The+5+W's+and+an+H!

The 5 W's and an H!
 * ==** Who **==
 * **Who am I?** Some of the answers to this question are on my home page and some are on my About Me page? Feel free to email me if you have questions about who I am that remain unanswered.
 * ** Who is my intended audience? ** This portfolio is intended to be viewed by prospective employers and colleagues, as well as, professors and classmates from PSU. After an employment home is established, this portfolio will become a place that documents my continued journey through learning and teaching.
 * == Where ==
 * ** Where am I in the world? ** Right now, I live in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The Google Map widget on my About Me page shows many of the places where my journey has taken me.
 * ** Where am I in my career? ** I am a certified K-8 teacher, Highly-Qualified in Elementary Education and Middle School (Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies) working towards an additional dual certification as Library Media Specialist and Technology Integrator. I am still looking for that home where my skills will be utilized and my classroom library will be unpacked.
 * == When ==
 * ** When is all this happening? ** I went back to school at UNH in 1997 to get my BA in Humanities with a minor in Education followed by a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. I have had obstacles placed in my path that necessitated detours that took me away from formal education environments, but I have always kept my eyes toward the goal. In Fall of 2013, I reentered schooling at PSU with the goal of increasing my employability through obtaining a dual certification as a Library Media Specialist and Technology Integrator.
 * ** When will it be over? ** A well-meaning relative asks me each year, "When are you going to give this all up?" referring to my challenges in obtaining permanent employment and the answer is always, "Never! It's not a job for me. This is who I am and I can't just stop being me." The journey will never end but, hopefully, the unemployed junket of this trip is nearing the end! I am looking forward to starting on a new leg of this journey and all the wonderful people and great information I will encounter!
 * == What ==
 * == What is my purpose? ==
 * ** In life ** - Life is about connection and helping others. My reason for wanting to be a teacher is to give to others what was given to me in my epiphany moment - that moment when I didn't understand and had all but given up on seeing what the teacher was trying to get me to see - that moment when my teacher changed the process and the light came on. I was successful and it was because of that teacher. My reason for living is to help others feel successful in their lives whether it is learning something new or just working their way through life's challenges.
 * == for creating this portfoli o ==
 * While I've been investigating how to create an eportfolio, this has come to fruition due to taking the CE 5140 - Electronic Portfolio Development & Assessment Course at PSU
 * This portfolio product will be used as another tool to aid in obtaining permanent employment as a teacher, library media specialist, or technology integrator.
 * ** for inviting you to peruse my work ** - Not having a permanent employment home (in education) has left me feeling a bit isolated. This feeling spurs me to invite others to look through my portfolio to better learn who I am in the hopes that I can achieve my goal of making a difference in children's lives by helping them find those "Aha" moments in their learning. While employment is important, equally important is creating a network of colleagues who value my insights and ideas that I can, in turn, reach out to when in need of other viewpoints or inspirations.
 * ** What does this portfolio say about me? ** This portfolio says, "Betsy Damon is a natural teacher who works hard to create enriching activities that will engage students in developing their own learning." It demonstrates what I can do when given an educational challenge and is a showcase of my technological abilities as well as a reflecting pool of where I've been and where I hope go in the future. What I want it most to say is, "You really need to have Betsy Damon on your team!" I hope that is what you hear as you look through everything.
 * **What do I want to investigate in the future?**
 * lots of new Web 2.0 tools!
 * quick presentations like this one: [|The networked student]
 * creating choose-your-own-adventure videos - http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/06/8-overlooked-useful-youtube-tools.html#.Uo0cNcSsiM5
 * more things that I don't even I know I'm curious about yet
 * == Why ==
 * ** Why have I chosen this format? ** I've found wikispaces to be fairly easy to navigate and manipulate with little programming skill while still producing a professional looking product. This is a platform that is available to anyone with an Internet connection and should be easily accessible to prospective employers when the link is shared through a cover letter or electronically.
 * ** Why have I included the artifacts I have? ** The artifacts I've included demonstrate work I've done for specific challenges along the journey I've been on. Some are fresh with lots of detail and others are summaries recreated after primary sources were unavailable. They serve as a glimpse into what I can do and how I think as well as being a toolkit for me to pull from in the future. Many of my reflections and summaries include things I would do differently or how I would extend the learning.
 * == How ==
 * ** How do I intend to continue updating this body of work? ** I intend to continue reflecting on past experiences and gathering materials for them to add that will flesh out those pieces of my portfolio and to upload materials from new experiences to keep this portfolio current and representative of where I am in my own learning and my life journey.
 * ** How will I complete my certifications as Library Media Specialist and Technology Integrator? ** I am continuing to take courses full-time at PSU that will result in the awarding of my certifications.
 * **How are competencies regarding standards illustrated?** Please see my Meeting Standards page for more on this as I understand how everything works together better.
 * ** How would I like this portfolio to be used? ** I would like to see prospective employers viewing this portfolio to enhance the resume package they receive resulting in a personal interview. I see colleagues looking through for ideas and inspiration regarding activities to do in classrooms and clubs. I will be using this portfolio as a repository of information and recollections that I can use/adapt for future situations.
 * ** How can you help? ** Visit my Your Feedback is Welcome page and give some input into what is great, what really doesn't work, and what I can do to make this portfolio even better! Life is all about connections and I'm hoping that connecting with you, my reader, will make life better for both of us and for all the children that will be touched by the information here.