For my GAME plan this week, I thought it would be helpful if I pasted my discussion post here
After reading several of the “Stories From Practice” in the text Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach I was most particularly struck by “Andrew’s story on page 127. Andrew at age three was in a car accident that left in a quadriplegic with limited neck movement. Andrew’s story picks up at age five where he is an energetic and typical five-year old in every way with the exception of his physical impairments. Andrew was able to use his mouth and sticks to manipulate many things such as his toys and a computer.
Principle II applies the best to a student with similar disabilities as Andrew. As a teacher, a student such as Andrew would change many of the things I take for granted in the classroom. The simple day-to-day activities could prove to be significant hurdles in the classroom. For students with these types of disabilities I could use my Promethean smart board slate for Andrew to manipulate objects and write on the board. I could also scan and display test on my smart board making it easier for him to read the test rather than manipulate a traditional paper test with several papers to fold. On the smart board, turning a page is as easy as pushing a button. Andrew could also take a multiple choice, short answer, and essay test with the use of interactive expression clickers, and a wireless keyboard.
With this type of technology available in the classroom, other students like Andrew could have a quality education full of rich activities just like every other student. Take a look as recently as five years in the past; Students like Andrew did not have as many options as they do now. (Here are some photos of the Active Expression clickers and a slate.)
GAME Plan in Action
Goals – What do I want to be able to know or be able to do? For this example I need to know more about my student(s). What are their limitations? How can I get around these limitations? By knowing more about my students I can learn more about how to reach them. My ultimate goal is to provide a meaningful and applicable education to all my students.
Action – What information do I need? What learning strategy will I use? What resources are needed? Again, knowledge is power for the necessary actions. The more knowledge I have about my students, the more I can do for them. If my students have physical disabilities I would treat the situation much differently than if they have mental impairments.
Monitoring – Am I finding the information I need? What patterns are emerging from the information sources? Do I need to modify my action plan? The old adage, “one learns little from success and much from failure,” comes to mind here. As a teacher I am acutely aware of my failures. Perhaps the biggest sign my students are doing well does not come from test scores or writing samples. I look to see if my students are engaged and interested.
Evaluate – Have I met my learning goals? If not, should I modify my goals or my learning strategies? What will I do differently in the future? I suppose I have to answer this question with a question: are my students successful? MY evaluation comes from the evaluation of my students.
Final Thoughts
After it is all said and done, I do not believe that there is one concrete final answer here. No two students are alike therefore we, as educators, should not treat them the same. Coming up with meaningful and engaging lesson for only a portion of our students is not acceptable. The traditional method of teaching appealed to very few students. With all the wonderful technology we have at our fingertips these days, it is much easier to present our lessons in a variety of ways appealing to so many more students than before. This technology also helps us reach students with physical and mental disabilities as well.
Here is a cool Tech Tip – I love using Inspiration, Kidspiration, and Webspiration as a way to make graphic organizers. These programs are easy to use, customizable, and with the click of a mouse, you can change your graphic organizers into outlines, reaching a whole other group of students with different learning styles. Below are screen shots of the Inspiration icon, web graphic organizer, and an outline made from Inspiration.
After reading several of the “Stories From Practice” in the text Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach I was most particularly struck by “Andrew’s story on page 127. Andrew at age three was in a car accident that left in a quadriplegic with limited neck movement. Andrew’s story picks up at age five where he is an energetic and typical five-year old in every way with the exception of his physical impairments. Andrew was able to use his mouth and sticks to manipulate many things such as his toys and a computer.
Principle II applies the best to a student with similar disabilities as Andrew. As a teacher, a student such as Andrew would change many of the things I take for granted in the classroom. The simple day-to-day activities could prove to be significant hurdles in the classroom. For students with these types of disabilities I could use my Promethean smart board slate for Andrew to manipulate objects and write on the board. I could also scan and display test on my smart board making it easier for him to read the test rather than manipulate a traditional paper test with several papers to fold. On the smart board, turning a page is as easy as pushing a button. Andrew could also take a multiple choice, short answer, and essay test with the use of interactive expression clickers, and a wireless keyboard.
With this type of technology available in the classroom, other students like Andrew could have a quality education full of rich activities just like every other student. Take a look as recently as five years in the past; Students like Andrew did not have as many options as they do now. (Here are some photos of the Active Expression clickers and a slate.)
GAME Plan in Action
Goals – What do I want to be able to know or be able to do? For this example I need to know more about my student(s). What are their limitations? How can I get around these limitations? By knowing more about my students I can learn more about how to reach them. My ultimate goal is to provide a meaningful and applicable education to all my students.
Action – What information do I need? What learning strategy will I use? What resources are needed? Again, knowledge is power for the necessary actions. The more knowledge I have about my students, the more I can do for them. If my students have physical disabilities I would treat the situation much differently than if they have mental impairments.
Monitoring – Am I finding the information I need? What patterns are emerging from the information sources? Do I need to modify my action plan? The old adage, “one learns little from success and much from failure,” comes to mind here. As a teacher I am acutely aware of my failures. Perhaps the biggest sign my students are doing well does not come from test scores or writing samples. I look to see if my students are engaged and interested.
Evaluate – Have I met my learning goals? If not, should I modify my goals or my learning strategies? What will I do differently in the future? I suppose I have to answer this question with a question: are my students successful? MY evaluation comes from the evaluation of my students.
Final Thoughts
After it is all said and done, I do not believe that there is one concrete final answer here. No two students are alike therefore we, as educators, should not treat them the same. Coming up with meaningful and engaging lesson for only a portion of our students is not acceptable. The traditional method of teaching appealed to very few students. With all the wonderful technology we have at our fingertips these days, it is much easier to present our lessons in a variety of ways appealing to so many more students than before. This technology also helps us reach students with physical and mental disabilities as well.
Here is a cool Tech Tip – I love using Inspiration, Kidspiration, and Webspiration as a way to make graphic organizers. These programs are easy to use, customizable, and with the click of a mouse, you can change your graphic organizers into outlines, reaching a whole other group of students with different learning styles. Below are screen shots of the Inspiration icon, web graphic organizer, and an outline made from Inspiration.
Resources
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Introduction National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Home National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/introduction
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Introduction National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Home National Center On Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/introduction
Paul
ReplyDeleteYour action plan is caring and genuine. As you suggested, by really knowing and understanding your students, your level of assistance can increase. Without that basic information, it is impossible to effectively offer the choices that our students need.
Some students are lucky enough to be able to learn because of or in spite of what their teachers do, but the limited approach classrooms of the past will no longer address the range of diversity that we now realize exists. As you suggested, teachers need to continually personalize their instruction since no two students (or classes) are alike. Good luck with your plan to use technology to help you familiarize yourself with your students and then use it to support their learning needs.
I like how you realize that teachers need to personalize their instruction and lesson plans in order to fit the needs of individual students and not simply roll out the same instruction year after year. Teachers need to fit to their students and many teachers believe they can do the same thing year after year. We have teachers in our district who are still using lesson plans from the early 90s. As students and resources evolve, teachers need to as well. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWow! Your blog is so detailed and well thought about. I can tell that you put your student;s interests and needs first! Lessons do need to be personailzed to meet the needs of the different learners in our classroom! Great job, and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteBecky
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteOnce again, an impassioned blog entry. I wholeheartedly agree that the "one size fits all" approach does not apply to education or our students. I also appreciate your candor and honesty regarding your successes and failures. With your dedication and determination, I am sure you will have no problem achieving the goals of your GAME plan. Good luck and keep up the good work!
Lauren