My intended goals were to provide support for my community
of teachers and utilize technology in my classroom.
I have created the checklist that would help
to monitor the use of technology at my school.
I intend to monitor the use by examining teacher’s extent of work as
well as their lesson plans.
I will
select one or two persons within each department to monitor.
That way, I should be able to see the
progress of the entire school. That would also give me an indication of the extent
to which technology is used at my school.
I have already provided the avenue for mentors for teachers in need.
I have assigned mentors in the past for new
teachers.
However, there are a few
teachers that need mentorship assistance.
I am not sure how to address this issue and what procedure I should
follow to provide mentors that would work.
From my online learning community, I have made note of a few
webinars and have posted those opportunities on the staff notice board. I have also made arrangement to have a workshop
for my staff on integrating technology in the classroom. I would love to find information on ‘cheap’
but ‘reliable’ resources for the classroom.
We are presently using blogs and wikis in the classroom. Blogs are an excellent tool that can be used for
electronic journaling.
An important question that has arisen is how I could finance
my plan? This appears to be my greatest
unease.
Hi Jonah,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of selecting teachers to monitor to see if and how they are using technology in the classroom. Do you think mentors should be in the same school or do you think it would be possible to do so via Skype and online? I have only had mentors and acted as one in person so I was curious to hear your thoughts as to whether this would work.
I had a couple of thoughts about finding information on reliable resources for the classroom that are inexpensive or free. I wonder if you could ask each teacher to find and test different tools out and report to you about whether they would work. I know every teacher is very busy but perhaps they could find one application and commit to reporting on its efficacy in the classroom. Another idea is to assign students the task of finding software and report on which ones they would recommend for school use. What do you think? Would either of these ideas work?
Thanks so much for your GAME plan updates. I enjoy reading about your plans and progress. Have a great night, Petra
Hi Petra
DeleteI always enjoy reading your comments as you always provide excellent inquiring questions. Both of your ideas could work, I think. If each teacher test out one application, it would benefit the whole without any one individual being overburdened. Students have very good ideas. If we guide them and ask them to test an application to see if it is something they would enjoy using, the results would be extraordinary. Using overseas mentors can work as well as a face to face mentor. that collaboration would work very well I think and it could serve to bring cultural difference and diversity into our classrooms. I really like that idea.
Thanks for a great post. Have a good night.
Jonah
Hi Ezra,
ReplyDeleteBeing an administrator is not an easy job, especially when it comes to providing the needs of the school-the financial part. Three years ago our school had very low tech computers. One of the goals of our principal was to improve our technology. She started to solicit parents, doing fund raising such as tennis tournament, and asking donations from our home and school organization. In the past two years somebody donated 30 used macbooks. Last year our neighboring military base donated two carts of used laptops (about 70 laptops). Our home and school organization also donated some Promethean boards, and the money we raised was also purchased some Promethean boards. We also have technology funds. Our parents donated the money to the technology fund instead of buying us gift for Christmas or Valentines or any occasions. This year, somebody also donated 30 iPads to our school. It worked very well; every classroom of our school has Promethean boards (12 classrooms). Now everybody enjoys our new technology gadgets. Our principal wants every teacher to use our technology gadgets to the fullest. She also encouraged everybody to share what resources might be helpful to every teacher. She also sending our teachers to technology seminars or workshops, and share what they have learned to everybody. Have a great night!
Ruel
Hi Ruel
DeleteThanks for your very encouraging comments. Being an administrator is indeed a very difficult job. In the Caribbean and on my island, schools receive only the basic facilities (and by that I mean from toilet paper to chalk). Technological support is mega and inadequate. If an administrator wishes to integrate technology, they have to go the route of fund raising. Your post gave me some ideas I could try out. Thanks for your comments. Your school's positive results is indeed encouraging. One thing I am very skeptical about when persons donate technological tools to my school is that some of them are outdated and obsolete. I am afraid of the school being a dumping ground. I have had that experience in the past where donors give, we do some great press released and then we find out that we have to pay someone to discard of what we thought was 'progress'. How do you think we could eliminate that from happening without discouraging persons from giving us?
Jonah
Hi Ezra,
ReplyDeleteThis website will give you tons of free technology tools for teachers: www.freetechnologyforteachers.com. I hope it will help.
Ruel
Thanks Ruel for your support. I much appreciate it.
DeleteJonah
It seems that you are doing well with your goals. You are monitoring your Game Plan very well. How much technology are you requiring your teachers to incorporate technology and what is your incorporation of technology goal? On your checklist did you allow the teachers’ to complete a survey to see their level of experience and how they could help their other colleagues to incorporate technology? This will also help teachers to be willing to include technology in their lessons, as well. One way that may help you finance your project is to have you or your staff to write grants. There are a lot of companies such as, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, and Nike that offer grant opportunities all the time. These companies are looking to donate to various schools to help further a child’s education one must have to be willing to research that information. It seems to me that you are on your way to accomplishing your goals successfully. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Latoya
DeleteI have done some work in figuring out the technological skills set of my staff. But now that you speak, maybe I should conduct an short survey that would provide me with concrete data that I could use to fulfill my training goals. Thanks for your nudge in the right direction.
Unfortunately because of the economic downturn, many of the businesses in Antigua are not willing to make sizable donations to anyone. But it is well worth the try.
Thanks for your post. Have a great night.
Jonah