Introduction

Hello:

My name is Barb and I have a great husband and two wonderful boys who love to laugh and be silly. Fall is our favorite time of year because it includes football games, apple picking and homemade soups. In my spare time I enjoy scrapbooking, running and cooking tasty meals.

I want to be a teacher because I love learning and I want children to love learning too. As a stay-at-home mom I have watched my children expand their curiosity and learn so much through everyday experiences. I saw them develop their distinct imaginations and interests and was amazed at the depth of ability they demonstrated over the years. I often wonder how many teachers see that much potential in their students. Since I saw it in my children, I know it exists in all children. I want to be a teacher who makes a difference by acknowledging the potential in all students.

I feel very comfortable using computers. Prior to having children I had a twelve year career in the computer software industry. I was a Marketing Manger and sold enterprise wide software applications to Fortune 1000 corporations. Although I am not "technical" I have been using computers for many years in many different capacities. I am recently an Apple Mac convert because I find the integration of their applications incredibly smooth and user friendly. However, this has put me at a disadvantage because I am no longer very familiar with the Microsoft suite of products that are so commonly used.

My comfort level with peripherals is medium, I only use them for very basic projects. I import my photos from my digital camera and use templates to make scrapbooks which get printed through an online company. I also import videos and can use movie making software to embellish the footage. I can burn those movies onto a DVD to be shown on the television. I use scanners to scan documents and email for just about anything.

During this class I hope to learn about integrating technology into classrooms effectively. I'd like to develop a strategy for introducing students to technology for educational purposes and not just gaming. I also hope to become more proficient at learning the Microsoft tools. I just purchased MS-Office and want to get more familiar with it during this class. I'd also like to learn more about creating websites and blogging. Those are two things I have always wanted to learn more about over the years.