My UDL Video-Enjoy!

Reflecting on the GAME plan

I would say that my GAME plan was successful overall; though I have not yet received word on the local grant I applied for, I did narrow my focus to a specific project for funding purposes (an Ipod cart) and have a vision in terms of what I would like to accomplish. Furthermore, I have made several good connections that may bring my funding through other ways or expose me to grants I may not have otherwise learned about. I expanded my knowledge of educational publications and have come across several strategies and lesson ideas that I could see myself using in the near future. I have some new programs to play with (Windows Photo Story, for example) and new technologies to learn, and I feel even more confident in my knowledge of technology than I did when I started. These new lesson ideas and programs will work their way into my teaching gradually, and hopefully my goal of earning a grant will be realized in the near future.

My teaching will not significantly change overnight because of this class, but I do feel more aware of resources available to me. Furthermore, I feel that I am more reflective now, and that will certainly aid my instructional practices. I have started taking brief notes in the margins of some of my lesson plans so that I remember small changes I’d like to make next year; adjustments like this are, I think, attributable to what I learned during this course.

On with the GAME Plan

I feel that I made a fair amount of progress last week, though I have not moved forward much since then. My fiance and I moved into our house this weekend, so I did not have much time to develop my GAME plan. However, I did my best to move forward and used the move to my advantage as best I could! A friend of ours used to work for the Apple store, and I asked him if he knew of any grant opportunities or any specific ways that I could make my i pod cart a reality. Ed was not sure off the top of his head, but he said he would contact his old manager and see what information he could get for me. So, even though I haven't made any major leaps since last week, I am using my resources and the time I do have to make progress. I think that that's an important part of this process; even if you can't always spend large chunks of time working on the GAME plan, it is important to look for opportunities whenever and wherever you can!

Amanda

Making Progress with the GAME Plan-AT LAST!

I am happy to report that I am finally making some decisions regarding my GAME Plan, and it feels good to be making some significant progress! I decided that I would like to apply for grants to obtain an iPod cart for my department. The iPod Touch is a device that would allow for internet access, access to a number of programs and educational applications, and they are the perfect vehicle for pod casts. These devices would allow me to implement several new lessons and strategies, are relatively cost effective and user friendly, and they are portable which would allow for sharing with my colleagues. I have located a local grant through my association, and I think I will start by applying there; we'll see where I go from here, but I feel that this is finally a start!

I would also like to say that, despite my dreading these weekly updates, they have been a solid source of self-monitoring; they aid the GAME plan despite my periodic frustrations, and I am realizing that this is simply part of the process.

Have a great week, everyone!
Amanda

The GAME continues...

I think that my action plan is solid in terms of meeting my eventual goals; I have found some great ideas and have started to find a bit of time here and there to read through my educational publications. I also found that our textbook has an online companion with lesson ideas, and I intend to check that out in the near future for further ideas.

Though I still have not made a decision in terms of definite lessons or grants to pursue, I was further inspired by a workshop I attended today about the future of education and technology. It provided me with a wealth of websites and resources to investigate, and renewed my excitement about bringing further technologies into the classroom. Though I do not have much in terms of concrete proof of progress, I feel-for the first time in a few weeks!-that I am moving forward with my GAME plan.

Have a great week!
Amanda

GAME Plan Progress

My GAME plan is, truthfully, off to a slow start. I have not had the time I would like to dedicate to my plans. The time that I have spent has been fruitful, and I’ve been finding some new strategies as well as a few additional grants. The information I need is out there; I just need to dedicate more time to the process. I do not necessarily need to modify my plan so far, but I need to look harder to find strategies that I could in turn support with the grants I seek. Sadie was nice enough to share a specific grant with me last week, and our dialogue forced me to consider the fact that I need to solidify what types of lessons I want to fund before I start actively seeking funding, as most grants require you to give a specific idea of how you would use their money (and rightfully so!) I want to come up with assessments that are meaningful and technology-rich to not only gain motivation from my students, but also to gain the attention and support of the community. I have learned that this is a more intricate and involved process than I anticipated, and I wonder if I will be able to narrow down my discoveries enough to make both of my goals a reality.

Carrying Out My GAME Plan

In order to make my GAME plan a reality, I will need to take several steps. First of all, I will need to seek out some additional educational resources; publications, websites, etc. I can borrow them from the school library, take out a few more subscriptions, and trade resources with fellow teachers. Some of my Walden colleagues have already been gracious enough to offer suggestions, and for that I am grateful!

Additionally, I will need to find a grant to apply for. This is going to be a bit more challenging, I think. I will start by looking through the publications and resources previously mentioned to see if anything feasible is listed there. I will also look for more local opportunities, and talk to my colleagues and Union reps to see what else is out there.

To be honest, I have not made much progress thus far. I am coaching softball and assistant directing the school musical, and for the next two weeks the two activities overlap. However, I am hopeful that once the hecticness of March is behind me, I will be able to focus on my GAME plan more thoroughly.

My GAME Plan

The NETS-T standard that I would like to become more proficient in is “Designing and Developing Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments”. This standard encourages personalization of learning activities that use technology and address students’ diverse strengths and abilities. First, I would like to increase my knowledge of strategies and technologies in order to make this a more realistic possibility in my classroom. Additionally, the standard includes an indicator that demands a “technology rich environment that enables all students to pursue their individual curiosities” (NETS-T). In order to do this, I would like to apply for a grant that would allow me to bring new forms of technology into my classroom; our school does not have the most up-to-date technology available, and I think that I could find worthwhile resources to bring in to my classroom for the benefit of my kids. These goals-to learn new strategies and technologies-and to make those technologies a reality through grants-seem doable with the proper amount of dedication.

In order to make these goals happen, I need to expand my professional reading; I should be reviewing more educational and technological publications in order to expose myself to new technologies that could be useful in a secondary English classroom. Additionally, I need to start seeking out grants that would apply to my goals. I know there are grants available for projects of this nature; I simply haven’t taken the time to seek them out, and I think that I should.
If these goals are to become a reality, I need to self-regulate and make them a priority despite my hectic schedule. I could ensure better progress by subscribing to several publications, and making sure I read each before the next issue comes out; by setting this timeline for myself, I can monitor my own progress. Furthermore, I should apply for more than one grant and mark the calendar with due dates, notification dates, etc. so that I can better track my needs for this task.
I can evaluate my own progress by reflecting periodically (again, maybe give myself dates for this!) on what I’ve learned and by gauging how much I’ve been able to share with my colleagues. I think it would be unrealistic to evaluate my success based on whether or not I immediately earn a grant. However, I should keep plugging away and honing the quality of my applications until I am successful and am able to bring more technology to my students.