I am finding some progress in carrying out my GAME plan. this is largely due to some of my coworkers that I share ideas with. We have worked together as a team to brainstorm ideas and come up wiht common assessments for our students. This assures that all of the students who are enrolled in the same course but have different teachers will go over the same information. This will better prepare them and us as teachers for their state exams. The only modification that I may need is to meet wiht them more often. It is hard though to find more time in our already hectic schedule. I have leaned that through constant communication, our students seem to be on line to be the most prepared that they can be for their upcoming exam.
One obstacle I have hit is finding ways of implementing technology into preparation for the state exams. Because the test in the recent past has always been forced choice assessments (in the form of multiple choice), it has been difficult to find ways to use technology that can prepare them better than actually giving them a paper and pencil multiple choice test. I always like to give them a live example of what type of exam they are going to see. I believe that there is no better way to practice.
However, now with the exams moving towards a combination of forced choice responses and open ended responses (short answers and essay), I can try to implement new ways of teaching the skills. I was contemplating starting a chat thread that my students could all part take in. I could give assignments or extra credit and have them create or add to discussions. One issue that I face is that not everyone has internet access. I have several students who do not have a computer or email address. SO now I am faced with this new issue of how to implement such an activity when not all of my students have an equal opportunity to access the information.
29.9.10
25.9.10
Carrying out my GAME plan
In this weeks assignment, we are reviewing a previous lesson plan that we needed to make adaptations to in order to meet all of the needs of our students. The lesson I chose was presentation that I had my 11th grade history classes do. In one of my classes, I had 5 students who were on a 2nd-5th grade reading and comprehension level. Part of the assignment was having them read the material, go to the computer lab and the library and present it in any fashion as with my approval.
One of my major obstacles was the reading for those 5 students. I arranged that the teacher assistant in their study hall set up the kurzweil reader and allow them to set the pace as to how it was read to them. I then followed up with them assuring that they understood what was read to them.
Once they got through the reading material, I allotted them computer lab and library time in order to do any additional research and get their presentations in order. Since these students over time have become visual and auditory learners, I gave them several websites to use including discoverychannel.com. This site had several videos that they used in their presentation and it aligned perfectly with our curriculum.
This lesson was a successful collaborative effort between the teaching assistant in the study hall, the students, the computer ab and library supervisor, and myself.
One of my major obstacles was the reading for those 5 students. I arranged that the teacher assistant in their study hall set up the kurzweil reader and allow them to set the pace as to how it was read to them. I then followed up with them assuring that they understood what was read to them.
Once they got through the reading material, I allotted them computer lab and library time in order to do any additional research and get their presentations in order. Since these students over time have become visual and auditory learners, I gave them several websites to use including discoverychannel.com. This site had several videos that they used in their presentation and it aligned perfectly with our curriculum.
This lesson was a successful collaborative effort between the teaching assistant in the study hall, the students, the computer ab and library supervisor, and myself.
19.9.10
GAME Plan
One of my professional goals has been to learn how to improve on my GAME plan.
As each year goes on, I try to improve on each one of my lessons from the year before. I will take the time to update and modify each one in hopes that it will enhance my students learnign experience. One thing that I have done this year is to model digital-age work and learning. Last year when I tried a new lesson, I did not know the ins and outs of the site that I was using. This made communication between my students and myself very difficult. Though I was able to teach on all the indicators, the lesson itself was very choppy and difficult at times for the students to comprehend. Reflecting back, I should have had a better understanding of the site so that I could navigate through the lesson more smoothly. This year for the lesson, I will review the site and make sure to clean up the loose ends from the old lesson.
Another way I plan on improving my GAME plan is to engage in professional growth and leadership. I will do this through communication with other teachers in the form of professional learning communities and through professional development opportunities. Our school system usually allows us time to partake in professional development opportunities which then in turn we can share with our colleagues. Our school system usually allows us to partake in workshops that will teach us what is new in technology and provide us with ways to integrate it into our lessons.
As each year goes on, I try to improve on each one of my lessons from the year before. I will take the time to update and modify each one in hopes that it will enhance my students learnign experience. One thing that I have done this year is to model digital-age work and learning. Last year when I tried a new lesson, I did not know the ins and outs of the site that I was using. This made communication between my students and myself very difficult. Though I was able to teach on all the indicators, the lesson itself was very choppy and difficult at times for the students to comprehend. Reflecting back, I should have had a better understanding of the site so that I could navigate through the lesson more smoothly. This year for the lesson, I will review the site and make sure to clean up the loose ends from the old lesson.
Another way I plan on improving my GAME plan is to engage in professional growth and leadership. I will do this through communication with other teachers in the form of professional learning communities and through professional development opportunities. Our school system usually allows us time to partake in professional development opportunities which then in turn we can share with our colleagues. Our school system usually allows us to partake in workshops that will teach us what is new in technology and provide us with ways to integrate it into our lessons.
22.8.10
Reflection
After learning about the new literacy skills, I have found that teaching is becoming more technical. Teaching today is a lot different than teaching just 15-20 years ago. It is a process that is so new that as educators we are learning right along side with our students with the main goal of bettering ourselves.
The experienced that I gained from my most recent course will help me evaluate and monitor what my students are researching more carefully. I will be more aware of what they are referencing and how I will teach them to filter out good information from bad information. Also, now I can go back and reevaluate how I teach them to narrow their search right from the beginning. With the seemingly endless amount of information that is out there, it can be overwhelming sometimes for our students.
By the end of this school year I hope to have taught all of my students how to use appropriate websites that will provide them with accurate information, how to properly reference authors, and to use integrity as not to plagiarize their material. By spending class time and going over all of these steps I hope that they will come out as being better researchers. I also, plan on collaborating with other teachers in my building in hopes of teaching this in other courses. This will help reinforce the skills.
The experienced that I gained from my most recent course will help me evaluate and monitor what my students are researching more carefully. I will be more aware of what they are referencing and how I will teach them to filter out good information from bad information. Also, now I can go back and reevaluate how I teach them to narrow their search right from the beginning. With the seemingly endless amount of information that is out there, it can be overwhelming sometimes for our students.
By the end of this school year I hope to have taught all of my students how to use appropriate websites that will provide them with accurate information, how to properly reference authors, and to use integrity as not to plagiarize their material. By spending class time and going over all of these steps I hope that they will come out as being better researchers. I also, plan on collaborating with other teachers in my building in hopes of teaching this in other courses. This will help reinforce the skills.
25.4.10
Reflection
Reflecting back on my instructional theories I have recently made a couple of changes. One of my goals was to create activities that would allow my students to get directly involved in using my smartboard. I was hesitant to do so for fear of them breaking it and not having the money in our budget for repairs. However, I spent class time carefully going over rules for its use. I have since created two activities where my students have used it and for both activities they ere very careful and hook heed to my instructions concerning its usage. My students have explored virtual field trips and web diagrams that they use to present material to teach lessons to their classmates.
I would like to eventually be able to integrate the majority of my lessons geared towards having my students actively engaged with the interactive smartboard. The course work that I have done has helped me find valuable websites and ways in which to apply them to teaching. I would like to find more websites and expand the database that is available for my students to use. This will allow them to have more creativity when they create and present lessons to the class. This will be achieved through research and enrolling in more technology geared coursework.
I would like to eventually be able to integrate the majority of my lessons geared towards having my students actively engaged with the interactive smartboard. The course work that I have done has helped me find valuable websites and ways in which to apply them to teaching. I would like to find more websites and expand the database that is available for my students to use. This will allow them to have more creativity when they create and present lessons to the class. This will be achieved through research and enrolling in more technology geared coursework.
31.3.10
The idea of the constructivism learning theory puts the students in an active position in their own learning. It requires them to actively engage in what that particular lesson is. The theory is that the more active that they are, the easier it is for them to process, understand, and apply what they have learned. In my classroom, this theory holds true for most of my students. Using this concept, my students can build their knowledge and understanding together under my watchful eye. They are engaged with a hands on approach and this allows them to relate it to something that they may already know and store it as new knowledge.
This theory however does not work for all students. Some of my students shut down completely when they are forced to be engaged. I have one class in particular that would rather sit there all day and take notes. This means that they do not have to do work. Some of them may not learn that way, but that is not their concern at the moment. Their concern is to stay under the radar. I have a few students who have been diagnosed with autism. One of which refuses to work with other students. He will do anything that you ask of him individually, but will not actively engage in learning with other students. He is able to use other methods of learning and apply them, just not cooperative learning.
Overall, most of my students tend to gain more from working hands on with their peers rather than working by themselves or by direct instruction. As the teacher , it is our job to find the middle ground where all of our students become successful in our classroom.
This theory however does not work for all students. Some of my students shut down completely when they are forced to be engaged. I have one class in particular that would rather sit there all day and take notes. This means that they do not have to do work. Some of them may not learn that way, but that is not their concern at the moment. Their concern is to stay under the radar. I have a few students who have been diagnosed with autism. One of which refuses to work with other students. He will do anything that you ask of him individually, but will not actively engage in learning with other students. He is able to use other methods of learning and apply them, just not cooperative learning.
Overall, most of my students tend to gain more from working hands on with their peers rather than working by themselves or by direct instruction. As the teacher , it is our job to find the middle ground where all of our students become successful in our classroom.
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