

as part of the assignment. I got to see requirements for future classes and really got to delve into

the CCSD site. I also learned about starting pay for teachers in our district and about student

resources on the site, including access to tutoring and transportation. I learned a lot about

Weebly, which I will continue to use through other education classes through this assignment.

Overall this assignment was very educational.

This is not an assignment I would use in my classroom. I dont know how much special

education students would get out of looking at even the CCSD site. There are some great tools

for students on the site, but for my specific students, those resources might be more effective if

sent home in a note or email that way the parents had access to the sites if needed.
Assignment 5

Assignment five was our research paper on buying a computer. As college students

buying a computer is not a new thought to us, but the purpose changes when you become a

teacher.

I learned so much about the specifics of a computer through this lesson. I am a person

who swears by my MacBook computer, it is the best computer Ive ever used. But when I was

researching computers for this assignment I went with a computer that wasnt Apple. Not only

were the features better in the computer I chose but the cost, even with accessories, was cheaper

than my current computer by itself. The computer I chose also came with Office 360 which give

users access to all of the Microsoft programs, which is most schools use. For the first time, ever

when I looked at a computer, I was interested in more than surface details and I actually looked

into the specifics of the hardware and the things that made the computer run. It was exciting

getting to experience and understand those aspect of a what makes a computer run.

This is not an assignment I would use in my classroom. I think it would work well for

high school students and might be a fun project to help them prep for college. However, the

assignment is a little bit advanced for elementary school students.

Assignment 6

Assignment six asked us to create a power point to show to our students. The strengths of

this assignment were the fact that it familiarized us with power point. It also taught us about the

different themes that can be used in power point to make learning more fun. There was no

weakness to this assignment, Professor Flowers directions were straightforward and easy to

understand.

I learned how to better use power point in this assignment and how to use it effectively in

a classroom setting. I limited the words and focused on the images and titles, knowing that I

could fill in the words when I presented it to the class. I also learned how to add links into a

power point, which I cant wait to use in my own classroom.

I will definitely have my students create power points in the classroom. Power points are

a great way to present information in our increasingly technological world. After presenting my

classroom rules, students could create a power point of the rule they would make for the

classroom or the school, like longer recesses or no multiplication or talking during any

assignment. I think it would be a fun way to see the kids interests and personalities through an

educational assignment.
Assignment 7

Assignment seven asked us to create a gradebook in spreadsheet and then create a grade

scale. The strength of this assignment was getting us accustomed to Excel. I had never used

Excel before and this assignment was a crash course. Most gradebooks are through other

programs now but it was nice to learn how to make a gradebook in through a spreadsheet.

Another strength was the learning how to set the spreadsheet to create averages and convert the

averages into percentages. The only weakness to this assignment was my lack of knowledge.

Even with the lecture, I had to do a lot of trial and error to figure things out.

I learned how to operate Excel through this assignment. I figured out how to execute my

plan and that was an exciting experience. I also learned how to find averages and percentages

among a students grades. The assignment asked us to create ten assignments and give a grade on

each assignment to each of our twenty students. The task was daunting on paper but very

interesting to do on the computer. I thought it would require much more work than a simple

formula to get the results I got. I also figured out my own grading scale, there is nothing special

about it, but it was still an experience getting to do it.

This is not an assignment that I would have my students do. I plan on teaching

elementary school and I dont think that this creating spreadsheets, especially for the younger

students is something that they absolutely need to learn. However, I will use this assignment to

create my own grade book, separate from the programs that the schools use, as a backup incase

the other program fails.

Assignment 8

Assignment eight asked us to research and describe a new and emerging technology in

education. This task required us to use the CSN Library databases for our research, which was a

strength to the assignment. Any time we have the opportunity to use those resources is a useful

experience. Another strength of the assignment was opening our eyes to all of the different

emerging technologies in education, I never knew there were so many. From apps to tablets to

smartphones, technology is ready and waiting for the education world. A weakness of this

assignment was the restriction to only the CSN Library databases. While the databases are a

great resource, one I appreciate having access to, sometimes they can be restrictive. I think

opening the searches up to any credible sources might make the assignment a little easier.

I learned that there are many ways technology is changing and new approaches to

technology are emerging every day. It was a great learning experience to see all of the ways that

technology is changing and coming into education. I learned all about bring your own device

classrooms and integrating smartphones into the learning environment. I also learned about

tablets being integrated into the classroom to create a sort of environment that keeps with

traditional learning but also promotes the incorporation of technology into the classroom.

I would not use this assignment in my classroom, but I would definitely use some of the

technology I researched in my classroom. This assignment was more than advanced, even if it

were modified, for elementary students. I see the point in teaching them the importance of

technology, but I dont think researching technology would excite them about using the

technology.
Assignment 8.2

Assignment eight point two was similar to assignment eight, but the focus shifted from

general education to special education. A strength of this assignment was looking at a side of

education not all educators think of. Most people dont think about special education until it

affects them but this assignment forced everyone to look into special education and assistive

technology. Another strength to this assignment was looking at technology from a different

perspective. Assistive technology often makes things possible for students with disabilities, not

just easier. A weakness to this assignment, again, was the restriction to CSN Library databases

only. I think broadening the scope to credible assignments would have made this assignment less

daunting.

I learned about so many different types of assistive technology through my research. I

wrote my midterm paper on Assistive technology, so for this assignment I really wanted to go a

different way. This time I delved into how computer games can help students with disabilities

like Autism learn to communicate at their own pace without the pressure of face to face social

situations. I learned a lot about how such simple games could have such a huge impact on

students lives and that was really exciting to learn about.

I would not use this assignment in my own classroom, but as someone who wants to

teach special education, I do plan on incorporating some of what I learned into my own

classroom. For my autistic students and my students with social impairments, I would love to

incorporate multiplayer games into my teaching for. I would love to see in person if those games

have as great of an effect as the studies show they do.

Assignment 9

The goal of assignment nine was to use Prezi to create a lesson for our students. A major

strength of this assignment was the program itself. Prezi is such a unique and exciting spin on

presentation software. Obviously, I have never used it in a classroom before, but I could see how

the colorful themes could make for a lively learning environment. Another strength of this

assignment was getting us acquainted with another form of presentation software, outside of

Microsoft and Google. There was no weakness to this assignment, Professor Flowers made her

directions clear and linked us to a fantastic video that showed how to use Prezi.

This assignment taught me that there is more than one way to make a presentation for our

students. I really enjoyed experimenting with such a colorful and engaging program. I also

learned that templates can really make or break an assignment, I tried a couple that just didnt go

well with what I wanted to present before I found the one that worked.

I will definitely use Prezi to teach my students. I also think Prezi would be a fun way for

students to present information to the class. I would have them research an animal for a science

lesson and then prepare their information in a Prezi. The students could select a template and

then input all of their information. Using Prezi would change things up from just using a regular

power point.
Assignment 10

Assignment ten asked us to review software programs. A major strength of this

assignment was that we got to find and learn about new computer programs and software

available to educators and students. I really enjoyed looking through all of the options and types

of programs out there. The only weakness to this assignment was there was so many options to

choose from, narrowing things down and deciding which to research more was a little

overwhelming, but overall, I think the assignment was a success.

I learned about the many different soft wares available in this assignment. I knew there

was a lot out there, but my mind was blown when I actually started researching. There is a

program out there for every subject, every grade level, and every type of learner. I will definitely

keep some of those programs in mind as I move forward with my education and my own

classroom.

I would modify this assignment and use it in my classroom. I think it would be a fun

assignment to task students with finding a game with some sort of educational principle involved

in it. Students could find a multiplication game or an online book site and then write a paragraph

about why they chose it. I wouldnt ask them the same questions about the software that

Professor Flowers asked us, but I think a quick paragraph explaining the program and why they

chose it would be nice.

Assignment 11

Assignment eleven was all about creating graphic organizers. A major strength of this

lesson was its ability to be applied across subjects and grade levels. Graphic organizers are a

fantastic tool to teach our students. Another strength was the resources for creating a graphic

organizer that Professor Flowers provided, they set up the organizers nicely. The only weakness

of this assignment was the online resource that was provided. It worked great until I tried to

download my organizer as a PDF or Word document and then it would only download the

outline, not the organizer.

I learned just how many graphic organizers there are. It is such a vast tool that can be

used in so many ways and that was a learning experience. I also learned that graphic organizers

are not just for the students but for the teachers benefit as well.

I will use graphic organizers in my classroom. I think a great way to use them is to set up

a paragraph or an essay template, to help students organize their idea. By giving them the

structure, then they can fill in the specifics without worrying too much about format. Graphic

organizers could also be used in math to do a fill in the blank notes. Finally, I would use graphic

organizers to set up check lists or plans for the week for my students so they could see the work

that needed to be done and keep track of it.

Midterm

Part one of our midterm was to find lesson plans that used word processors, spreadsheets,

and power points. The strength of this assignment was getting us to think less about our current

education and more about the future students we would be educating. It was a nice break to shift

focus and think about what lessons we would want to teach, using these programs. The weakness

of this program was trying to find reputable sites, to make sure the lessons were age appropriate.

Part two of our midterm was to identify an issue with integrating technology into the classroom

and propose a solution. The strength of this assignment was opening our eyes to the challenges

facing technology in education. In todays world, its easy to think that technology in the

classroom would be a given, but it's not. There are still so many challenges facing its integration

and it was interesting to delve into that. There were no weaknesses to this part of the assignment.

I learned so much about the challenges facing the education world through this

assignment. Funding is a major problem with getting technology into schools and that was

interesting to read about. I talked to a couple special education teachers for this assignment, and

it was insightful to hear their thoughts on the matter. Both teachers I talked to expressed

concerns of getting the appropriate funding for their students. Overall this assignment was a very

intriguing one, especially as someone with plans of going into special education.

I will use some of the lesson plans I researched in this assignment in my own classroom,

but not the assignment itself. I dont see how this assignment would translate to a classroom

outside of either high school or college more probably. However, I found a power point that asks

students to find a picture and word art for an assigned letter. I would take that idea and also have

my students add words that start with that letter to the power point and then when everyone was

finished we would have the whole alphabet to look through.

Final Exam

The final exam really focused on us as educators to be and being in the classroom. We

had to create a lesson plan, a rubric for an assessment based on the lesson, and then create a

power point with a narrative for our final project. One of the greatest strengths of this assignment

was giving us the opportunity to try our hand at lesson plans for the first time. It was a scary

experience and Im still not sure I did it one hundred percent right, but it was an exciting

challenge. There are so many different lesson plans out there and so many variations, that I was a

little confused but overall, I enjoyed the project. The power point with the narrative was also a

strength of the assignment. I think its one thing to create a power point that goes through a

lesson but its another to really get into how you execute that power point in a classroom setting.

As I was writing the narrative it was hard to imagine what the students would be thinking, but I

tried to keep it lively, using real names instead of just student, and creating a conversation in the

narrative, not just a lecture. I plan on teaching elementary school and lectures dont really fit that

bill, so it was a welcome challenge to try and ask questions about my lecture that they might ask.

I also thought that Professor Flowers having us create a rubric was a strength of the project.

Between the power point and the rubric, it forced us to review skills we worked on throughout

the semester and that was a great final review. The only weakness to this assignment was that

there wasnt a whole lot of information on the lesson plans themselves, but I figured it. Between

talking to a couple of teachers and googling things, I think my lesson plans worked out nicely.

I learned how to write a lesson plan through this assignment. I had never written one

before and now I have a better idea of what they should look like going forward in working

towards my degree. I also learned how to set up a rubric, it was a lot simpler than I thought it

would be and was super easy to do in Microsoft Word.

 I would in cooperate the lesson that I created into my classroom but not the final exam

itself. Third Grade Angels is a really fun book for kids to read and Jerry Spinelli is a fantastic

author for children. I think the book would work just as well in a general education classroom as

it would in a special education classroom. Obviously, the scope of the work and lesson might

have to be modified in a resource classroom, but that is an easy adjustment to make. I like the

lesson because it gets the kids thinking and engaged in a conversation about the text, and that

part of this lesson I will take with me in all future reading assignments as a teacher. I think kids

learn best when a conversation can be had and I think throwing a book at them and expecting

them to learn, especially so young, is wrong. I hope my classroom is inviting and welcoming and

my hope is that by creating that environment, my students feel comfortable opening up and

sharing their thoughts and questions with the class. My goal as an educator is always to create a

warm and hopeful environment for my students where they can learn and express themselves

freely, which is why I love and included the discussion part of this lesson.