The first goal is to Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity (ISTE NETS-T, 2008). I was my plan to engage students in exploring real-world issues and solve authentic problems using digital tools and resources (ISTE NETS-T, 2008). The students have identified real world issues and a problem that directly effects their community obesity and inactivity. The class has done research on the internet, created a class blog, has spoken to medical experts on diet and nutrition and learned many recreational activites to participate in outside of school. Be part of the solution not part of the problem, the change begins one student at a time and it starts with you. Now after many meetings with the IT professional the school has purchased many software programs that will help facilitate the use of digital tools and resources. I am excited about our progress with technology in Physical Education.
Throughout this entire process my students have been learning how to use the game plan system becasue we were learning and working on the standards together. I gave the students updates and announced where I was in the plan and what I was going to do next. Innitially my actions took a while to get going but I did seek out other professionals in my school and two surronding schools even at the district level. I made more time for planning and creating schedules. This can help my students when they work in groups, you have to begin with a plan that is outlined.
My students have been granted more time in the computer lab Tuesdays and Thursday 3:15pm to 3:45pm every week to work on whatever we are working on in class. There will be an adult IT professional who is aware of our class asssignments to help. The tech department has ordered the PE department 30 laptops and they will be in soon so we are making progress. This helps the students immensely. The students have created personal fitness plans that incorporate their families which shows they are being creative with content and educating family about comminity concerns.
The second goal to model collaboration knowledge by engaging in learning with students, colleagues and others in face-to-face and virtual environments. This took a while for me to do but it was easy once I relinquished control and allowed there to be orderly chaos. I began to let the students teach each other content creeatively because they were fully capapble of doing so. I beagn to be the guide on the side as the video presentation says. This showed that the students could research, synthesize information and organize it and edit it and present it as well in a digital tool that was colorful and to music.
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Rakeebah,
ReplyDeleteIn a time when so many schools are experiencing budget cuts and cutbacks, you are so lucky to have a district that not only supports your technology integration, but is also purchasing you a class set of computers! I am so envious!
You have been doing so well at meeting and exceeding your GAME plan goals. Releasing control and allowing your the focus of your class transition from teacher centered to students centered is a huge step and one to be highly commended! I'm glad to see that you have made such progress and have been able to integrate technology into PE - something that I would have believed to be difficult to do.
I also found it noteworthy that you have allowed your students to see you as a learner in the classroom, as you move forward with your GAME plan. It is important for students to see teachers in this role, rather than the ultimate dispensers of information.
Keep up the great work! You must be proud!
Christina
Hi Rakeebah,
ReplyDeleteIt looks as if you are working so hard towards your GAME plan. It is so important for you students to see you work towards your own goals and have them work towards there goals.
Having students make connections to real life situations and apply them to what they are learning is so key to grasping concepts. It is great to see that you are working so hard with making these connections.
It is also great that you and your students have been given more time in the computer lab. I know that evey minute to work with technology can be that more beneficial to your students!
Good luck to you!
Elizabeth Cotton (Brindley)
to Elizabeth and Christina
ReplyDeleteOur district has a technology grant built into each content subject. I did some research to find out that we had not used ours for the year and it expires in July 2010. It came out to be a lot of money and therefore we could get our class set of lap tops.
I explained the GAME plan to the students and they were excited to explore this new way of learning lessons and units. We like to help our school community so real world problems like junk food, obesity among adolescents, not enough activities are all relative to our community and solving these problems inspires collaboration and creativity.
It was not easy to get the administration to help me and see how important integrating technology into Physical Education. I had to have the students create awesome demos that I would show at our professional development during the PE portion of the agenda. This caused buy-in with other colleagues and they came to me and helped. So it was a progress and it was slow coming but it did happen and I wouldn't take NO for an answer, especially for my students.