Reflection of course

Looking back at my plans for week six and seven, I can see how important it is to implement a good technology in the classroom to help students learn. What ever the form of technology it is, as long at it is helping your students learn in a way that will benefit them so their education can be taken to the next level. If students are able to use digital games or MUVE's, they just might take their thought process to the next step. When students are challenged to a higher point, their brains sometimes seem to work in different ways. Thinking outside the box is what students need to do more of today so they are prepared to face the 'real world' when they get there. The plans that I had made up I will try to use as soon as possible if the process goes through and we get it. I have learned to adapt my teaching ways to facilitate technology to help further a students educational process and get them started on the correct path.

I don't really have any adjustments at this time. However, I would like to gather a bunch of teachers who think that we should implement these technologies into our school and attend board meeting to try to see what can be done about it. Education is very important and we need to get the attention of others to help in this process. Maybe then some changes will happen. I would like to find out more from the computer tech to see if there might be any ways around or to help in this struggle. I will not stop using other technologies that are out there in my classroom since they have such a good impact on students. The more that students see the potential of these programs and uses of technology, they will have a better use for them in the future and will understand how to use them. It will take some time to become obsolete, so students will be using it for their high school and college years most likely. What better than to start them on that process now?

Technology

Sorry about the font being small, my computer is acting up again.

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Reflection on UDL and DI

I will try to use the resources of the differentiation station that we have been working on over the past weeks to not only help myself, but help my students as well. Differentiating instruction for students is very important since students learn in different manners and recall information in different ways. By joining a social networking site, I have been able to see many of the different sites that are available to use that I never would have thought to look at. By bouncing ideas off of other members and giving insight on different topics, I have found myself in a better position with my students. Although what works for one might not work for another, it is still good practice to use that idea or refine it to make it work for you. Universal design for learning and differentiated instruction are not always the easiest things to provide for the students, but with the assistance of social networking sites we can implement new ideas and concepts to help the students in their process of learning. Coming up with ways to implement differentiated instruction in the classroom can be hard at times and with suggestions coming from group members, it is much easier to actually get started on ways to implement lessons.

I don't know if I will make any immediate adjustments in my instructional practice at this specific time. However, I would like to use more technology in the future to assist my students and help them have a better understanding of where technology will be in the future. I feel that more time should be spent on the computer using programs so that students can see the advantages that they have. Customizing instruction is different for each class and some need it more than others. I have benefited from this class in many ways that will provide for a better teaching experience in the years to come. With assistance from my social network I think I will do just fine.

Reflection of game plan

The game plan that was developed earlier in the course seemed to go well over the past weeks. Although I was not able to implement the plan as I would have liked to, I think that the processes that I tried went well. Student engagement was a crucial lacking in the past, now it seems to be doing better. With the use of different lesson plans and more interaction in the classroom, students have been more involved in what they are learning. Trying different approaches to the same topic helps for those who don't see the understanding the first time to get it in a different manner. I have learned that students still need to be told what to do no matter how old they get. They need to have an outline of what needs to be done and handed in when it come to project time. I am thinking of next year of having the students do what they need to do to finish the project without giving them a sheet or rubric.

I don't think that I have any adjustments at this current time. I would like to give a little bit more background to the plan next year. Having time to implement it all and adjust as time goes by will be the most successful move. No matter how much we try to help the students, some just refuse to be helped or don't want to learn. These students need to be engaged in the lesson more and I hope to do this next year.

The game plan

As the game plan continues, the students are becoming more and more interested in the lessons at hand. I try to encourage as much participation as possible by using groups and other methods such as computer work. This seems to stimulate the students in a manner that is fun for them. Whether it being grouped up with their friends so they can talk while doing the work or allowing them to do some of their homework in class, it makes the students focus and get done what needs to be. Since they are paying more attention to what is going on, I think that we can begin to do more computer work with projects.

Having the students work on the computer allows them to get real life experience while completing their projects. They have to make decisions that will have an impact on the rest of the project as well as conducting research on different topics that they need to. Being on their own while doing this work shows them some of the stress in life that they will encounter. Not being able to find all parts that they want and need will also be learned quite fast. Of course I will give help and show them what to do and not to do, but throwing them in this situation by themselves will help them to become stronger. Being able to solve your own problems and work them out is what many students need in today's society.

Plan....

I have learned a great deal of information while continuing this GAME Plan. From the aspect of gathering material before the students receive it to picking the battles that students present have been learned in the past weeks. As students continue to come up with reasons they didn't do the assignment, I will continue to get upset but putting a zero in the book gives relief also. I can't make them all do the work, but keeping on them helps to keep them on target. Having extra material for the students is also important since it will show them what needs to be done.

My goal of having more student interaction is going well. The students are becoming more involved in the class and that is all that I can ask for. Class seems to be running much more smoothly as the past few weeks have gone by. I am trying not to tackle any more learning goals at this time until I have had total success in what I am doing at the current time. I think that it will only obstruct and further delay these actions if I try to do too much at one time. In the future I will have new ideas and new goals will be set from them. Keeping the students on task and going in the right direction is important and this is what I will try to do over the next few weeks.

I am going to try a new learning approach of just giving students what needs to be done and see how far they can go from there. I will try to limit my interaction with them so that they can have independence and truly work on their own. I have a good feeling that they will get lost in a week, so I will have to give instruction at that time to those who need it. Something is learned from the students each time a project is given out and then collected. Whether it be on what needs to be omitted or how to improve it, new data is available.

The game plan continues

My actions were very successful in meeting my goals for this project. The students really listened to what I had to say before we left for thanksgiving break and are on their way in their project. They seemed to pay attention to what needed to be included and how to begin with their work load. I feel as if I had handed them a paper with all of the instructions on it instead of them taking notes and going from there. I have learned that the students need to have basic instructions in order to get started and from here we will go into further detail about what needs to be done. As the weeks progress, they will receive more material to go through and will be able to get a jump start from where they are right now.

I guess that I still have to learn that students will not begin doing their work until the day before it is due. Many students are going on the right track by beginning their work and getting ahead, but some will do nothing and hand it all in on the last day. I can guess that this can be expected from a few who have been like this all year. There really aren't any questions that have come to mind except for why do these students wait so long to do the work when they can be doing it all along and getting input on the work they have done. It bothers me some, but I have realized that it can't upset me or otherwise I will be going nuts. Everything seems to be running smoothly at the current time, so I will let them run along and do what needs to be done. Throwing to many different things at them will only confuse them, so I will let it go as it has been the past week.