Progress so Far-Week 4 Application

Our new district website is up and running, and I my 5th grade colleague have added content to the 5th grade page. We included several ELA, history, and math links for students to support our classroom core content. I have more technology experience, but she has more experience teaching the content, so I am excited about present and future results of working on this as a grade level project. We began making Flip Videos of student presentations this week of the social studies project. I look forward to seeing the rest of the student presentations after Thanksgiving break.

Resources Needed to Reach My Goals

Goal 1: I plan to use technology tools to create scaffolds for my students as they explore their questions in inquiry based learning projects.
Hardware and software needs: Flip video camera, computers in computer lab, digital storybook programs.
Additional needs: Input from my technology and literacy committees on the integration of technology into our ELA curriculum. This group will also be a big help in designing assessment recommendations.
Additional steps: I have begun a project based social studies that connects with ELA goals. Students will have a choice in demonstrating learning by creating a Power Point, Flip video of a reader’s theater, written essay, or digital storybook.
Goal 2: To share student products with my grade level team as to tap into to their experience in the evaluation process.
This goal is aligned with district and building goals in an effort to create strong grade level teams that share ideas. We are focusing on creating a strong vertical and horizontal alignment in our curriculum, grading policies, and goal setting.
As my classmates are experiencing many of the same challenges as we implement technology lessons and share ideas with colleagues. I would like to hear some best practices in implementing and sharing these classroom experiences.

The Game Plan

As a teacher, and life long learner, I am constantly setting goals for my students and myself. I have found staying focused, taking action, monitoring my progress, and reflecting on my learning to be challenging. I have the type of personality that runs with every good idea I hear about as often as possible. This is always exciting for myself and my students, but is not always the most effective when it comes to using my time effectively to have the most impact possible on my lesson teaching and learning objectives. So as I read over the performance indicators, I value the focus they give to the self-directed learner that I am, and my instructional plans.
Standard 1:B states, “Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.” I believe it is vital to use real world issues to engage students in their learning. I would like to develop more ways to include technology in this process. Using tools like VoiceThread and Tweeter to engage students in discussions in which they ask the questions and find the answers together. I plan to use techology tools to create scaffolds for my students as they explore their questions in inquiry based learning projects. An example would be to set up a data base of important website links that they would find useful in class projects.
Standard 2:D states, “provide with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology”. The most important thing I do everyday in class is find out what my students need to learn, based on my informal and formal evaluation skills. Differential instruction is key to me being a successful teacher, but as teaching modalities vary, and student products vary with choice, I at times find it hard to assess learning. My plan is to share student products with my grade level team as to tap into to their experience in the evaluation process.