Computers as a Teacher's Aide

     During the summer of 2004 as a graduate student, I took a course called Computers as a Teacher's Aide with Professor N. Miceli. I had no idea what the course was going to be about or what were the requirements. In this course, we learned amongst many things, how to use different software programs. The course lasted a little over a month but what we learned, will last a lifetime.

     We started out simple with projects as Mary Had a Little Lamb, Flashcards, and Room Sign. Both the flashcards and the room sign use the same layout or techniques, so once you learn how to make one, the other one is just a couple of added steps. Adding clipart and borders to my word document was something new. And I was amazed that I hadn't tried it before.

    The next step was how to use microsoft word document to our advantage, in a classroom setting. We learned how to set up Class List in excel and a Class List in word. By having a class list, you not only can caterogize your students by gender, levels, but by any assortment because you are the master behind the chart. We also learned how to make a Professional Letter, to send to parents or staff members and all we have to do is edit because everything is set up to make your life as a hard working teacher, easier.

     We also learned how to use word for the workforce. For example, we had to do a Term Paper Setup, which could be used for general use, not just essays. As well as doing a Table of Contents for that very professional look on those papers. I have also included a How to Create a Table of Contents, for you to use as a guide.

   Not only did we learn word, we also learned how to use excel to make and edit tables. We had a total of three tables. One was the class list, which we used as a weighted grade book. Another was a list of 8 Websites, which we listed our favorite and not so favorite websites, why they were useful, for what topic, and why they were useful or not useful. I had fun looking at all the various websites done by both teachers and corporations such as the National Science Teacher Association. The third one, was a Virtual Trip Table, we were assinged to go on a virtual trip any where in the world. The table was used to log down all the activites we did and all of the expenses that were done during that virtual trip.

     From all of the projects we did, I have to say, I had my favorites. One of those was one of the very first big assingment we had to write. That was to write down what our Educational Philosophy was. I already knew what that was but putting it into written words was another ballpark. I love to teach children and I hope to insprire many things in them, and a passion for learning was one of those ideas, but it wasn't easy to write that down.

    Another project which I enjoy doing was the Virtual Trip Journal. Here we wrote all of the crazy things, day by day of what we did on the trip we went on. It was seven days of shall we say, endless fun. Along with the journal, we had to do a powerpoint presentation illustrating what we had written in our journals.The point of the presentation was to have people wonder whether or not this trip actually happened. 

      I have never done a powerpoint presentation. I was happy to see the end result, but not knowing what I was doing, after I finished my 14 slide show, something went wrong and it was erased. So I said I was never doing one again. But I guess pratice makes perfect, because my second presentation only took me a couple of hours to do. I called it my Memoirs of Tahiti. I have to say I did a pretty good job. Powerpoint became my friend. In all, I learned mucho from this course, and I thank Nick Miceli for all of his guidance these past weeks. Thank you.