My thoughts about Glogster, Animoto, and Classtools.net

Glogster is a social network that allows users to create free interactive, posters, or glogs.  I created a glog about the mechanisms of a complete sentence.  I really enjoyed creating this blog because it has opened some ideas for me to use in my classroom.  Click here to view my glog. 

Animoto is a web application that produces videos from your choice of selected photos, video clips and music.  I really enjoyed creating my video on the topic of what is a complete sentence because it is an interesting way to make learning exciting in the classroom. Click here to view my animoto.

Classtools.net is a web-based educational tool used to create games, timelines, and quizzes.  I enjoyed creating two games that were related to my topic because they can be used as resources for teaching the topic on the mechanisms of a sentence in my classroom. Click here for to view my first game. Click here to view my second game.

Week 2 Should students Play Games (software) in school?

I believe students should be allowed to play educational games in school as long as the games are tied into the curriculum.  As and educator, I have observed increase class participation among students using educational gaming software.  Students find these computer games exciting and stimulating.  Students can sometimes get confused about which part of the activity is the game and which part is the skill.  Teachers have to make sure they reiterate the importance of the game as to help the student focus on the rules outside of the game to successfully use the skills in classroom activities.

About Me

Hello class! My name is Carlecia McIntosh and I am currently majoring in Collaborative Teaching Special Education 6-12 at the University of West Alabama. I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. I have two sisters and two brothers. I started college right after high school at Bishop State Community College, pursuing a career in nursing, until I found out about all the graphic activity that came along with it. At that point, I wanted to change my career. I did not know what I wanted to pursue next, until I became a Substitute Teacher for the Mobile County Public School System. When I began substituting, I was offered a job at Calloway Smith Middle School, in downtown Mobile, where I was filling in for the paraprofessional, who was co-teaching with the special education instructor. Unfortunately, the person I was substituting for had to take a leave of absence for three months, which in turn, positioned me towards my now special education goal seeking career. At first, I was very unsure about the job because I had never worked with special needs children, but by the time I was finish with my job it was as though, I was the primary care-taker of all “My Students”. After about a week, I began to feel comfortable with the students and was interacting with them on a day to day basis, yet enjoying every moment of it.