Reflection

I enjoyed the GAME plan process.  It would have been nice to have been working on this during the school year so I could have received more immediate feedback, but I suppose there is something to be said for having some time to plan ahead.

I think all of my GAME plan goals are within reach and very soon I will be acting on them.  This has been the most excitement I have had going into a school year, and the opportunity to try out some of the things I learned in the course is a big reason for that.

I would like to continue to learn about new technologies, but I have started to see that new technologies don't create better students on their own.  It is essential to learn effective ways to implement these new tools and to be certain that the student's best interest is always at the core of everything new that I try.

The biggest adjustment I will make in my teaching is making technology more of a focus by addressing some of the NETS standards.  If I've learned anything, it's that the assumption that this generation of students is technologically savvy is pretty absurd.  They have access to all of the tools, which gives them a leg up on past generations, but, like anything else that needs to be learned, students are unfamiliar with how to use the technology effectively.  I plan on taking things slower and making sure that all students have a firm grasp on the technologies we are using and what they are capable of.

Student Game Planning

Getting students involved in the GAME planning process make a focus of the importance of helping students to establish clear, attainable goals that have measurable progress.  All teachers have experienced frustrated students, and while the easy route may be to assume that they simply don't like the subject matter or think it's too hard, it's often more a problem of figuring out the process of learning.

The GAME plan seems to be a bit different than this, though, in that the teacher progresses with the students.  I feel like my GAME plan looks good on paper, and that I have come up with several good ideas, but I also feel like a big part of the equation is missing since I'm still on summer vacation.  Students are really who this GAME plan is meant for, and it is important that there is emphasis placed on meshing the two game plans--teachers and students.  The standards seem to be concurrent with one another.  The teacher is charged with creating scenarios in which the students can learn and the students are responsible for taking ownership of their own learning.

I like how goal-setting is part of the process for students and teachers.  I feel like this is something that I often overlook as a teacher--of course they're setting goals!  They want to succeed!  That is definitely not always the case, and many students do not understand how to set paths to attaining their goals.

Revising the GAME Plan

In the past few applications, I've learned that one of my NETS goals--designing or adapting relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources--has been somewhat limited in my scope.  I've viewed it more as finding new resources for students to use.  The applications have helped me refocus on creating learning experiences for the students, i.e. designing lessons that help them use their new skills.

I've also tried to grow more familiar with NETS, so I have some new goals and standards I would like to focus on:

1) I've seen that reflection is important as we explore new learning tools, so I'm going to incorporate reflections into lessons when we work on digital skills.

2) When I've used blogs in the past, I've learned that getting everyone on the same page prior to starting is beneficial.  Therefore, I'd like to focus on communication with students, parents, and colleagues about new technologies that we use or will be using.

3) Something that I always overlook, in part because I probably don't think it's up to me but, in reality, it partly is, is promoting responsibility with digital tools.  I often assume students know how to use these tools and what rules follow along with them.  It definitely wouldn't hurt to clarify what the rules are and what my expectations are as well.

I think I learn pretty well with new technologies, and I think the key to that is having an open mind.  I'm lucky to have grown up with many of these tools coming into their own, so it really seems like second nature to me.  I think it is very important to spend time with the tools before you get an idea of how they might work in the classroom.  It would be nice to have been teaching a class while I was in this one so that I could have tried out some of my new ideas.