Welcome to my blog!

Hello World!

     My name is Miss. Wighton and welcome to my blog! I am a fifth year Concurrent Education student at Brock University. I am passionate about Mental Wellness, and Special Education, in addition to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming classroom environment that supports the growth and learning of all students! 

     Now that I have introduced who I am, I do want to mention that this initial post will be focused around exploring and using different artifacts that can be used in any environment, but I can definitely see myself using these in my future classrooms! 
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     The first artifact, seen below, was WordArt which allows anyone to create an image that represents who they are using a visual web! It allows for anyone (even those who believe they aren't creative) to create a visual web of words that can be associated to themselves, or even a specific topic. This is completely up to the user as to what words you will use to fill in the shape, as well it also provides you with various shapes for your word art to appear in.  

     This resource is extremely beneficial within the classroom as it allows for you to make these visual tools that can be used to help students learn about different topics, for example, you could make a poster of words related to a math unit (i.e. Geometry) and have it composed into the shape of a square. This allows for students to have a visual reference when learning new vocabulary, but it also provides them with a visual piece that is not your typical marker on paper note as it is something that is more visually appealing. Not only can this be used for referencing new vocabulary in units, but it can also be used to make student name tags as students have the opportunity to use characteristics that they associate to themselves in a creative manner - this takes away the stress of students having to create something from the ground up. As you can see there are so many different ways that you can use this inside a classroom!
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Want to get to know me a bit better? Check out my All About Me Board here!

     While the initial artifact that I have included in this blog visually displays some of my passions and interests, I have also included my 'All About Me' page found on my Pinterest. This allows for you to get to know me a little bit better - I'm not just a faceless person behind a computer screen, rather this allows for you to see that I am someone who has passions and interests as well. 😆 This page provides you with a better understanding as to who I am - it brings me to life in this digital world you could say. Some of the interests that I have pinned to my board could even be connected to some of your interests this, in turn, helps build and establish these connections in the digital world that we interact with on a daily basis! 
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     Before I log off you definitely need to check out this TEDTalk by Rita Pierson! It is truly inspiring and will leave you speechless - and the best part is that you don't have to be a teacher to feel inspired by this TedTalk. Seriously check it out! (I even included it in my post to make it easier 😉).

     This is something all teachers should keep in mind, especially working with students, just as Rita Pierson states, "Every Kid Needs a Champion." This video is truly inspirational as for teachers as it tells us the importance of caring for our students and looking out for the emotional and mental wellbeing. We need to consider our students with everything we do, whether it is based on marking a simple test or just interacting with students everyday - these little interactions have a significant impact on our students.
  

     Feeling inspired after this video? I know I am. This is definitely a video that I always fall back on because it reminds me as to why I am working towards obtaining my teaching degree - I want to be that champion for my students who helps them achieve success. I want them to come up to me with smiles on their faces believing that they can achieve anything. 

Feel free to leave a comment regarding anything I've shared with this post! I truly enjoy hearing what others have to say.

For those who are interested in seeing my Google Sites click here! 🙂 This is where you will find more ways in which you can integrate technology into the classroom. 

Logging off for now, 
-Miss. Wighton