Reflecting on my GAME plan

As I reflect on my GAME plan I have created, one thing that sticks out to me is the collaboration between colleagues. I feel I have gained great ideas to use next school year with the feedback from my masters class colleagues. In addition, I believe I have been able to help other professionals in different content areas that I would have normally never interacted with before this class.

Another way I have improved my GAME plan, is by becoming more aware of different strategies to try in Physical Education. For example, I am already signed up for summer and winter workshops that focus on integrating technology into the classroom. I believe the more teachers collaborate and attend sessions about technology the less intimated they will feel to integrate such a powerful and exciting tool.

Overall, I have enjoyed my blogging experience and am excited to use blogging with my students in the fall.

Implementing the GAME plan

My first teacher standard focuses on the incorporatiion of more technology into my content area (Standard 2.a. - design and adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity). For Physical Education, students will now be given time to blog about two reflection questions from class. This will allow me to review and assess their learning, and encourage them to be reflective learners from class. The NETS-S standard that is met for my students is Standard 6.d. - transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies. This standard is the most appropriate because the students are in a routine of reflecting after class, but now they will be reflecting using technology. Before the students would reflect verbally or using paper and pencil, now they will be able to write their feelings and comment on each others' blogs to give feedback. In class, the students might not always get to share their feelings with one another, but through blogging they can take their time reading each others reflections and then comment on at least two classmates blogs.

The second standard I chose to work on as a teacher is Standard 5. d.- contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community. To meet this standard, I plan on attending as many technology workshops as possible. By learning new ways to teach my content through technology, I am allowing my students to view the content with new experiences. For example, having the students monitor their activity time with pedometers, and then tracking their results in math class. The student technology standard that is met is Standard 1. a. -apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. Last year I taught my class how to wear the pedometers and read the results. Next year, I plan to work with their math teacher on recording their data and tracking their results.

Overall, I feel their are more standards met in these examples on a small scale, but I feel that I have chosen the best examples to meet each standard mentioned.

Revising the GAME plan

This week I have been asked to review the NETS-T and evaluate my progress in my GAME plan.

Question 1: What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
I have learned the value of collaboration with colleagues, and the importance of asking questions when you are not sure about the answer. For example, I have never worked with another teacher from a different content area on the same lesson plan. If I had not developed this GAME plan I am not sure when, if ever, this would have happened. However, now we are preparing to team teach a unit together in the fall of next year, which I can apply to my instructional practices.

Question 2: What goals are you still working towards?
I am still preparing for my workshops in the future that will help me grow my understanding of technology in the classroom. In addition, I am preparing to present with my alma mater at our Ohio Physical Education state conference.

Question 3: Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
The next learning goal I would like to set is NETS-T standard 1. c.- promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. The reason I am choosing this goal, is because I am planning a few different lessons next school year that will have the students blogging about their learning in Physical Education class.

Question 4: What learning approaches will you try next to improve your learning?
I feel a great way to learn new ideas and strategies with technology is to collaborate with people who are already utilizing these great resources. For example, I was at a P.E. curriculum meeting yesterday and we spent over an hour sharing different ways we are incorporating technology into our class. I gained so many great ideas that I plan on using next school year.

Evaluating my GAME plan

I feel that my actions have been as effective as they can be, considering where I am at in my school year. Tomorrow is my last day with the students, but I have already collaborated with a 5th grade math teacher for the next school year. We plan on mixing our content and making a connection between the two subjects. Since, I have already set up a unit with this teacher, I feel that I have demonstrated an effective action toward this goal. In addition, I feel I am effectively meeting my second goal, because I have already signed up for future workshops in technology and Physical Education.

I have learned the importance and value of communicating with other content teachers. For example, the math teacher and I have developed a more professional bond and respect for the other, since starting my GAME plan. Also, I plan to transfer this demonstration of collaboration and teamwork to my students during class. I feel I can share the communication process that I opened with the math teacher as an example of why sharing great ideas can be beneficial. In addition, I will discuss with my class the value of teamwork and planning ahead. For example, when I give them a cooperative challenge, I will remind the students to share ideas, listen, and then decide on what strategy they want to try first. My second goal can not yet be applied into my instructional practice, because I have not yet attended the workshops.

I have so much that I can still learn from this GAME plan, because I have not had the opportunity to teach this unit, and then reflect on my teaching, and the students learning. Also, I am sure the math teacher will have reflections, and we will need to collaborate on what we are both taking from this experience. A question that keeps coming up is what time of the school year do we want to start implementing our unit. We are thinking about September, but we may have to wait until October, because I have to get my students outside for fitness testing while the weather is still warm. For my second goal, I have plenty to learn from the workshops, while I complete them throughout the year. A new question that has arisen is would I like to participate in a Physical Education workshop at our state level. My alma mater has asked me, and a few other teachers that I graduated with to conduct an elementary content session this December. I am excited to work together with former classmates again, and look forward to attending the other sessions at this conference.

I have adjusted my plan by waiting until the next school year to complete this plan in its entirety, with the help of another teacher in my building. This meets my current needs, because after tomorrow I will have no students to teach for the summer. For my second goal, I have adjusted my needs by accepting to teach a session at a workshop that I was already planning on attending. By teaching a session, I will be collaborating with other P.E. professionals and gain more knowledge through our collaboration of similar content.