Reflection

As I reflect on my learning over the past few months around my GAME plan, I realized that I made terrific progress in some areas but, there are still some other areas where I see a need for improvement. My first goal was to increase the implementation of new lessons that provide relevant learning experiences while incorporating digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. Originally, I planned to develop one of two lessons a month but found myself increasingly striving to plan one to two lessons a week as I noticed how engaged my students became with each new lesson. In regards to my goal of emailing the finished lessons or posting them on my website so that parents are able to see the digital-age work and learning occurring in the classroom, I found that I had forgotten about the amount of time it takes a beginning of the year second grader to complete a project using technology. I still hope that I will be able to communicate with parents their students’ successes however as the year progresses.

Another goal I am continuing to work on is engaging in more professional growth opportunities to collaborate will fellow teammates around technology. I am struggling, however, in positioning myself in groups that are challenging me to grow in my skills, as it seems I am doing more teaching then learning. I am becoming more proficient at the skills and tools I already know. However, when I set out to achieve this goal I envisioned myself learning more about integration and implementation of technology not just sharing what I already knew. I do still plan to reach this goal, and now understand the reality that I will need to branch outside of my school to further my development. Though this is not my preference, nor will it be as convenient, I believe it will be more beneficial for my students and me in the end. Though I need to come up with more feasible and flexible communities to collaborate with, I am excited to attend the ISTE conference in Philadelphia this summer!

I can say that I am effectively and actively modeling digital age lessons! My students are provided with ample opportunities to use the tools to show and further their learning. I am excited for second semester when more time will be devoted to using the tools to share their learning verses this semester where much of our time is consumed by learning how to use the technology. My teammates are also enjoying the new lessons and slowly but surely creeping on board. I would like to see our school dedicate more time to professional development opportunities where teachers are expected to model digital age lessons that are successful in their classrooms.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students...

As I think about how I can assist my students in becoming proficient in the technology standards, the first thing that comes to mind is exposure and opportunity. Many of my students have computer assess at home, however they tend to go to the same games and websites they are familiar with. As their teacher I need to provide lessons and time for my students to play and discover. Just as adult learners in technology need time to play and learn, kids also need that time. In fact, it has been my experience that many kids are better at playing and teaching themselves about the computer than many adults. I also think it is my responsibility as their teacher to show my students the standards and explain/model what being proficient at each of them would like. From there, the goal setting comes into play. My students are very familiar with setting goals and using strategies to reach those goals. We goal set in all content areas, it would make sense for us to do the same in technology.

Revising My GAME Plan

As I revise my game plan I feel it is necessary to review and repost my goals. My two goals are: 1.Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments,and 2.Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.

In regards to goal number one, I am not too pleased with my progress. Yes, my students are benefiting from digital learning experiences, and yes I am providing those experiences for them. However, I have not been able to create time for expanding my own knowledge to design NEW lessons. Instead, it seems that the time I would normally be able to sit down and "play" prior to developing a new lesson, I am being pulled to share everything I am doing with my colleagues. Don't get me wrong I know it is important to share with your team mates and that our students are all of our students. I am just getting frustrated that at this point it feels like the professional development time we are given is only benefiting the teachers who have no background experience with digital learning tools because all the rest of us are stuck teaching it. I get that we need to share our knowledge. I struggle with the idea that my time is not being respected though, as it seems that if we are stuck teaching everyone else, we are not getting the time needed to continue to expand our own knowledge. It is with this time that I would like to be able to sit down and DESIGN new lessons that I can then provide to my students. That being said, I am working on improving the amount of time that I can dedicate to improving my ability to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments. I spoke with my administration about requiring independent time to play with technology, rather than always having to have collaboration and sharing time. I believe this will be very beneficial to myself and to my colleagues. It will help me...as I struggle being able to tell a colleague no when they ask for help, and it will help my colleagues as they will be forced to actually learn how to use the tools rather then depend on someone else to do it for them.

As for goal number 2, well as you can see from above, I have been doing a lot of modeling! I am ready for the learning now... On a serious note, my students are coming to school with ideas from what they practiced at home and sharing with me what they chose to create or use on our class website at home. So I know the modeling is happening not only from me, but from my students as well. I am pleased with the progress of this goal.

Evaluating my GAME Plan

Is anyone else amazed that another week has already passed? As I think about my goals and how I am doing in meeting them, I am torn. Part of me feels like I have not dedicated near enough time into them, however, the other part of me thinks I am naturally incorporating steps into my daily teaching and planning to meet them. My biggest problem is that I continuously feel like I should be doing more and can not seem to be satisfied with celebrating the things I have implemented. Does anyone feel this way? I am continuing to update my website, encouraging my students to blog, my students independently completed a descriptive writing activity and presented it on Tagxedo, a group of students is working on a script for a voicethread about what we are discovering in science, and parents are telling me that their kids are coming home excited to show them new things they are learning in school.

My goal for this week is to introduce http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ to my students as a choice for free-write time.