Evaluating my GAME Plan Progress

ISTE NETS-T5.c. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership by evaluating and reflecting on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

In my efforts to stay current with new technologies and effective uses in the primary classroom I have found that there are many resources available on the internet in addition to the link to Learning and Leading with Technology.

My actions have been effective in that I have grown my knowledge of new technologies and how to effectively implement their use in a primary classroom by taking the courses in my studies at Walden University. I do plan to continue to take advantage of the many professional development opportunities provided by our district. Recently, I took a class on identifying primary students that demonstrate some of the characteristics of talented and gifted students. As students are identified and progress from Kindergarten to second grade a portfolio is maintained to house student artifacts and demonstrate their thinking and progress over time. I would like to incorporate this effort with the development of an e-portfolio for these students. This new e-portfolio can move with them as they move into upper grades and their TAG classes. In order to make this happen, I still need to look into the process and learn how to developing and maintain e-portfolios.

I also want to develop my professional development e-portfolio to document my progress in incorporating new technologies and 21^st century skills in my teaching. Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer point out that “when preparing a professional development portfolio, you compile artifacts from your own learning and reflective practice, so these types of portfolios are never really completed” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 14). It appears that a professional development portfolio will be a continuing work in progress.

ISTE NETS-T.3.c. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning by communicating relevant information and ideas effectively to students and parents using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

By creating a classroom webpage I have provided my parents and students with a central repository of resources that are applicable to their child’s kindergarten experience. By sending home hardcopies of our classroom newsletters and informing my parents of the webpage, it has been my hope that it would be a resource for parents to augment their child’s learning. I have asked several of my student’s parents if they have been using the webpage and unfortunately most have not, even if they have a computer at home. My next challenge is to get my parents involved in using the classroom webpage and the available resources that are provided. I am thinking about sending emails to parents (as I had done in the past) and adding the link so that parents can take a look. Last year, when I was sending group emails to parents I was very impressed that so many parents were reading them and responding to me via email. This seems to be a method of communication that many families are using often. So this would be a reasonable avenue to get parents and students engaged in the many resources on the classroom webpage. I will also add resources for at home assignments to encourage parent and students involvement. As mentioned previously, diligence and dedication are needed to develop a strong level of communication between parents, students, and teacher. I will continue to grow the website and make it available to my parents and students and will have to find ways that promote parent and student interest.