Monitoring my GAME plan

The course readings and class discussions have really helped and inspired me while working on my GAME plan. My goals are to design and evaluaate lessons using technology and engage in more professional development. I have learned several ways to incorporate technology into my lessons that I will bring to the classroom. I have also looked into professional development opportunities within my school district. Because of budget cuts, our professional development has been cut back and most of our training occurs in the schoolhouse. I plan to talk to my principal about allowing us to have more professional development about technology integration. Each week I continue to add to my action plan. I feel that I am learning so much and knowing that this will benefit me as a teacher is very motivating. The questions that have come up mostly pertain to my lesson plans. I have concerns that my students will struggle with too much technology because they are so young. I also do not have any help in the classroom and I am expecting 23 students in my class next year. I usually do activities with the students in the computer lab but I am very concerned about this coming up year.

Carrying out your GAME plan

My GAME plan involves designing and evaluating lessons using technology tools and engaging in professional growth. Children should be introduced to technology at a young age. I believe that incorporating technology into each lesson will help me address different learning styles in my classroom.

The resources that I will need to carry out my plan are computers, internet, and SMARTboard. Talking to my colleagues at school is an excellent resource because I can get ideas and opinions of other teachers.

After reading the learning resources in this class, I have gone back through some of my lesson plans and revised them to include technology integration. I have found that it is easier for the students to learn something if I begin teaching it right away. I will begin using technology on the first day of school. I will also create a classroom website which will provide my students and parents with important information as well as provide interactive websites and useful information. One of my goals is to take my students on a virtual field trip. This would provide my students with an excellent example of how technology can be used in the classroom as well as address our standards.

GAME plan

The two standards that I would like to strengthen my confidence and proficiency in are standards 2 and 5. Standard 2 involves designing and evaluating lessons using technology tools and resources. Obtaining my Masters Degree in technology integration is my first step towards building the confidence I desire as a classroom teacher. Creating lesson plans that address all learning styles as well as integrate technology into my classroom is another step that I plan to take. Although I teach kindergarten, I believe that introducing children to technology at a young age is important because classrooms are becoming more digitalized each year. Keeping a copy of my lesson plans is a great way to monitor my progress because I will be able to look back on previous lessons and critique myself as well as look to see what worked best and what I can do to improve for next time.

Standard 5 involves engaging in professional growth. As I progress through my masters study, I continue to share with my colleagues and help them to improve their teaching as well. In order to achieve the goal of professional growth, I plan to attend professional development opportunities that allow me to expand my knowledge of technology integration in my classroom. In order to evaluate my learning, I will review what I have integrated into my classroom and how my students responded.

In order to feel that I have achieved my goals, I must see that my students are enjoying what I am bringing to the classroom and that they are learning the best that they can.

Reflection

The most striking eye-opener that I had about the teaching of literacy skills to my students is that it is possible with the little ones. A common stereotype about kindergarten is that we read and play blocks all day. That is not the case now days. We have a very strict curriculum that requires our students to pass a comprehensive list of standards by the end of the school year. A lot of people, including long-time teachers think that 5 and 6 year-olds are incapable of learning how to use technology. After taking this course, I am fully aware that my students can learn these skills with proper guidance. I leave this course taking with me the skills to teach these strategies to my students and other ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. I have learned that it does not take a lot of money and that I am fully capable of teaching these new literacy skills with the tools provided in my classroom and schoolhouse.
My main professional development goal is to bring these skills back to my school and help other teachers learn ways to incorporate technology into their classroom. It is important to challenge our students and this is the perfect way. I now have the strong desire to incorporate new literacy skills into my classroom and help teachers improve their teaching as well. I have loved hearing the stories from my classmates and learning how they use technology in their own classrooms. I feel that sharing these ideas is the best way to learn and grow as a teacher.

Reflection

I have always believed that providing children with a positive, hands-on learning environment is beneficial to their learning. As this course is wrapping up, I will carry with me a lot of new strategies and ways to incorporate them in my classroom. I realized the importance of incorporating technology in my classroom and how to better prepare my students for the future. I also became familiar with the behaviorist learning theory as I often related it to my teaching pedagogy.

I enjoyed learning new ways of incorporating technology into my classroom. Two technology tools that I found interesting and will bring back to my own classroom are concept maps and voicethread. Using concept maps with my kindergarteners will help me in introducing new concepts and relating different ideas. With the younger students, I often have to start very basic and build from there. Although it would take a while and a lot of adult help, I think my students would enjoy creating a voicethread. Some people think that this would be too hard for a kindergarten student but I believe that they can do anything they are taught.

My two most important long-term changes that I would like to make regarding technology integration are to be more involved in professional development opportunities and to get out of my "routine" of lecture and use more of the technology that I am familiar with. Achieving these goals are easy if I put my mind to it and step outside of the box. It is easy to start the school year with your usual routines and continue on with what you are most comfortable with. I feel that if I took the opportunities of different trainings that we are offered throughout the school year as "optional" I would be able to learn new things to incorporate in my classroom. I would also be able to share new ideas with my colleagues. Throughout this course and previous courses I have taken, I have learned several ways of incorporating technology in my classroom. I want to take advantage of this and enhance my student's learning.

Voice Thread

voicethread.com/share/897609/

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social learning has become a large part of instruction now days. Whether we realize or not, we all use social learning in one way or the other. In my classroom, I think it is important for the students to learn from each other. Even as a teacher, I learn from my students every day. Several of my students' assignments are completed in cooperative learning groups. Especially at the young age of 5 and 6, it is important for students to learn to work together. In the real world, we have co workers and we must work with them and come up with solutions in a presentable manner. When working together, students learn to be leaders and followers. This also allows my students an opportunity to work on their social skills.