Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress


Over the last week I have taken steps to research for my game plan. Here is a summary of my progress. 
There are some pretty neat videos on the subject of art history on the Kahn Academy site.  I joined the flipped learning network. I started a board on Pintrest devoted to technology in the art room with a focus on flipped classrooms.
The professional development opportunities in the city were mixed. PAFA and Tyler School of Art  had no workshops scheduled. Moore College did not have much that appealed to me and their site was somewhat out of date. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has wonderful programs offered. My plan is to see which program best fits into my schedule.
While making my phone calls home I started asking parents for their cell phone numbers and email addressed to communicate with them through text message and email. Parents are very hard to contact. Half of the phone numbers I have for parents are incorrect, shut off, or missing. It is rare that I get to speak with a parent at all. The parents I have talked to were somewhat hesitant to give out their cell phone numbers or email addresses. Students are also weary about connecting with my professional twitter site. Student are willing to give me their email addresses although I am not sure how frequently they actually check their email.

My question is how can I realistically get all the numbers and email addressed of parents and students to make contact home using technology?

3 comments:

  1. Jennifer,

    I noted that you have several sources available to you for your GAME Plan and that from the repertoire of resources, you are are in the process of finding the one suitable to your needs. You appear to be making progress in pursuit of the achievement of your goals but your efforts seem to be thwarted by multiple factors beyond your control.

    I am sure that you realize that monitoring your GAME Plan requires a day to day process so that you can monitor what infringes on your plan. As you try to surmount each hurdle, what changes are you anticipating in your plan to ensure that you move through the process more speedily? What have you learned from these experiences that you are encountering so far? There are expected challenges and the process of monitoring gives you the opportunity to bounce back and move forward. I urge you to keep working at the challenges that confront you with diligence and perhaps involving the students in a more pivotal role in executing your plan may assist you in recovering from the setbacks. Katherine Cennamo, John Ross & Peggy Ertmer (2009) pinpointed that in monitoring your GAME Plan, you may have to reflect on the strategies that you are using and see whether these work in harmony with your plan. It was my pleasure sharing on your blog and I look forward to seeing how you surmount what seems insurmountable when you evaluate and extend the process of self-directed learning.

    Reference

    Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P (2009). Technology integration for meaningful

    classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.).
    Chapter 6, “Assessment and Evaluation.”

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  2. Jen,

    I find your difficulty getting students and parents to connect using technology at home rather interesting. With technology making communication so much easier, why the reluctance? I have noted with my own students that giving out personal information on their Facebook page or continual chatter on twitter or other social media accounts does not seem to phase them. However, a phone call or actual face-to-face communication!? Seems almost unheard of!!! I am really puzzled by the reluctance you are receiving. I wish I had some better advice but I am just as stumped as you are.

    As for your GAME plan, it seems as if you have made some really good head way with the process. Like anything in education (or life for that matter), if you want something done correctly there is a process and it takes time. You are obviously aware of this and by being patient and willing to explore various resources, you will ultimately reach your goals.

    Best of luck...
    Audrey Tomsich

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  3. Audrey,
    Parent involvement is extremely limited at my school. Even parents who are quasi involved often change phone numbers a few times a year. It’s hard to keep track! . I am not sure how technologically literate my student’s parents are or if they even have email addresses. Perhaps my school can host a technology literacy night for parents…
    My students do not give their parent’s number out because of a few reasons. First, my students believe they are adults. My students are between the ages of 16-21 and deal with the responsibilities of “real life”. Secondly, my students have had bad experiences when teachers called home. My students come from troubled backgrounds where a call home meant they did something wrong.
    I think this shock I have with the situation comes from me not looking at it through the inner city lens. Perhaps I should change my perspective a little to think outside the box.

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