My Math Technology Experience

I would have to say that I am not very tech savvy. I am one of those individuals who can do something technology related if shown how with step-by-step instructions; however, I am also the type of individual that believes turning off a computer will fix anything that may be wrong. And, if it doesn't fix it, it's time for a new computer. Being a grad student, I am proficient with Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, have some experience with Excel, and am great at downloading music and uploading photos. I have a Starboard in my classroom, which is a very cheap version of a Smartboard. I do use the basics, but have not taken the time to explore all that it is capable of.

This is my seventh year teaching, all in Clark County. I taught 1st grade for one year, 3rd grade for five years, and now I am teaching 6th grade math at Creative Arts Magnet School. I have to say that this is my favorite year yet!

I am looking forward to this course because there are many aspects of technology that I am interested in. As I mentioned, I have an interactive white board that I enjoy using; however, I also have a slate and responders that I would like to try. I have not devoted any time to trying to figure out how to use it because I am sure it will lead to pure frustration. So, a training, or more information, would be of great benefit to my students and myself. Teaching middle school math, students have access to graphing calculators. I have not used graphing calculators since taking Calculus 10 years ago, so I need a refresher. I've set up a blog page, but would like to learn how to publish a webpage that my students may use. Math software is something I am unfamiliar with. I have had limited experience with Math Type, but would like more exposure to math games and graphing programs other than Excel. Although it doesn't have much to do with math, I would like to gain some knowledge of setting up and navigating through computer networks. So much of school communication revolves around networks, and I would like a deeper understanding of how it works.