Bringing It All Together...

As I reflect over the last 18 months, I have mixed feelings about the things that I learned.

There are many things that I have enjoyed learning about and using within my room. Some of my accomplishments have been:

• I have used Prezi to add some dimension and interest to some of my classroom presentations and project components.  
• I have had students use Voicethread to culminate a project and create a class book.
• Digital Storytelling was a tool that all students used to create their own version of a fairytale.
• One of my most struggling and uninterested writers grew to love a digital storytelling program and improve his writing and social skills.
• The use of blogging with students has continued to develop and enhance my students' learning.
• Knowledge of what kind of tools and opportunities are available has grown immensely. 

There are still areas that I am not secure or confident with:

• The more specific ins-and-outs of how computers and technology works.
• Understand more of the vocabulary concepts better so that I don't have as much to focus on.
• How younger age students can use technology more (seemed focused a lot more on middle and high school aged students)

Overall, I definitely feel as though I grew as a professional. There are many ways that I already have, and will continue to, enhanced my classroom with technology. Personally, there have been a few areas that I have grown, but much more in the professional category, as that was my primary focus.

The Beginning of the End...

The main focus of my final project is to set up the resources and processes for introducing student blogging into my classroom. I was hoping to actually have students working in their own blog for this project, however, with the group of students and schedule that is in place this year, that wasn't as realistic or appropriate as it may have been in previous years.

This school year I have really involved student blogging in my classroom activities and lessons much more than in the past, and the students really seem to be excited about it. I can only imagine that when they have their own blogs to post to, they will get even more involved and excited about it. Right now, I am using it as a platform to collect student feedback and responses that I can use for my own purposes, as well as to use to help guide discussion and lesson activities.

I will be spending the majority of my time creating resources for this plan and setting up the blogging sites so that they are ready for students as each one shows readiness.

A New Perspective...

After going through this course, and more importantly, the simulation activities, I have gotten a new understanding of the in's and out's of leading a school and/or district. It helped me see where all of the talk, talk, talk comes from and goes, but also, helps me see where it doesn't happen and should be. If I get put in the position to be a leader in the school, I have a greater understanding of how talk needs to be directed and who needs to be involved in the discussions so that progress is made.

The Power of Simulation

While frustrating at points, I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with a lesson through simulation vs. having a traditional (however traditional an online class can be) lesson. I definitely took things away from the activity on how to build understanding and develop a team with work and effort, but it also had me doing some serious reflecting on my own classroom. For the last two years, I have had my students participate in an interactive simulation based around the trip across the Atlantic by the Pilgrims. Teams work together to complete tasks with determine their success with travel, food & harvest, and building shelter. It is a very powerful and meaningful activity that has seen a lot of success and enjoyment. I am looking to include more activities like this in my classroom to emphasis student involvement and community to accomplish academic understanding.

The Cheese

At the beginning of each new school year, my principal finds one or two clips or short videos that aim to inspire our school's staff and serve as a bolt of energy to get our engines going. After watching the cheese video, I thought about how our staff would react to that video. It would be a great motivator and reinforcer to those who are active and proactive, but would the people who sat back and waited really get the point? I am not sure if we have ever been asked to really self-reflect on our weak areas. In many ways, we have a very strong and positive school. We spend time reflecting as a staff and as teams, but I don't really think that we spend much time thinking about ourselves as individuals. The one time that does happen is during an administrative review, but it needs to happen more often, with focus on improvement. However, who really wants to hear about their faults?

Data…again (ugh)

Well, I can't say that I was looking forward to going through a bunch of data again, however this time, I did think about it a little differently. Since going through tons of RtI and Common Core assessment work all school year, it could be useful to help ensure student success (along with the other assessments that we developed). It was a bit refreshing to be able to note our school's strengths, related to the information we were looking at in WINSS. I also felt a little more empowered to say that I could actually point to groups that needed some focus and ways we could maybe think about improving their scores.

Follow the Leader

Currently, my leadership roles within my school take a more "behind the scenes" look. Some of the ways that I lead are by doing things such as professional development to improve my classroom and teaching, implementing technology, piloting new ideas and methods (which are then shared with others if they have shown benefit), I have been apart of several important committees that will help shape our school with new RtI and Common Core Implementation, and overall innovative thinking and willingness to change, grow, and improve. A large majority of these tasks were taken on without directive, but that can be said for most of the things that leaders do and take on. A few tasks have been given to me by administration, with expectation that there is feedback, input, and production. I enjoy having these responsibilities and opportunities to learn and grow as a professional educator.