WEEK 4 GAME PLAN progress

     I feel that I have made some progress in both of my goal areas; although, I am not to the point I would like to be.  I attribute this mainly to the fact, time has been limited for me this past school week.  We have had the entire Thanksgiving week off, but I am still trying to play catch-up with my job and the documentation that needs to be updated.  I look at it as, we do the best we can do with the time we have and I sincerely haven’t had an enormous amount of time to make any major “dents” with my goals this past week. 

     I was able to set up my Google Voice account and get it up and rolling.  I have only had one opportunity to use it but that was to contact a teacher.  My webpage has not been set up as of yet and to be frank, it probably will not be set up by the end of this upcoming school week due to IEP amendments for the modified version of the state-mandated testing coming up. 

     I was able to get my feet in the water with one of the STEM collaborative simulation activities on the last day of school.  We used the portable computer lab.  There were some obstacles involved with this activity, but some of that I contribute to our first time using this “virtual website” and secondly, the kids were not very in tune with listening and following our directions.  As always, our first period was the most engaged and on track; it is the second period that tends to ignore directions.  So, as a result, part of the class is on track and doing as they are supposed to be doing, while those not listening are far behind which takes away from our being able to help those that have been making a valiant effort because we are having to catch the other students up.  Thankfully, this was just a trial run.  When we return on Monday, the students will be working through the various steps in creating their own city park.  If the kids are attentive to the instructions, and they use the hints resources within this virtual park development, most should be able to have their entire park created by Wednesday of next week.  I am excited about this activity; mostly due in part to the fact that this is the first real math “virtual experience” or simulation of a real-world scenario that I have been exposed to.  This virtual park creation activity calls for the students to recollect previous background knowledge such as the formula for area of a rectangle, the volume formula, among other previous concepts that we have covered.  One thing I might want to discuss with my co-teacher, perhaps over the weekend, is her thoughts on allowing students to work with one partner to communicate amongst one another, problem solve, work as a team and critically think through what it is they are try to obtain for the various sections of their city park development. 

1.           Am I finding the information and resources I need?  For this past week and the upcoming week, I am pleased with the website that was introduced to me.  This is the first website I have EVER found that incorporates technology in a useful, productive manner and it is filled with various “simulation” or “virtual, real-world” scenarios that require our students to retrieve information they have previously worked with.  This particular development of the student’s own city park does require prior knowledge of formulas and steps to find – for example – the amount of truckloads of mulch that will be needed to cover the playground.  They are provided with certain lengths, widths, depth, etc.; however, in most of the steps for creating the park, one or two measurements are missing and must be determined before one can lay down mulch or place benches and tables where needed.   In order to determine how to find those missing measurements much of this activity will require various levels of cognitive skills- some not so difficult; however, others require some serious, critical thinking.

     My second goal – collaborating with the parents, students, peers, and community using digital tools and resources is not at the point I would like it to be.  I do have the necessary resources and “directions” on how to set up my webpage; however, I simply have not had the time.  I must be honest.  Here lately, I feel overwhelmed by work, Walden, the portfolio (which I will end up having a stroke, nervous breakdown, or a heart attack due to the portfolio which I am honestly having nightmares over), the loss of a dear family member and life in general.  I am not one to “sugar-coat” and tell people what they want to hear… I have become more and more-due to experience- of a straight shooter.  I am speaking the truth when I express the time is a definite issue for me right now and until these amendments and IEPs have been completed. 

2.            I do not feel I need to modify anything at this point.  I do feel that our activity that involves using technology in a real-world scenario activity is a great lesson and the www.Stemcollaborative.org website has some terrific ways to incorporate technology into real world scenarios not only for math but for science, vocational teachers and some engineering-focused courses.

     In my opinion, there is no need for me to modify or change my action plan for the collaboration with parents, etc. using digital tools and technology.  This will be something I need to address towards the end of this upcoming school week and do my best to have my website up and running.

3.           What have I learned?  Great question.  Actually, I have learned #1- it is in my best interest to have gone through whatever activity that incorporates technology prior the unveiling of this activity to the kids. No brainer, right?  Well, unfortunately, I did not do that for the trial run this past Friday.  I could have been of greater assistance to many more students during first period had I played around with the activity prior.  I would have known the “ends-and-outs” of the activity and what each section of my park development was asking for.  Luckily, I have sense gone through the entire park development lesson and successfully created my own.  By this, I will be able to be more efficient with guiding and assisting more students that I was able to do this past Friday. 

    Regarding using digital tools and resources to collaborate with parents, students, peers, and the community, I should have acted on this the day I received the directions from the technology guru at our school or better yet, just allowed him to have set it up for me as he had said he was willing to do.  Lesson learned!  If someone offers assistance especially with setting up something to do with technology, I had better take him/her up on it ASAP!

4.       What new questions have arisen?  The question I have is really directed towards my peers and colleagues in this Walden course.  By no means am I intending this in a sarcastic - My question is, “ how is everyone manipulating their time in such a productive manner to where they are able to get the weekly Walden work done, work a 40 plus hour a week teaching job, coach (if applicable), try to fit in time to attempt to make sense of the portfolio directions (roughly 75 pages worth) which in my opinion are not direct nor straight forward, have time to spend with family or have a social life, etc.?”  This is a very serious question and I would really appreciate any feedback from any of my fellow Walden colleagues.  Back in my day of elementary, middle and high school there were not any testing for people with various disabilities- for example: cognitive delays slow processing skills, learning disabilities, etc.  My point of this is it seems to take me two to three times longer to get my thoughts together and to type them out for my assignments. I just wonder if I might have the slow process delay deficit and/or the cognitive delay when it comes to reading and writing.   I have no problems with understanding and quickly being able to master most math and science problems such as physics and chemistry; along with biology, anatomy and physiology material.  However, I truly struggle with writing and specifically with making sense of the portfolio directions.  I am just overwhelmed the number of pages of directions and information I had to print off for the portfolio transition 3 portions.

Any ideas, suggestion, comments, etc. regarding my question on how one juggles all of this and still has time for a bit of fun and 8 hours of sleep, PLEASE do not hesitate to share.  Thank you for reading.