Looking back on the last seven weeks, my first reaction is that time has flown by! As I reviewed past discussions, assignments, and lessons, I am confident in the practices I have shared but also in what I have gained by taking this class and learning from my classmates. In the beginning I was not clear about the game plan concept and how it would fit in to my teaching. Seven weeks later, I not only have followed my game plan but also have seen ways I can adjust it and enhance my teaching. I focused on social studies because it “should prepare students to actively engage in inquiry, perspective taking and meaning in order to develop the habits of mind that are important for the rights and the responsibility of the 21st century citizenship” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 186). By learning where we have come from in history can give us insights to how we are supposed to participate in our future.
The GAME plan is outlined for educators to use with their
students to set goals, taking actions by lesson planning, monitoring student
growth and evaluating student progress and student effectiveness (Cennamo,
Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 3). My current indicators
are to 1) Model Digital Age Work and
Learning and 2) Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. Throughout this class I learned how to take
existing, engaging lessons and step it up a notch by adding components that
require students to ask better questions, research, collaborate, and share
globally. Since this class came at a time when my class
was out for the summer for some of the lessons, I am looking forward to
beginning my next year with a new game plan, one that will be appropriate to
start off a year with new students who may not be as verse in the technologies
that we were doing by the end of the year.
Sometimes I think my lessons become to “epic” and I realize that they
have to be simplified. That comes in
time when lessons are in progress. Each
class is different and even though I see a trend in their abilities decreasing
a bit in some areas, their technology know-how is increasing.
This
coming year, we, my co-teacher and I, have decided not to use the
textbook. We are designing project-based
lessons that will integrate English / Language Arts as well as Social Studies
standards. The course of my year will fulfill
my game plan. I am also aware that I can
add to it or adjust it as I see the need.
Being the 4th grade team leader, I will also pursue by goals
by sharing and assisting any anyway the technologies that I use in my
classroom. We have a very close team
with an addition of a new teacher so I look forward to assisting her and diving
into my next school year and implementing new strategies and lessons and making
digital storytelling a common component but exploring the different mediums to
accomplish that goal.
References:
Cennamo, K., J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
References:
Cennamo, K., J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
