Non-Numbered Blog #2

For technology in the classroom, I have a lot of strengths and weaknesses.  The principal and others let me know from the beginning that I would have a lot of "technology" in the classroom, such as SMART boards.  I also have fancy calculators which I don't completely know how to use.  So, there is definitely the technology.  Also, my strength is that I was well trained in the SMART board usage part way through this semester, which was quite helpful.  I was given troubleshooting techniques and miscellaneous training in the seminar by an expert in the SMART board technologies.

I also have a lot of weaknesses, however.  I have not had the students use the netbooks enough.  Occasionally, they have used netbooks.  However, having a solid curriculum would be excellent for allowing the students to be on the netbooks for their classes, so that I could differentiate instruction better.  However, this is difficult, as these students also do not like using the computers as much.  They like face-to-face teachers better.  However, since I am there in a small class, then I can help them individually.  The students have a hard time using online technology; however, the TNT classroom (or 21st Century Classroom) is meant to use lots of technology.  Thus, it is difficult to help these students.

I wanted to switch with one of the teachers in the lab; however, I do not know if I should ask the administration if we could switch places.  The other teacher seems to be good at creating things.  She is not even a certified math teacher (closer to English), but they threw her into teaching Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Income Management.  She feels like she would be better suited for the basics (in the TNT Math Classroom), as she is really an English person, and since she is really creative.   Basically, I was told that I could figure out how to work the TNT Classroom.  While many people would love this freedom, I find it really difficult.  It is also difficult as there is not a pre-algebra class at Desert Winds (which seems to be the purpose of my class; however, many of these students are also in another math class concurrently).

I need to meet with Kelly Cota again, who was the TNT Math Teacher from last year.  Some things he knows; however, he really does not know, as the vision was not (and is not still completely) there for the program.  I need to talk to him about differentiating instruction for these students.