My name is Katie Merrill. I am a 6th grade teacher at Liberty Elementary in Omaha, Nebraska. My school is a part of the Omaha Public Schools district (OPS). This is NOT where I saw myself working when I was asked at Creighton University. I went to Millard Public Schools (in Omaha) my entire K-12 career and always thought I would be there. However, now that I am where I am at, I would not change my current working place for the world! I love where I am and love the students that I teach. Funny how life works, huh?
I have completely grown up in the technology age. I have been around computers for what seems my whole life. I am very comfortable with computers, however, the more of these classes I take, the more I am convinced that I will never know it enough! Until I became a teacher, I was totally a "Windows girl." My parents had XP throughout high school and college and it was what I was comfortable with and knew. However, when OPS gave me this Mac laptop, it was easy to learn how to maneuver and learn the short cut keys also and I have fallen in love! Whenever I go use my parents' Windows, I get frustrated that some command keys that make my typing quick, do not work on that computer! :( The version of Office I am using was copywritten in 2004. I am not sure what "version" that is, but the year is correct! :)
Truly, was "inspired" me to get my Master's was my mother's nagging. :) See, my sister had gone through the program and was loving all the benefits she was getting from it- bot intrinsic and extrinsic. My mom knew that I would benefit from it too so she pushed. And pushed, and pushed, and pushed! Finally, I agreed to enroll and have been thankful ever since. This truly does give us more insight to being a better teacher and learning more and more knowledge that will only benefit my current and future students also. With my degree, I plan to push myself as a teacher as well as my students to show them that learning never stops.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteNice layout. Your blog is fun to view. Yay, a Creighton alum...me too. It's interesting that you were converted from PC to Mac. I am always promoting Macs because of the easy to use interface. I hope that obtaining your masters is truly beneficial.
Julie Pierce
I really enjoyed reading your blog! It is funny, cause my family had been pushing me as well to start my masters, wanting me to complete it before I had kids,at least I will be close! I have too, found some very useful strategies and have learned a lot!
ReplyDeleteI was hesitant at first in going back to school. I always wanted to, but was scared of failing. I am obsessive that way. A team mate of mine told me this program was a good one and so my other team mate and I signed up together. It has been nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. I will say the two classes that have scared me the most have been our action research class, I am still scarred from that, and this one. I don't know a whole lot about computers. I use them for email and Google, which I can never find what I want anyway. I did just recently join Face Book, but I don't really know what I am doing on that either. I hope I am not hopeless!!
ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteThat is great that you teach with OPS too. Your page is really nice. The colors work well. I thought it was interesting that you were a PC girl and now use MAC. I use PC at home and MAC at school. It is hard to do both but I have adjusted. I am sure this program will benefit just like your mom said. You know moms are always right:)