Post #2

As far as Microsoft word goes, I have used it quite frequently throughout middle and high school for papers. My usage of Microsoft was not massive. I would write the paper, format it, change the font, color, size, and edit it. I knew how to work the basic features and that was basically all I knew. After I got into high school and had to write reviews and other one page type items I used Microsoft word for that, and became familiar with inserting items. I learned how to use clipart and word graphics and had a lot of fun doing that. Basically papers was my main use of Microsoft word. My teachers have made great use of Microsoft word by typing up notes, class rules, syllabuses, tests, quizzes, reviews and multitudes of other things. Overall my teachers love Microsoft word and using it for a long of stuff, and we the students always loved it when teachers used Microsoft word. Microsoft word was benefical to students and teachers, making formatting easy for students, being legible for teachers to read and was overall a great help for notes and tests.
Ideally, every student having a computer to work at or a library where each student can have access to a computer would be perfect. It would be easy for each student to try each part out and from there ask for assistance if need be. Chapter 9 discusses a lot of great ideas that would be great teaching tools as well as fun for the students such as creating a newspaper with each student doing their own paper or contributing to a class newspaper, using it for multiple subjects, writing & editing or even math. I love the newspaper idea and think that especially in elementary school each student writing their own column would be fun for them and enjoyable for me to read, while at the same time they are learning. I really look forward to trying that out one time, and having them be able to incorporate graphics and etc would be it even better!
Almost everything I have learned in this class has been new to me. I have been able to learn many things I never knew about things I always use! My favorite so far has been paint and all the little tricks to it that I never knew. In my teaching career students in elementary school love doing art, so teaching them and letting them make paint on the computer would be a new way to paint. All of the stuff we learned about Microsoft word was awesome as well and opened my eyes to all the tools I have never used, nor knew what they meant. Everything we have learned so far has increased my knowledge base, and continuing this can only better my knowledge, which in turn will help me relay my knowledge to my students in the best way. I hope to be able to remember this tricks and tools so I can share these with my students as the progress through learning the computer, and hope they will be as mind boggled as I was and continue to be. All the hidden tools that we never knew about, prove to be the coolest!