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= Megan Furlan (Denny) =

megan.denny@nbed.nb.ca


Welcome to my Webfolio! I'm very pleased to have you explore through the navigation links on the side bar! Each step of building my role within the teaching profession continues to be exciting and I look forward to creating a love of learning among my students! Each navigational bar and the information included have been specifically chosen to reflect my continuous development as an educator!

I prepared to become an Elementary teacher at St.Thomas University and have been equipped with the necessary 21st century skills to ensure the effective learning of students. I have experience with technology, its uses within the classroom and continue to witness the many advantages it has for student's learning. I look forward to obtaining a position within an Elementary school in order to efficiently and effectively put my knowledge of best practices to use! For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to become a teacher, interact with children and foster an environment that values collaboration and freedom to express understanding. I am incredibly enthusiastic to start this adventure and look forward to teaching all subjects within the Elementary stream.

= A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME =

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I was born and raised in Woodstock, NB, a small rural town which I am proud to call home ! I love being in the country and enjoy the beautiful landscape and nature we are fortunate to have! I enjoyed living close to my family and frequently spend time with them! I have always been involved within my community by volunteering with my church parish, recreation center and within the schools. This has allowed me to form collaborational bonds with numerous community members that I hope to continue within the future. Also, I have always enjoyed being physically active and take pride in previous roles on soccer and basketball teams in high school. I hope to instill this love of activity within my students and offer opportunities for integration of activity into the classroom! =====

"A teacher's purpose is not to create students in their own image, but to develop students who can create their own image"
"An influncial teacher is numerous things, among them a holder of connective capacity. These are individuals who connect themselves to their students, their students to each other, and everyone to the subject being studied."



= = = Classroom Environment =

Upon entering the classroom, students will gain a sense of community within the atmosphere, student directed goals and inclusion of differences that will be practiced with our room. Clear expectations and defined routines will ensure the best learning possible is achieved. Students will work together to develop the skills necessary to work with flexible groups and to successfully produce final products. Differentiation is a huge asset to the design of my classroom and directly drives the design of each lesson. Therefore, all students will receive the opportunity to connect with content and show their understanding in multiple ways. Combining the use of Universal Design for Learning and self directed goals, students will maintain a positive and successful environment!

= 21st Century Technology Skills =

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 * Microsoft 2007: ** Word- brochures, newsletters, templates, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook


 * SMART Board Technology** - interactive whiteboard, excellent tool to create engaging and interactive lessons for students, great opportunity for students to get involved in learning and manipulating objects to increase their understanding of lessons and concepts. This is a critical technology tool for all teachers to use within the model of 21st century learning! In order to continue to meet the needs of students it is extremely crucial for teachers to educate themselves continually and make use of these tools! This process will increase the engagement and success of students!

**Web 2.0 tools**- This is a huge resource of online tools students can use to represent their understanding, find new ways to connect with content and conduct their own research and direct learning. These tools are critical to offering differentation throughout the classroom and school year. Students will benefit from discovering new ways of representing their learning once the boundaries of one right answer assessment are removed.

** Windows Movie Maker ** - Fairly simplistic tool that students and teachers can use throughout the year within various subject areas. Students can use this creative tool to represent their learning. Instruction will show them how to add pictures and order them on the story board, how to add video, voice and music clips. Students will also learn how to set the transitions between slides to create a more finalized product. **Audactiy Music Editor**- This is an excellent tool that allows students to record their own voice and also edit songs such as cutting a clip out of a few songs and blending them together. Students can use this tool to record their writing pieces and present them in a new way to the class or post on blogs and wikispaces. This can also be useful for differentiated options for students to represent their learning and understanding.
 * Wikispaces**- Effectively able to create wikispaces for online professional portfolio and also as a way to create an online space for future students to contribute ideas and demonstrate their work throughout the school year.


 * Glogster-** Online Web 2.0 tool that is easy to use for students and allows them to creatively represent their learning. Could be incorporated into any subject area and serve as both formative and summative assessment options.