Monitoring the GAME plan progess...

Well, I have officially created a Yahoo Group for my new classroom! I had to create a new Yahoo mail account, which I deemed necessary to keep work separate from my personal account. All the steps were easy to do, bar 1...naming the Group! I finally landed on The Olsen Outpost, which seems lame but efficent for the reason it was set up. I have not posted on the wall yet, since I am the only member, but I now have the email & group for my parents to receive at the opening of the school year! I am very excited to get this underway and hope to have enough participation that it will stay useful. Next step is to create another Google Calendar for links between the 2 and access for whichever they prefer. I guess I'm moving forward...

Carrying out my GAME plan...

I would love the think I am getting somewhere with my GAME plan, but I feel like I've only been playing games! Games of checkers, Yahtzee, and multiple card games, as well as ball & tag...games...you know, the ones 2- & 4-year-old little boys LOVE! So, truth be told, I haven't worked on my GAME plan, but I know where I am going to start.

Thanks to last weeks insights and suggestions, I will be starting with John's idea of a Yahoo Group for my parents and/or students. I did send an email requesting information about the availability of internet use for my parents without, but I have not received a response. I know my middle school always recommended the public library, and I'm sure the elementary I'm moving to will not be much different, but I have hope! I guess that means I have at least started thinking about my GAME plan...

As for resources, well, that seems an endless wish-list! I will need to have parental support, staff support & help (we have multiple teachers in the same grade level), and support from the IT department! I will be hoping to receive a Promethean board from a grant writing initiative and look to investigate all the wonders that would mean for a classroom, instead of a school-wide computer lab. Hey, in these economically challenging times, it pays to dream big!

Developing a GAME plan

I have been trying to follow and incorporate the NETS into my curriculum for the last 2 years. I have become very comfortable with most of the 5 NETS, but would still consider myself weak in the Modeling of Digital Material subset. I work in a school district that has very little technology at the teachers' disposal. I keep a school website, a classroom blog, and use email constantly to communicate with my parents; all of this does not mean I am fulfilling the requirements of the objectives set by the ISTE for this directive.

My GAME plan involves the "upgrade" of myself in the Modeling of Digital Material objectives. The primary focus will be of 3b "collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation" and 3c "communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats."

My Goals are to become more involved with communications in digital formats other than those used, and upgrading the use of those in place, for parents & community members. I will update and revisit my website much more often and post a blog discussion each week. I would like to have parents link to Google Calendar with me to see the lesson plans and other critical information I can add, such as field trips, paperwork due dates, and such. I will need to concentrate more efforts towards parental communications this next year, since I will be teaching elementary school after 10 years of middle school. HELP!

Reflection of Inquiry Online

The course has taught me so much about the invisible integration of web literacy within a curriculum unit. Whenever using the internet, students are challenged to verify information as credible and viable. It is not always an easy task to teach children of middle school age to investigate authors. I found my year to gain interest and respect of credible sources from the written word on the World Wide Web since implementing ideas presented from this course.
Personally, I learned how to recognize URL addresses as personal versus private, and how to use Boolean searches to narrow my information (Eagleton & Dobler, 2007). The use of these two tools has proven a valuable resource to pass along to my students. I found by providing a small amount of technique to already learning and searching minds, I was able to help my students focus their intent to a much narrower margin.

Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.

Screencasting

I reviewed the website for Save the Rennet. I have a screencast of my thoughts while viewing the website and showing my tour which will take you directly to my recording. When finished, please come back to view my personal thoughts. I tried to merge the files, but I have done something wrong...So, here are the expected screencasts for my week 4 application:

The Website review of the Rennet:
Rennet website

Reflections

Reflection is but the bouncing of waves on a surface to return in the direction from which they began. I have had my waves bounce off the information presented in this class and find I am close to a pure reflection of my initial theories from week one. The slight change I see is the types of technology I will implement for future assignments and projects. I have added the Voice Thread application and online concept maps to my bag, which reflects a bit larger than the original.

What has not changed are my instructional strategies; they are a complex mix of three proven theories practiced by leading teachers today: Gardner’s multiple intelligences, neuroscience, and social constructionism. Each of the studies allows me to incorporate my styles for delivery with student styles of learning. The brain must receive repetitious signals connected to emotions and feelings, if memory is to occur. It is my job to make that happen for each unique learner under my instructional care. I will continue to do my best, and incorporate further brain-based learning techniques when delivering course material.