Blog Journal #1!

 Hello!

    My name is Emma and I'm in my second semester at Florida State University! I am originally from New England but currently live with my family in a small town in Tampa Bay. I am, academically, a sophomore in the English Education major and intend to finish my four years here with my Bachelor's and Master's degrees. When I graduate I would like to teach the higher levels of English in high school. As for right now, I can be seen either reading or watching Teen Wolf somewhere on campus (and I am usually easy to spot because I have purple hair)!

    Growing up in the age of increasing technologies in the classroom, I have always experienced technology in school. I have also held multiple leadership roles in recent (high school) classroom settings. I have learned how to use Zoom as a student and teacher, create and play learning games (i.e. Kahoot and Quizlet), and include SmartBoards in lessons. At FSU - thus far - I have used media such as Twitter, Flipgrid, Instagram, and Google Apps to maintain my classes and keep track of what is going on around me. However, I have never taken an actual course on how to properly and effectively employ technology in the classroom; I have only ever picked up things from my own personal experience. I am excited to learn more this semester!

    I find myself in a wide range of PLNs due to my wide variety of interests and studies. I follow established teachers on Instagram that post about their lesson plans and classroom happenings, so I can learn the reality of teaching and running a classroom. I also have group chats with my peers from an education class last semester where we discuss what we have learned in other classes and strategies we would like to use in the future. My main resources are friends and past teachers in life, especially since I keep up with a large portion of my previous teachers. Online I like to use YouTube and Instagram as main media communication apps, along with journals and writings published by senior teachers. My collection of different PLNs allows me to take in a variety of perspectives and thoroughly develop my own understandings.