Introduction

 Welcome to my blog! I am currently a first-grade teacher at Holdrege Elementary in Holdrege, NE. I graduated from Peru State College in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and I am currently working on my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

 Technology has always been an interest of mine and I was raised around various Apple products. Therefore, I am more of a Mac person than a PC. However, I use Chromebooks in my current classroom and have gotten accustomed to using other devices since teaching. I have started using Office 365 online to access Outlook and Microsoft programs through PSC, but I personally prefer using Google applications. I appreciate that the databases allow me to access my documents anywhere and on any device. 

In my classroom, I use my projector, ELMO, and computer on a daily basis. I use my computer to access curriculum materials and project them for students to see clearly. For example, I use Wonders for Reading and there are videos that correlate to new vocabulary, reading materials, and phonic practice. The ELMO is essentially a document camera that links to the board so I can project actual worksheets and manipulatives. Students have 1:1 Chromebooks that they mostly use inside the classroom to access Google Classroom and technology tools that further support the content they are learning, such as Vocabulary A-Z, BrainPOP Jr., and Scholastic News. At this age, I believe it's important for them to learn the basics of technology and how to utilize it. 

I was inspired to begin my Master's Degree at Peru State College after I had a few years of teaching under my belt. I decided to enroll at PSC because I was beyond pleased with my undergrad education there. I mostly wanted to gain knowledge about what more I could be implementing into my classroom and about the strategies and research that would make me a better educator. I plan to remain in the general education classroom after finishing my degree, but will consider other placements at a later time. I look forward to lifelong learning and about the technology that I can use to benefit the learning of my students.