I am a senior citizen who is finally realizing her dream of studying education. I am presently in my second year at University of Phoenix, getting my Master's at University of California, Riverside, and am taking this Technology course in order to go into the Master's program at California State University in San Marcos, California.
I love taking online courses -- knowing at the beginning of each week what is expected of you over the next seven days helps me to gauge my time accordingly. I usually finish all the assignments by Thursday or Friday of each week and the next week doesn't start until the following Tuesday so I jump ahead and get the reading for that week done before the next week's class even starts.
Technologically speaking I am a beginner. I have only learned the basics of Power Point and Word, am looking very much forward to learning how to create spread sheets and charts.
This class is going to teach me these things and much more.
I originally intended to teach at the community college level in social studies, but during my studies at University of Phoenix I had to observe a special education class. I was lucky to observe at a private school for special needs kids and am now a volunteer there tutoring reading and helping out in the library. This school has students who have been physically, emotionally or sexually abused and also classes for students with autism, mental retardation and ADHD. I have found that these are the students with whom I wish to work, at least on a part time basis. At my age, I know that I will never get a full time job, but hope to work part time in special education once I finish my education.
As a senior, I have had many occupations, including owning Yellow Cab in Corpus Christi, Texas, working as a note reader and transcriptionist for court reporters in federal and district courts and working as an executive assistant for a man who was the CFO of Playboy, Inc.
I have two sons, one of whom is in the fitness industry in the winter and teaches hang gliding in the summer; the other teaches something called Human Design which basically teaches its students not to rely on one's brain, but to go with that "gut" feeling -- trust your body to tell you what to do. I have sat in on some of his classes when I visited him in Kauai, Hawaii, but still have no idea what he teaches or how to do what he tells me to do -- trust my "gut" feeling and don't over think things.
This is my first blog and am anxious to see who reads it and posts to it. http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4513842293181557476#editor/target=post;postID=9134957035833217679
It is so inspiring knowing that you are finally deciding to chase your dream of becoming a teacher. I am also am not the best with technology but once you get the bascis, the rest comes easily. I think that your passion for helping the students with special needs is amazing. It takes a someone with a big heart to be able to do that! How do you plan on using technology with your students in the future? Good luck this semester!
ReplyDeleteClaudia,you are truly an inspiration and are a great example of an individual following their dreams. It seems that you are very organized and determined when it comes to your school work and I believe that it is a great quality to bring into into the classroom. I too want to become a Special Education and I can relate because after observing I fell in love with this population of students. I know that when I observed in the Special Education classrooms technology was huge! What are some examples of technology that you have seen in the classrooms?
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