I felt relived once I started to look over the National Education Standards for Teachers because I feel like I do a good job the majority of the standards that are address there. There was one specific standard that stuck out to me the most.
Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments - C: customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources, really stuck out to me. I worked a great deal this past year on using different digital tools for various students. Working with their strengths and what they needed to work on…DIFERENCIATED INSTRUCTION.
I feel that I am confidently achieving the following goals when it comes to the NETS-T standards; they are Standard 1 Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity and Standard 2 Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments and Standard 3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.
The other two standards are the ones that I think I need to spend more time on working along with my students. Standard 4 Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility and Standard 5 Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership are standards that are key for students to understand and use when they get into the real world.
Mr. Henry’s GAME Plan
Goal
I would like to learn how to become better at using local and global learning communities to explore and integrate technology into my classroom to help my students learn. Using technology accessible from various community organizations would help establish a good partnership and a good learning experience for my students.
I would also like to develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools. The internet is a wonderful tool if use correctly that can expand the walls of your classroom.
Action
Both of my goals can be achieved almost the same way. I need to learn how to network myself and my classroom to the community. I can do this a couple of different ways, first by going around to local businesses and seeing they would be interested in working along side of my classroom. I can also go to various workshops or Professional Developments offered by my district to see what they have available for partnerships.
I also think that both of these goals could be reached by me networking myself though all of the various social networking websites that are available to us now. Exploring and researching the internet for partnerships and for other classrooms that want to use the internet as valuable resource would be a great idea too.
Monitor
There would be a lot of reflecting on my own progress, reflection-in-action. I need to be able to look at what I am doing and making the necessary changes if I need to change my progress. I will set timelines for my progress. I will need to meet them by a certain deadline or at least make an effort at obtaining partnerships. I will need to make sure that I am asking my students for their input and what they think should be our next move. The students input and from other colleagues is extremely important considering they are the ones who are going to be helping me with this adventure.
Evaluate and Extend
My first goal will be evaluated by determining if and when a community partner has came into my classroom or has communicated with my class on any level. If I have had no community involvement, I need to go back and revise my GAME plan and start all over again. There are always people from around the community who are willing to lend a helping hand. I will attend community forums and look for support at any place possible.
My second goal I will ask my students to share their insights on a daily basis about what or where we should go next. Their input is crucial. I will talk with the classrooms via the internet about any suggestions or ideas they have about how to make our interactions more valuable.
I am hoping that my GAME plan will help me become a better professional. If my GAME plan works, I will be connected to the outside world and show how important communicating with the community is with my students.
If you can help me out or have any suggestions, feel free to add your thoughts. The more the better…
I like your comments regarding NETS-T Standard 5 “Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership”. With the Internet being such a vast ocean allowing for endless opportunities for networking, it seems folly that we, as teachers, don’t use it more often to take full advantage of the possibilities that it offers. Too many times we find the comfort within our building’s own walls instead of seeking out new opportunities to broaden our professional spectrum. We continually encourage our students to branch out to try new activities and events so we must set the example ourselves. With so many different networking groups available, the most difficult task is deciding which ones best suit our needs.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that after viewing the ISTE Website, you felt confident and relived as to what you are already engaging your students in. Part of our process as educators, is gaining some of that confidence and it is nice when you actually begin with some. I agree that by using different technology tools, we can help to differentiate our lessons for various students, and am wondering whether you have found that by using a variety of tools, if your students have been able to modify more of their process or their product? This question is always of importance, especially to middle school aged children where the project itself can have some flexibility.
I found your statement about how the internet is a wonderful tool if used correctly to expand the walls of your classroom, very meaningful. I completely agree with you and feel that by engaging in such dialogue with other professionals we can continue to expand our own classroom walls. It seems as if you have had some experience, this past year in doing so and I would like to know how you plan to model or create this with your colleagues this year. How would you recommend that I use the internet correctly to expand my classroom in the field of Science? You mentioned getting on social sites to communicate and take action for such practices. Do you have any in mind?
Keep up the good work, and thanks for any response back.
Kelly Hart
Well I know from working online with Walden that connecting with some of the students in our courses via blog or wiki is something that I will be doing this coming up year. Also just creating a blog that is published to the world is also a good idea. I think that there are people out there surfing the web that can be a good help inside of the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI have found some good sources of information from www.teachertube.com and this is also a website that you are able to contact the teachers / people who place things online.
Michael Henry