Software Productivity

This week in class we learned a lot of different skills for class on the computer. We made a lesson plan template in Word that lets us just tab through to add the information for each lesson. We learned about OdysseyWare and adaptable Online Curriculum which teachers can use in many ways. Students can progress through lessons at their own rate which allows them to review things they don't understand or advance more quickly. It also allows teachers to adapt the curriculum as they see fit. Finally, we used what we learned about Word, Publisher, and Inspiration as well as software production to create our own Newsletter, Flyer, Graphic Organizer, and Quiz.
For the Newsletter we used Microsoft Publisher to produce a 1 page newsletter. I created a newsletter for parents in my imaginary mixed toddler classroom. I chose a template, then added the information that I wanted to give parents for that month. I inserted a picture to go along with one of the topics. I then included a simple listing of upcoming dates.
We used Microsoft Word for the flyer and Quiz. For the flyer I used textboxes, shading, clip art, and more to create a visually pleasing flyer for an upcoming event. I used tables to easily allign the quiz. This made it easy for students to read as well as for me, as the teacher, to grade.
Finally, for the graphic organizer I used inspiration. I created a behavior chart for special education. It required the use of the rapid fire tool as well as inserting graphics into the file. The chart would need to be changed to accomodate each students schedule for each day. Students would be able to add stars to show that the targeted behavior was acheived during each part of the day in order for them to work toward a reward.
It was very benefitial to learn how to do all of these things. As a teacher, I will commonly need to create lesson plans and having a template which I can merely tab through will make it infinitely more easy. Flyers, quizzes, graphic organizers, and newsletters are also all things that teachers need to create often, so learning to create them in the easiest, quickest, and most visually appealing way will be very benefitial. It will make it much easier to make them when the time comes, as well as much faster. Time is key as a teacher, so being able to make these as quickly and efficiently will be very helpful.
I think that Inspiration will be the most useful for me as a teacher. It offers many templates, and you can make anything else you wanted by simply adding and linking more bubbles. It can be used in individual lesson planning, to illustrate concepts to students, for a behavioral chart, for students to create illustrations of topics, or in any number of ways. It allows for a great deal of individuality and makes it easier to follow.