Reflection part 2

I just wanted to add that I did implement the problem-solving lesson plan in my language classes. Students used the computer to research the time period represented in the copies of the personal checks they were given. This was a very successful lesson. Students loved pretending to be FBI investigators (thanks for the suggestion, Ian) and solving the missing person crime. We are not finished with this project, but the engagement is high. Students will blog about their findings and stories during the winter break, and when we return, students will create a digital story about their findings and creation. I think presenting them with a problem to solve is a great way to differentiate because students were able to work on their own levels and to go as far as they could or want to go. The lesson was very self-directed, and I was able to be a guide and facilitator, which allowed me to reach more students on a one-on-one level.

Reflection week 7

Setting goals is something I do all the time. I am a list maker and I love crossing things off the list and feeling like I am making progress. The GAME plan is a good way to do that. The GAME plan that I made at the beginning of this course involved learning more about technology; using technology to inspire my students to be more creative; communicating with parents and students through technology; and becoming confident enough to become a person that my fellow teachers come to for help and advice in using technology. I feel that I have made progress in some of these areas, although there is much room for improvement.

In just the last few weeks, I added technology to our research unit. I learned how to use Voicethread and students did oral reports along with pictures about the biography they read and the research they did about that person. Just adding that little bit of technology increased student engagement in a big way. Two students who have almost no motivation and rarely do any work of any quantity or quality, jumped on the project and not only read the book, researched their person, but couldn’t wait to record their Voicethread

We also did some role playing about the characters in the novel we read and students from our media class filmed, edited and produced the videos. Students loved writing the original scripts (based on characterization in the novel) and performing for the film. Just this little move into more technology was so effective and very rewarding.

I did receive my Promethean board last week so I am moving into the point of using technology everyday. I think fellow teachers have seen my move to use technology and they are coming around asking about how to use Voicethread and observing how I use the Promethean board in class. I have a lot to learn about the board and am still learning from those teachers who already have one.

The one area I have not made as much progress on is using technology to communicate with parents. I don’t know if it is just the hectic time of year with holidays, exams, end of semester reports, and literacy training, I admit I have neglected the class blog. I want to plan better in that area when we return after the holidays.

The new year is a time when people make new goals and plans. I am going to use the GAME plan with my students in January to make goals for Reading and Writing Workshop. In conferencing, we always make individual student goals. GAME is a constructive way to do this.

One very nice thing about teaching is that we have these built-in times of renewal throughout the school year (fall break, winter break, spring break and SUMMER!). These are times that we can regroup, evaluate what is working and what is not, and begin again. I think I will continue with the goals I have set forth in my GAME plan. This course has really taught me to try new technology and that it is ok not to know all there is to know about the technology when I use it with my students. I think this course has helped me to look at using technology as a journey with a lot of little steps. As long as I am moving forward, I am moving toward my goal. I am using more technology; I am planning lessons and then saying, “How can I add technology to enhance the lesson and engage students?” This is progress.

Week 4

The GAME plan continues. I still have the same problem identified last week: not enough time. But, I am not going to get more hours in the day so I have set some small goals for myself for each week. Jessica made a suggestion that I make a date for exploring technology, “Tech Tuesday” she called it. I laughed when I read it, but I am making a goal of spending at least one hour per week looking at and learning about new technology. I have designated Tuesdays (I took your suggestion Jessica!) to do this. I get to school an hour before school begins and this is my time to learn about technology. I think trying to do it first thing in the morning might be helpful for me, before family obligations take over in the afternoon.

I also took a look at mrcoley.com that Wayne suggested. That site is amazing. I have to confess  that I am a little overwhelmed at his site and all he has on it. But, I am committing to improve my own webpage this school year.

Another thing that I accomplished this week was a visit to our new media classroom. Everything is still coming together in there but I got a mini-tour of what is available. In another class, I observed one colleague who has mastered the Promethean board and that was very encouraging.

Since time is my enemy, I took some of it to watch the tutorial video that my principal sent me (about Promethean boards)  and will review it if and when I get a board for my room. I really believe that the resources are there for me to learn about technology. I even spent sometime viewing some tutorials on youtube.

I am learning that it doesn’t take a huge commitment of time to learn ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. A little on a consistent basis will get me there.

This week being a two-day school week because of the Thanksgiving holiday, there is typically not a lot of substance going on at our school. I took the opportunity to use a little technology in our unit on characterization. We had finished reading a novel together and students worked in small groups to write an original skit (3-4 minutes) incorporating some of the characters from the novel and what we know about them in the setting of a holiday dinner. They were very engaged and worked hard on this project. They wrote the skit, rehearsed it, and then on Tuesday, they performed it while members of the high school media class came in and filmed it. They will edit it and send it to us next week. It was a small use of technology, but the kids really enjoyed it. Even more so, they were applying some of the work we did on characterization, inference and prediction in this work. It was also a way to bring in technology from other areas of our school.

Game Plan: Resources and Information needed

Looking back over my GAME plan this week, I think the plan part is just what I needed to affect change in my classroom. I have been meaning to look into new ways that I can integrate technology in my class assignments but have been discouraged by the lack of access we have had in the past to computers. This is no longer the case since I now have a mobile lab of computers stationed in my room (for use by the other middle school teachers as well as myself). But more than that, I have reviewed my goals of engaging students with the use of technology, and really unleashing the creativity that they have in order to  allow them to demonstrate what they know, and the result is that I, myself feel more engaged in teaching and facilitating this change in classwork.  I have spent much time investigating what is out there this week. Resources that I need in order to implement new technology in each unit I teach this year are: time to learn about the technology; time to create my own models for teaching students the technology; visits to other teachers who have worked with other technology and opportunities to collaborate with them; and the courage to step out of the box of the traditional classroom.

As for the goal of demonstrating the use of technology to parents and students through a blog, again I need time to set it up and investigate the pitfalls. The blog I am using now will assist me in that learning. I need accountability to continue to update the blog and class website, so I have asked a teacher across the hall to check with me on Monday afternoons to see that I do that. I have already sent parents an email asking for their suggestions about how I can improve the class website for them and for their children. I hope to set about making it as helpful for them as possible.

The third goal I have is to promote professional growth in the area of technology in the classroom. I haven’t attended any training programs for the Promethean board, but just yesterday my principal sent me an email with a training video for the Promethean. Although I haven’t had time to view it, I plan to. I also need to observe some of our more “tech-savy” teachers and how they use the board with their classes.

As I look back over this post, I am seeing that, as is true with most teachers, my biggest need at this point is time. My commitment is in place and now my excitement is generating action, so I hope to continue to increase my knowledge now that the technology is in place in my school.

GAME Plan

I am really excited about all of the ways I can use technology to engage students in my classroom. Last week, our middle school received a mobile lab of laptop computers that will be stored in my classroom. (I am equally excited about that!) We also have a math computer lab that other content areas are allowed to use one or two days a week. For our small school, this essentially puts computers into the hands of my students at least two or three times a week. For the first time, I feel there is a reason to learn all I can about technology and how I can use it to enhance my lessons.

One of the The ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators for Teachers (NETS•T) that I want to increase my confidence and proficiency in is: 1) Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. My GAME plan for this is as follows:

Goal: to become a facilitator in inspiring student learning and creativity in our 7th grade Language Arts class

Action: I will implement at least one new method of using technology in every unit I teach this school year. I am planning to change my book talks to include Voicethread and podcasts (promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness); using digital storytelling in our creative writing unit; a class blog in our reading class (promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking); epals to collaborate with students in other parts of the nation and I want to begin to investigate ways we can use technology in the upcoming presidential election year (engage students in exploring real-world issues).

Monitor: I will monitor my progress by reflecting about how new technology was implemented and how well content was learned in each unit. I will not only reflect in writing, but will collaborate with our learning community at school.

Evaluate: At the end of the school year, I will evaluate what worked and what did not work. I can then plan for the new school year and continue to infuse technology in my classroom.

Another indicator that I want to increase my confidence and proficiency in is: 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. My GAME plan for this is:

Goal: to exhibit skills and knowledge of technology and to demonstrate the use of this technology with students and parents

Action: I want to use a class blog to inform parents not only about announcements of homework, tests and field trips, but also of what we are currently learning in class. I want parents to be able to access student thinking as evidenced by the blog (communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats). I will use technology in my class in this school year to the extent that I learn more about how to use it and share it with my colleagues at school (collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation). The more I use technology the more I will learn (demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations).

Monitor: Since I have neglected our class website so often in the past, I will post every Monday morning about the upcoming week so that I stay current with the blog. I will make a point to share with colleagues through email whenever I learn how to use new technology in the classroom.

Evaluate: I will confer with parents and students as to how helpful the class blog has been. I will evaluate how much new technology my colleagues experiment with after my use of it.

Finally, I want to increase my confidence and proficiency in: 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. My GAME plan is:

Goal: to learn how to effectively use a Promethean board in class and to teach the use of it to my colleagues.

Action: I will be getting a Promethean board for my classroom at some point during this school year (at least that is what I have been promised). I will participate in training provided at our school in how to use the board in class to promote student learning.

Monitor: I will experiment with using the board in class and how to enhance student learning with it. As I find what works well, I will share it with my teaching colleagues at our building.

Evaluate: I will continue to evaluate how well I am learning to use the Promethean board and what I need to learn in addition to what I know. There are extended learning opportunities for using the Promethean board in our district and I will seek these out as needed.

Getting Started

I am not at all sure that I have anything noteworthy to blog about, but we shall see! I am looking forward to   this new class.