Monitoring My Game Plan Progress

To date, I have been very successful in carrying out my GAME plan. Since I have some students with special needs, I am working very closely with not only resource teachers, but teachers in the self contained room that are very familiar with assistive technology. Some of my students have experienced difficulties with counting both up and counting back. A teacher suggested that I try Touch Math because she has been using this program. I am going to borrow what I need to from her, and try it on my SMART board. This will benefit all of my students, not just those with special needs. In addition, I have been speaking with the technology teacher, and she had suggested that in addition to the SMART board, I use the Smart Table in her computer lab. Some of my students have difficulties with using the SMART board, and I think the Smart Table will be easier for some to use. This will also work out wonderfully during center time as well.

I am completing my own research on how I can incorportate strategies to assist all of my learners needs. I visited the National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education, and it gives a listing and desciption of various assistive technology that can support those with ADHD, Autism, the Gifted and Talented, etc. This is a great start, because at one point when I first began my research I didn't know about assistive technology.

At this point, I don't believe I have to modify my action plan. I am turning to all resources I have avaiable to me including the internet, and other colleagues. Some questions that are arising are exactly what technology to use for what the needs are. In this case, I have already identified the individual needs of my students. I am now turning to my principal to hear her input. I know that we have many resources in the district and access to the technology, but now it is a matter of finding out exactly what we have. I believe that I am on the right track, and look forward to continuing my research. I am even more excited about incorportating varying technologies to support the needs and learning styles of my students!

http://www.napcse.org/exceptionalchildren/autism/autism-assistive.php

Carrying out My Game Plan

My first step to carrying out my GAME Plan is to decide exactly what it is that my students need support with at this point in time. From there, I will complete searches on the internet to not only see what assistive technologies are available, but what strategies can be incorporated to assist my students in achieving success. In addition, I will speak with my colleagues and discuss what technology they used and strategies as well to meet the needs of their diverse learners. We always meet in our Professional Learning Community, and this topic would be one to discuss. My plan would also involve continuing to work very closely with the technology teacher in my school. She would know what the district itself has to offer in regard to technology. The technology teacher is also a great person to turn to because she knows my students. She can share her insights and it truly would be meaningful because she has known the majority of them since kindergarten.

So far, I have been using the SMARTBoard in my classroom with all subjects. In math especially, I see that my students have an easier time understanding what it is that I am teaching when they can see visual models (virtual manipulatives) and use those manipulatives. For example, if my students must count up or count back and they have difficulties, I have a virtual number line that can assist them. If my students have to figure out the expanded or word form of a number, it is easier when they can see the actual base ten blocks. The internet is also providing my students with the opportunity to complete reports, especially if they have difficulties with reading such as my resource students. They can access the information they need and view videos on any topic that I am assigning. In Math, I am also exploring Touch Math. A colleague of mine teaches in the self contained room, and she said this is a great technology tool to explore to help my struggling students. For those that need enrichment, I can assign interactive websites that they can explore.

As of right now, I still have much research to complete because assistive technology is all new to me. I have always differentiated instruction, but I have only recently been using technology to support my teaching. I now have a SMART board in my room, and next door to me in the self contained room, they have a SMART Table. After completing more research on my own, I can decide what is the next step in working on my GAME plan and accomplishing my goals.

NETS-T: Developing My Personal Game Plan

After reviewing the NETS-T standards, I feel that there are quite a few that I need to develop in order to prepare my students for the workforce of both today and tomorrow. I encourage my second grade "digital natives" to use 21st century skills as best I can. I chose Integrating Technology in the Classroom to improve upon my own 21st century skills as well. I have utilizing technology for my own personal use, and in my classroom to the best of my ability. Not only am I taking technology courses for this specialization, but I have been attending courses for professional development in my district as well.

With this being said, there are many standards that I plan to work on, trying to master one at a time. The first standard that I need to improve upon is: 4.b- Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility- Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources. My GAME plan is to learn more about learner centered strategies to assist all my students. I have many diverse needs in my classroom, and learner centered strategies would raise their interest level, promote self directed learning, and will cater to their individual needs. I have the access to digital tools and resources in my district. I need to research various strategies that I can then incorporate with my students. I will then monitor and evaluate through daily observation. If my students are learning and are engaged, then I will certainly continue. If not, then I will continue to research more learner centered strategies.

The second standard that I feel I need to improve upon is 5.C- Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership- Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning. Once again, I feel that as a lifelong learner, and one that wants to encourage my students to be 21st century thinkers and use 21st century tools I need to continuously look at current research and implement what is learned in the classroom. The more I learn and explore on my own, the more I will be confident to not only share this new technology with my students, but I would act as facilitator and give my students the opportunity to explore as well. There is so much technology out there to support my teaching, and support the individual needs of my students. In addition, my students will be engaged in their own learning and be self directed learners. They too will learn to use these digital tools and I am pretty confident that it will help to raise the interest level of my students. I am constantly looking for ways to improve my teaching, and my student's learning. I want to provide my students with an enjoyable learning experience.