Hi
everyone! My name is Ashley Krokowski and I am in the Intellectual
Disability/Autism program here at Teachers College. After graduating I will be
certified in both general education and special education for grades 1-6.
Before attending TC I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology: Applied
Behavior Analysis at Binghamton University. I am originally from eastern Long
Island so living in upstate New York for 4 years was quite a change. While at
Binghamton I worked at the Institute for Child Development (ICD), a private
school and after school program that serves children with developmental, emotional,
and learning disabilities. It is there that I learned that I had a passion for
working with children with special needs. Many of the children at the Institute
for Child Development were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; therefore I
had the opportunity to work with these children and learn more about this
population. During my time at the ICD I witnessed the increased use of
technology in the classroom year after year. The students used technological
tools such as iPod touches, iPads and DynaVox devices. The teachers and after
school program tutors also had access to their own iPod touch, which allowed
for thorough organization and data collection. Additionally, I was able to observe and
utilize some forms of technology (mostly iPads and computers) at the New York
Center for Autism Charter School, where I completed my first student teaching
placement. At NYCA many of the students used personal iPod touches or iPads for
communication/speech purposes. However, these devices were also used for
functional skills and academic skills, such as learning how to set schedules,
organizing calendar events, playing educational games, or as a typing tool.
Seeing such devices opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of using
technology in the classroom.
Although
I have never considered myself to be a computer wiz or to be technologically
savvy, I am excited to learn more about using various forms of technology in
the classroom throughout this course. This is only my second online course, the
first of which I took over this past summer. After dedicating some time to
review the requirements and navigate the website, I found the online course to
be very manageable so I am hoping to have the same experience this time around!
My expectations for this course are that it may be challenging due to my lack
of knowledge in assistive technology, but that it will be very useful and
informative. With that said, I am expecting to learn a wide variety of
technological tools to use to educate my future students. The devices that I am
particularly looking forward to learning more about are the Smart Board and
Board Maker.
In
this day and age, where most people have multiple forms of technological
devices on them at all time, I seem to get by with just my iPhone and Mac
laptop. I love taking photos and
own a digital camera, but with the iPhone camera on me at all times it seems
unnecessary to carry around an extra device. Although I am comfortable with
using these two devices, (since I spend a large amount of time on both the
iPhone and laptop each day), I don’t believe that I use them to their full
potential- especially not from an educational standpoint. In reference to the technological world, I unfortunately consider myself to be at the basic level. This another reason why I am looking forward to this course, so I can effectively utilize a wide variety of educational modalities. In terms of a technological learning style, I believe I learn best when I actively engage in using the device or application on a constant basis. I have also always found it beneficial to ask a friend or colleague questions pertaining to such issues, because sometimes he or she may have a more efficient way of going about it.
After
reading Martinez’s (2007) essay along with the professor’s comments pertaining to problem solving, I
immediately realized that I unfortunately am a victim of anxiety. However, I do
understand that in order to accomplish a goal, one must avoid allowing anxiety
to take hold. Throughout my educational career, I have always experienced an
intense form of anxiety when presented with a problem that I did not know how
to instantly solve. I believe this is due to the competitive nature that is
instilled in many of us as young students. Even as young as my elementary
years, I remember the constant worry of not receiving an ‘A’ on a test, or not
doing well on state examinations. This brings up a concern that is also
discussed by Dr. Martinez; as educators are we too focused upon “perfect
performance” and errorless learning? Fortunately, Martinez’s words seemed to
put some of those unbearable thoughts at ease and gave me a better perspective
on how to approach such intimidating tasks.
As
stated by Martinez (2007), “Errors
are part of the process of problem solving, which implies that
both teachers and learners need to be more tolerant of them. If no
mistakes are made, then almost certainly no problem solving is taking place.”
This is an important idea that should be emphasized not only to our students but
also to us as teachers. Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves, thus it is
important to remember that problem solving is a learning experience, and as we
encounter such obstacles and inevitably accomplish them, we become better
teachers. Another concept
of Dr. Martinez’s that I strongly agree with is his view of a “means-ends
analysis.” I often find myself creating a sub-goal to focus on rather than
stressing over the ultimate goal, which makes the problem seem less
overwhelming. I believe this is a tactic that many of us use on an unconscious
basis as both students and teachers. Sometimes a school project, student
teaching unit, or even a simple homework assignment may seem like an impossible
and disconcerting experience. However, once we get started and apply the
knowledge we already possess, the task at hand becomes much more feasible and
then suddenly each step becomes easier. Then before we know it, the task is
accomplished! For example, a few
days ago I had to face the tedious task of organizing my closet. Yes this may
seem like a meager issue in the grand scheme of things, but at that moment it
was unsettling and stressful. At first I was thoroughly overwhelmed by this
task but after making a mental list of the different sections I wanted to
organize and creating a few sub-goals, I was finally able to get started. Once
I was half way through I knew there was no turning back and felt the motivation
that Martinez speaks about to “continue on.” Simply stated, “doing something to
get a little closer to your goal” is a great method to use in our own lives as
well as to teach students that struggle with problem solving techniques.
Overall
I thought that Martinez’s (2007) essay was insightful and left me with a positive
outlook on problem solving. I agree with the idea that we must enforce a better
understanding of the purpose of problem solving as well as promote its use to
our students to ensure their future success. I also believe that Martinez's outlook on problem solving directly correlates with the task of navigating the technological world. In order to grasp a thorough understanding of technology and how to effectively implement it as an educational tool, one must be willing to problem solve on a constant basis. This may seem frustrating to some, but as stated by Dr. Martinez, problem
solving requires flexibility, thus sometimes we must all welcome a little
adaptability into our lives.
"Education is not the filling of a pail
but the lighting of a fire."
William Butler Yeats
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