Reflections of the First Weekend!

I really enjoyed class after lunch on Sunday! Up to Lunch, I was a total wreck! I like doing great work and it stresses me out when I feel like I'm not doing what I feel I'm capable of doing. I am okay now! I will be working on everything I've learned this weekend over the next few weeks until we meet again. I'm excited about the things I can do with my students using photoshop. Thanks for all of your help. I know I will get better!

Midterm Project

Today I worked on my midterm in class and I thought that I would never complete the project. It's hard to believe that something that gives so much pleasure could be so stressful. I understand that the more I work with this program, the better and easier it will get. I do Understand that! I focused my mid-term page layout around my twenty-eight year son when he was a small boy. I browsed through an abundance of pictures I had scanned and came up with three that I thought fit what I wanted to do. Once I chose my pictures, I also chose a page layout. Before I could start creating the layout , I had to rotate my pictures because they were scanned upside down. Once I rotated the pictures, I had to crop my photos in order to remove items in the photo that I did not want there. When I finished cropping the photos, I chose a background and arranged the three photos on the background. I used the framing to give the photos a soft child like look/or feel. I did not use the filter, because it took away from the look I was trying to accomplish. I gave each picture a shadowing look or brightness around the photos. I changed the formation, size and coloring of the photos by lightening the photos with the enhance file. I used the text book to choose a font and size to type a text onto the page layout. By the end of the page layout, it became easier for me.

Photoshop scrap book page

This was not easy for me. I was very frustrated and almost wanted to cry. I feel so lost and I cannot work fast. I love doing this but I require simple one on one guidance, almost like my EIP students. Wow! did I say that! Isn't it crazy, I truly understand how my students feel when they are faced with a project that is difficult to them. In this assignment, I Chose the picture that I wanted to work with and then, I decided on a soft tone framing. Once I chose my framing, I had to shift and drag the corner to enlarge my photo. I also dragged the photo to the center of the screen. I went into the background screen to choose a background that I felt was appropriate for the picture and the age of my children at the time the photo was taken. After, I finally decided on the background, I went into the tool box in order to create a text box. I Gave a name that I thought was appropriate for the age and picture. I also gave the picture a personal touch by adding my children names. When I return for the next weekend, I will definitely understand more about what we are doing.

Reflection of Teacher-Created Electronic Books

The Teacher-Created Electronic Books article encourages teachers to use teacher created electronic books for their students using students' retellings of literature they have listened to or read. It explains the benefits of electronic books such as; it engages the students, and it allows students to hear an adult read aloud with intonation and expression. E-Books provides the same benefits as audiotaped books but with the added advantage of technology support. It allows students to practice the skills of sequencing events, identifying main ideas and making personal connections. I think this article was excellent because not only did the article give reasons E-Books are good for teachers and students in the classroom, but it explained in detail how to implement E-Books into your classroom. The article allowed for teachers that have limited computer knowledge and may not understand how to work with computer programs outside of word. I enjoyed this article and I will use this in my classroom.

First Weekend Personal Expectations:

I know very basic things about the computer because the state of Georgia required all teachers to take a mandatory Intech class. I did learn some very basic computer skills; however, there are alot of things I need to learn. A few of my basic goals are:

• to learn about blogging


• to learn about power points


• to learn about photo shop

Born Into Brothels

This was a very interesting documentary. I found Zana to be very passionate about helping the children try and make a change in their lives. She appear to have been a great humanitarian. Even if she didn't intend to get personally invovled in the lives of the children, she did and it made a positive difference in their lives. Watching this film made me reflect on the students I have worked with for the last eleven years. My students lived in low income, single parent and/or extended family homes and there were drugs abuse, alcohol abuse, gang violence, and physical abuse in those homes. After watching this documentary, I wondered how many of them are in an environment like the one I watched in the documentary. I'm sure Zana has opened many eyes when it comes to the abuse of children. She has proven that it doesn't take a village to start a movement to help save children, but it may take a village to actually save the children. I feel that her endless effort in helping the children through the use of her passion for photography was a divine gift from God. It allows others to see that we can use our gifts and talents for more than making money. We can use those gifts and talents to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. What a better way to show our love and passion for children! Wow! This was amazing!