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Hello and Welcome to my site!!!

My name is William W. Bectel, but everyone calls me Bill. I am currently a 6th grade teacher at the Thomas M. Ryan Intermediate in Gull Lake Community Schools. I work currently in a 4,5,6 building, but we will be shifted back into the traditional middle school setting beginning next year. I am the language arts teacher for the "Blue" team at next year's middle school. Over the years, I have become the on-site tech trouble shooter as we have only 2 full-time tech people for our extremely large district, neither of whom is located in our building. Technology has been and always will be an interest of mine, whether I'm using a grading program or playing StarCraft with my son. It is my goal to be able to help my fellow staff members (many are older and not very tech savvy) incorporate and use technology as a means to create educational opportunity for their students. When I retire from the classroom, I may choose to go into the technology department of our school system or into the private sector in a educational technology capacity. I will always in-service those in my building in the new possiblities with the use of technology.

I am a 1985 graduate of the University of Michigan's School of Education majoring in language arts and social sciences. I was a substitute in Mt. Pleasant for a year (1985-6) and then took my first full-time position in Grand Marais, Michigan (1986-1990). I taught 7/8th grade English in the morning and Kindergarten in the afternoon. This district only had 90 students K-12 so the staff was involved in a variety of grade levels/activities. In 1990, I took a 4th grade position with the Covert Public Schools. In 1991, I moved to a 6th grade language arts position with the Gull Lake Community Schools where I am still presently employed (1991-present). I have earned 11 graduate credits from Northern Michigan University and currently 22 from Western. I started out in Ed. Leadership but now have decided on a new path, educational technology.

I am a resident of Holland, Michigan, and commute over an hour each way to my teaching position in Richland, Michigan. At the end of August, I will have been married 23 years to my best friend, Kim. Kim spent many years at home raising our 5 children and doing daycare. She has now gone back to school herself to finish her bachelor's degree from Davenport University. My 5 children range in age from 13 to 20, with my 2 oldest both in college (Davenport and Grand Valley), 2 in high school, and my baby is in 7th grade (and is taller than I am!). I am an avid reader with my favorite genre' being science fiction/fantasy. I also love sports of all forms and spend many nights watching the Whitecaps or various little league games.

My son Aaron and I at a WMU football game.

The Link Exchange

Script for Project #1
Project #1: PowerPoint Intro. to Edline
Project #2: Introduction to Edline
Mr. Bectel's Blog Nation: Blogs 1-4
PodCast Central
VideoCast: Meet the Teacher
Reflection #1
Reflection #2
Reflection #3
Reflection #4
Reflection #5
Reflection #6
Flash files: A beginner's journey
Emerging Technology Web Source Guide
Technology Support & Resource Site

Email: OmegasGlory@ameritech.net