Week 8 Reflection - GAME Plan

Reflection on GAME plan: Overall, looking back I believe I bit off more than I could chew. While my goals were lofty and I did follow through with one I did not get the other accomplished. I should have paid attention to the time of year knowing how busy it is for everyone. I was unable to get any of my colleagues to commit to professional development training. Most were, however, interested in any resources I could give them. I have begun putting together a pamphlet but have not gotten very far. I will continue to work on this endeavor throughout the spring and summer as time allows and hopefully I can pass on some of the great resources and ideas I have gained in my Master’s classes. GAME plan learning summary: I learned to organize my thinking and my learning. I often jump into new technologies and ideas with both feet forward but also with my eyes closed. I then, of course, get frustrated with the results and the learning of the students. I never seem to get the students where I imagined they would be. I have learned to take things one step at a time and to stop biting off more than I can handle. Once I am done with my Master’s degree I hope to be able to devote some of my free time to staying current with educational technologies and to attempt to implement them in my classes whenever possible. I also hope to teach my colleagues that adding technology to your lessons does not mean adding more work; often it means engaging students and creating a more exciting learning experience for all. Immediate adjustments to my instructional practice: As I learned things in this course I began to immediately implement them into my instructional practice. I do not have enough textbooks for my courses. I only have one classroom set, therefore, I have students read in class. I often provide a scaffold note-taking guide. I realized that sometimes this is only meaningful to me and not to my students. I began having students create concept maps using Webspiration in class. Students could create an outline, a concept map or another document that was meaningful to them. I have also begun using PhotoStory 3 which is a type of digital storytelling software. I was also able to get permission to begin creating wikis and blogs in my classroom which was very exciting because my administration from last year gave me a strong no when I asked if it was possible. This year’s administrators are interested in integrating technology that can assist in making connections with students and helping the curriculum become relevant for every student.