As of now I have been getting some very good feedback in regards to my game plan. I have also been able to locate some very good information using the web and our classroom resources. As I continue moving forward with my game plan I am sure I will need to tweak and modify it on occasion. So far I have learned that are numerous ways to use technology in the classroom as a way to increase student achievement.
Jerry Brown
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Week 3 Game Plan
Week 3:
In order to carry out my game plan I will need a number of items in order for the plan to engage the students and effectively enhance instruction. The most crucial resource will be a lap top for each student to use in class, an alternative to the lap tops will be a classroom set of ipods. As I begin to lay the foundation for my game plan, I will need to continue to gather information on how to set up a project that incorporates two different classrooms in two different cities. I will also need to gather information on what type of release/parent permission the student will need in order to participate. As of now I have contacted a peer teacher and discussed a number of different projects we may engage in. I have also reserved a classroom set of ipods that I will be able to keep in my classroom next year.
Jerry Brown
In order to carry out my game plan I will need a number of items in order for the plan to engage the students and effectively enhance instruction. The most crucial resource will be a lap top for each student to use in class, an alternative to the lap tops will be a classroom set of ipods. As I begin to lay the foundation for my game plan, I will need to continue to gather information on how to set up a project that incorporates two different classrooms in two different cities. I will also need to gather information on what type of release/parent permission the student will need in order to participate. As of now I have contacted a peer teacher and discussed a number of different projects we may engage in. I have also reserved a classroom set of ipods that I will be able to keep in my classroom next year.
Jerry Brown
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Week 2...
Week 2
As I read through and reflected on the National Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers, I realized that I am good in some areas and poor in others. I feel my willingness to try new things that involve technology really does help promote effective learning among the students in my class. In my classes we use a number of different digital tools to enhance the content of the daily lessons, for example when completing vocabulary or key terms I have the kids use power point to create slide shows that uses pictures to define the given words. Recently we went a step further and used voice recorder to attach a verbal explanation to each slide the students created. I believe this type of activity definitely inspires student learning and creativity.
An area that I certainly need improve is my willingness to visit blog’s and other social networking sites in order to improve my professional development in the area of technology. Although I am comfortable using digital tools like movie maker, voice recorder and Skype, I need to use these tools to engage my class in a project that involves students in a different school. I have begun conversation with friend of mine that teaches in a different town about trying a collaborative project next year. Since we are both coaches we have discussed trying to do a collaborative project involving “March Madness” the NCAA basketball tournament, the only problem is the tournament does not start until March. So if anyone has any ideas for another project we can do in the fall please let me know.
Jerry Brown
As I read through and reflected on the National Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers, I realized that I am good in some areas and poor in others. I feel my willingness to try new things that involve technology really does help promote effective learning among the students in my class. In my classes we use a number of different digital tools to enhance the content of the daily lessons, for example when completing vocabulary or key terms I have the kids use power point to create slide shows that uses pictures to define the given words. Recently we went a step further and used voice recorder to attach a verbal explanation to each slide the students created. I believe this type of activity definitely inspires student learning and creativity.
An area that I certainly need improve is my willingness to visit blog’s and other social networking sites in order to improve my professional development in the area of technology. Although I am comfortable using digital tools like movie maker, voice recorder and Skype, I need to use these tools to engage my class in a project that involves students in a different school. I have begun conversation with friend of mine that teaches in a different town about trying a collaborative project next year. Since we are both coaches we have discussed trying to do a collaborative project involving “March Madness” the NCAA basketball tournament, the only problem is the tournament does not start until March. So if anyone has any ideas for another project we can do in the fall please let me know.
Jerry Brown
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Reflection
Course Reflection
At the beginning of this course I must admit I was very skeptical about the information this course would provide, and specifically how it would impact my classroom instruction. But now that we are at the end of the road I can honestly say this course has helped further my knowledge of how to incorporate technology more effectively in my classroom.
Although my technology skills are pretty solid, I had never used an inquiry based project in my classroom. The information I learned about different ways to search and how to use sites that were more reliable really helped improve my classroom instruction. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this information with my students, especially when they would come into class and tell me how they were using this information in their other classes.
I also found the information discussed in week four relating to 21st century skills learners today need in order to be successful in the real world. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a number of my classmates agreed that public speaking is a skill that many students today are lacking. Maybe it is because of emailing and texting that students today feel they do not need to know how to speak in front of crowds, but with the ever changing technology and tools like Skype this is a skill that schools around the country may need to reinstate for the well being of our students.
Lastly the information acquired in this course has given me the courage to try a classroom partnership activity next year. I have heard of and read about these projects but I never saw myself as someone who could follow through with an activity like this. But as result of this course I have already contacted a friend who teaches in a different school district than mine and we have begun to collaborate in order to get this project up and running next fall. Since we are both coaches that teach ESE math, we would like to do some activities that combine math skills and sports. So if anyone has any ideas please send them my way.
At the beginning of this course I must admit I was very skeptical about the information this course would provide, and specifically how it would impact my classroom instruction. But now that we are at the end of the road I can honestly say this course has helped further my knowledge of how to incorporate technology more effectively in my classroom.
Although my technology skills are pretty solid, I had never used an inquiry based project in my classroom. The information I learned about different ways to search and how to use sites that were more reliable really helped improve my classroom instruction. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this information with my students, especially when they would come into class and tell me how they were using this information in their other classes.
I also found the information discussed in week four relating to 21st century skills learners today need in order to be successful in the real world. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a number of my classmates agreed that public speaking is a skill that many students today are lacking. Maybe it is because of emailing and texting that students today feel they do not need to know how to speak in front of crowds, but with the ever changing technology and tools like Skype this is a skill that schools around the country may need to reinstate for the well being of our students.
Lastly the information acquired in this course has given me the courage to try a classroom partnership activity next year. I have heard of and read about these projects but I never saw myself as someone who could follow through with an activity like this. But as result of this course I have already contacted a friend who teaches in a different school district than mine and we have begun to collaborate in order to get this project up and running next fall. Since we are both coaches that teach ESE math, we would like to do some activities that combine math skills and sports. So if anyone has any ideas please send them my way.
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