Final Reflection of 6713

The whole GAME plan thing at first, wasn’t a very fun activity for me. Once the course got moving and I realized that I was going to get out of the GAME plan what I put into it, my mind changed. Since the plan was started I have gotten some great resources to come into my classroom ranging from the semi – professional basketball team in Rochester, NY to going to a local pizzeria to discuss fractions. I am hoping that my big fish will fall into place once my students come back to school. My big fish is KODAK. I have been emailing a contact from there since we started our GAME plan and the gentleman there things that once my students come back and I am able to send letters in from the students asking for help from them, it might just work.

The one thing from creating my GAME plan is that I realized how much you have to change or have the ability to change your research / plan if something is not going the way that you planned it. Being flexible is something that we always do as we teach, so doing it during the GAME plan is something that has to happen as well. I also realized that there are people in the community who are willing to help. I think by talking to a lot of the organizations that it will be easier when the students come back to school. So when my students come back to school I am going to have them write letters to local businesses asking for help etc. I even thought about having my students create a VoiceThread to some of them asking for help / donations. I will have to get the OK permission from their parents first of course. I think that it will be a good way to go about doing things.

I can not even begin to explain how much this course has opened up my eyes in the area of integrating technology into my classroom. There are so many different and useful technologies available at our finger tips. The only problem that I am going to run into will be time and resources. I have been writing grants to get more computers for my classroom. I am going to use VoiceThread and other digital storytelling programs as much as I can. I am going to open up this year with the students creating an All About Me VoiceThread. It will be a nice way to have a trial and error session right at the start of the year. It will be a technology filled year in Mr. Henry’s room and I can not wait to see what my students will be able to create and develop. I also plan on creating a classroom Wiki page where the students have a great deal of work / integration into the pages. I think with their help it will mean that much more to them.

I hope that this will be the start of a new me. Technology infused lessons with nothing but higher level thinking.