Final Blog Post /Reflecting on my GAME PLAN

My GAME PLAN included addressing the diverse needs of all learners by using learner centered strategies while providing access to digital tools and resources and developing a technology enriched environment that will enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participant on seeing their own education goals, managing their own learning and assessing their own progress.  As I reflect on my Game Plan I have come to understand that there are many technology resources that I can incorporate in to my daily instructions when teaching my kindergarten students and incorporating centers in to my instructions.   I have also learned that even thou these students are only five and six years of age there are still many technology tools that they can learn to use and be successful.   

Following this Game Plan has first help to know that I must identify my student’s needs in order to incorporate the appropriate center activities for their academic level and learning style.   Secondly this Game Plan has helped me change the approach of designing my centers for my students by instead of going with what is familiar to incorporating what is more productive.   I have also learned that it is important that I teach students to collaborate with one another.  I understand that teaching my students to write and communicate collaboratively will also enhance their critical think skills.  

I am aware that it is imperative that when incorporating new technology tools to my class I must have firsthand experience in using these tools and what they can offer.  Therefore I know that I must be willing to ask for help and also utilize organizations that offer workshops and websites and technology that will allow me to challenge my students and learn more about online networking. 

This new learning has already has an impact on my instructional practices. At the present I am design new website for the upcoming school year.  My plan includes a digital storytelling   activity that will begin on the first day on school.  This activity will introduce the class to technology and some of the things we can do with technology.  In reflecting on this GAME plan as a kindergarten teacher starting with students that have never been around technology, I believe it is important and exciting for them to understand the advantages of using technology.  I will also use digital storytelling throughout the school year by incorporating it into my reading curriculum once a month to show my Readers Theater.  Each reading group has the opportunity to do Readers Theater.  Digital Storytelling will allow my students and their parents to see their progress.  

Another adjustment that I would make to my instructional practices is to introduce my students to social networking.  I would like for my students to collaborate with another kindergarten class. To begin this I would first start at home in my building.  My plan is to enlist another teacher and her class in collaborating about activities that we are doing in our classes.  After my students have become comfortable with social networking I would incorporate problem based learning into my science and math instructions.  I would use problem based learning in my math instructions with problem solving activities.  

In my Game Plan my first strategies are to assess my students to determine academic level and to learn all that I can about the old and upcoming technologies that are available to my students and me. As a kindergarten teacher with many student that have never had the opportunity to use a computer and that know very little about technology I think it is important that I start with first assessing them and learning as much as I possibly can .  With this in mind I would not revise my Game Plan.  

MONITORING MY GAME PLAN PROGRESS

The first goal in my GAME plan is to address the diverse needs of all learners by using centered strategies and provide equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.  

My second goal in my GAME plan is to develop a technology enrich environment that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participate on seeing their own education goals managing their own learning and assessing their own progress. 

 

As I monitor my progress in my GAME plan I am finding quite a bit of information and strategies that I can use for to help my students master the skill.  I have discovered several website that are child friendly and appropriate for the many academic levels that can be found in my classroom.  I also have begun requesting more technology tools. As far as for technology equipment that is present in my classroom, I have two computers.  I have put in a request to my principal to get two more for the next school year.  This will allow more of my students to have more technology time weekly in the classroom. 

At the present time the only modification that I would like to take is finding more high-tech assistive technology tools.  High tech multifunctional tools can often be customized to meet the individual need of the student (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010).  I do not see any part of my GAME plan that needs to be modified.  As I find resources that I can use in my centers everything is coming together.  I know I need to continue finding activities and strategies for my students.  I am also in the process of using the activities so that I will be knowledgeable of how they work and the many activities that the students can do with each program.  I chose to do this because I have learned that if the activity is too complex the student will not enjoy using the program. 

At the present time my only question I have for myself is which technology centered activities do I want to begin with.  As a kindergarten teacher my plans are to begin with large group modeling on the promethean board and then allow the students to move to the computer with the same activity.

As I review and monitor my game plan I believe I am on the right track.  I think I am moving a bit slow because I want to be certain that I am well prepared in the fall when it is time to turn my classroom in to a high tech learning environment.

Reference:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning

Carrying Out My GAME Plan

To carry out my GAME plan in my first goal I will first have to do informal and formal observations and assessment.  In my state it is required that we complete a baseline assessment the first two weeks of school on each student.  This assessment is one on one. I would use the result of this assessment to group my students for learning centers.  

To carry out this game plan I will need to have access to computers in my classroom with headphones and also my schools computer lab and my Promethean board.  I would also need to have a audio tape player for my listening center and stories, computer soft ware, and multimedia tools. I also would like to use a video camera to video my students during their share and celebrate time so that I can replay it for them later. 

The state assessment is ongoing that should be updated at least every four weeks.  The additional information that I will need to complete this GAME plan is their assessment.  Using their assessments allows me to make changes during the learning process and provide feedback so that I can take steps to adjust my instructions if necessary, based on my students needs (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer 2010).  

The steps that I have been able to take so far are to do reassessments so that I am able to make changes to my learning centers to better meet my students learning needs. 

To carry out my GAME plan in my second goal I will need computers and my Promethean board. My Promethean board will allow me to serve as a model for my students.  My student’s computer will allow them to follow and shadow me as I model for them.  I will also need story books that are of interest to my students.  My schools media center, media specialist and the computer lab teacher.  The steps that I have been able to take so far are to continue to model for my students the resource and answers we can receive from technology.  

Reference:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning

THE GAME PLAN

The first NETS-T standard that I would like to use in my goal setting is NETS-T 4 b. which states teacher address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.    The actions I would take to achieve this goal are to first identify the needs of my students.  Next, I would create learning centers that included students working with a partner on the computer. I would group the students because many times students learn better with working with a partner.  This would help that below level students achieve some of the skills that he is having difficulties on and it will help the above and on level students by in some case improving their self esteem and their behavior.   To monitor progress I would have formal and informal observations and or assessments every other week.  I would also have a share and celebrate activity daily where five students would share what they have worked on and the class would celebrate what they have learned that day.

To evaluate and extend the learning I would continue adding higher order thinking activities where the students will have to use their creative learning skills. 

The second NETS-T standard that I would like to use in my goal setting is NETS-T2b.  Which states teacher develop technology enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participant on seeing their own education goals, managing their own learning and assessing their own progress.

To achieve this goal I would first introduce my kindergarten students to technology and the many opportunities and things we use technology for.  Many of my kindergarten students have not had the chance to use any form of technology except the television.  I would begin by exploring with my students.  I would model how when reading a story we can research something in the book we do not understand.  For example one day during phonics I put up the word “squid” for my students to stretch and slide to sound out the word.   Next I asked them what was a squid a few knew it look like and octopus but they did not know the difference.  I used technology to show them images of both so that they could see the difference.  This activity would help them to understand that even when they are reading books on their own and come to things they do not understand they can use technology to get answers.   This activity is one was to begin helping my students pursue their own individual curiosity.  Next I would have the students look for answers to their own questions.  Many times they will ask me.  I will have them go to the computer and type in their words or question.  I know I will have to closely monitor because of age but that is alright because I believe that this is where it all starts.    

Having my students do the research for things that they are looking for is a way for me to monitor myself and my instruction on how I taught them to look for what they do not know or understand.  It is a way for me to monitor the students to see if they are able to do the research for themselves.   To extend the lesson we would begin using technology to build research papers and projects.