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.
Moodle Presentation
13 years ago
Adam,
ReplyDeleteThe last part of your blog post is missing, but I think I get the idea anyway. You are right, the students ARE the piece that I am also missing. It is easy for me to set my goals and develop a plan, and even monitor my progress, to a certain extent, in gathering resources, but I don't know exactly how my resources are going to work until I am in the classroom using them. I agree with you that the GAME planning process WILL help our students develop a plan of action and find something to focus on and I am excited about using this process with my students, and engaging in reflection and self-reflection along the way. Do you see yourself using this process with your students as an overall goal setting, or mini-goals throughout the school year?
Thanks!
Holly
You are right that a large piece of the equation is missing. The students are the big x variable in many equations I try to solve as a teacher. But this is what the bulk of education is - anticipation! I feel like in the "off season" (read summer vacation) I am filling up my toolbox with all kinds of tools that will allow me to anticipate or guide my students as problems, questions, or suggestions arise during the school year. I look at PBL, collaboration, and digital storytelling as tools in the toolbox to guide students to progress towards understanding the concepts, standards, or objectives laid out by me or for me by others. You also mention digging deeper to understand why a student is frustrated. I think you are right on about not assuming they don't like the subject matter. Students will definitely let us know that, but other times it may be a number of other more "fixable" problems that technologies can help. If students struggle with written language, in comes voice recording, if students struggle with reading, in comes text to speech. I am glad to have these tools in my toolbox and look forward to using them with students as I anticipate their needs in this next school year.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to assume that students know the learning process and how best they learn. But too often, smart students are unsuccessful in school because a lack of planning skills and self-knowledge. The GAME plan involves students in their own learning process. Also, through the monitoring and evaluating process, they learn what best works for them and how they best learn.
ReplyDeleteMr. Burns,
ReplyDeleteI think that having the students prepare their own GAME plan is a great way to help them stay focused on their own goals and stop them from being that frustrated student who always wants to quit.
GAME planning seems like a great thing for me to do. I can only imagine what it will do for my students. I think that it is going to be really hard for some students to get involved with planning goals. Creating meaningful learning situations is always a good goal to have and they do not always present themselves.
I think creating a GAME plan for the whole class is a good idea. It will be a good way to help them see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them do it on their own.