Super honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to represent our campus as the Teacher of the Year. When you're surrounded by greatness, it's very humbling. But, it is NEVER about the recognition. It's about my students! I work my butt off to create an environment where they can thrive, take risks, and even have fun with math (Yes! It is very possible to have fun with math!). It's not magic every day. Sometimes your plans crash and burn and you just can't wait for it to end so you can reflect and reset. But, most days are pretty great. For the majority of days, I get to go home with a pretty full bucket of woohoo-ness! When the light bulbs turn on; when they fist bump the air; when they hug you on the way into class each day or challenge you to rock, paper, scissors...that's the magic. That's my why and I am passionate about creating those opportunities. Even if NO ONE else ever noticed, if my kids are good...that's all the recognition I need. What's your why?
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This year I am part of the Administrative Training Program with my district. It's an incredible experience! I've gotten to meet and learn from all the different people who make our district awesome. I love hearing their stories and learning from their experiences. And, honestly, it makes them a lot less scary and intimidating when you get to meet with them in a setting where they get to share their passion, advice, and stories. As part of this journey, several books and articles have been shared with us. Man, I wish I had extra hours in my day to read everything. Recently, one of our executive directors shared an excerpt from John Maxwell's book, LeaderShift. The quote above was included in the excerpt and it hit me hard. On this journey of growth this is what I am looking and striving for...what makes me come alive! It feels like everyone in our intern group knows what they want. Every time AP positions open the room fills with excitement and everyone asks, "Did you apply?" And, so far, every time my answer has been, "No." They're usually surprised. They ask what I'm waiting for. Honestly, I don't want to just apply for anything that pops up. Not sure how that meshes with how the "system" works, but I can't help but feel that when the right position comes along it will excite me...make me come alive. Doesn't mean I'll get it, but that's when I throw my name in the mix. I've done it a couple times. I think I know the path. Until then, I'll keep building myself, growing, finding my voice and pursuing what makes me come alive! That quote also made me think of the song, Come Alive, from The Greatest Showman. Have a listen. What makes you come alive? Have you watched this?? Do it. You are worthy of love and belonging. You are enough. "It's not who you are that holds you back. It's who you think you are not."
But the truth is, sometimes you just gotta jump in and go for it and tell that voice to SHUT UP. Friday, I got to see so many of my kiddos silence that voice and do what they thought they could not. It was so INSPIRING!!! We did some intimidating tasks. To be surrounded by young teenagers cheering and encouraging each other on is something everyone should get to experience in their lifetime. When doubts and fears creep in, it's easy to turn and run the other way. But, Friday, our kiddos chose to face those fears and take the leap...literally.
I hate heights. And jumping from them of my own free will is not usually something I would choose to do. But, I too, had to push through the fears and show my students that I will not let what I think I'm not define who I really am. Hearing them cheering me on and their enthusiasm when I took the leap was empowering, endearing, and inspiring. With so much crazy in the world around us, my students showed me that there is still so much love and light. Don't let the negative voice win. Define yourself by conquering that voice. And celebrate others who are trying to do the same. Jump in! You just might surprise yourself with who you ARE! Ever read something that just hits you, like they knew you with an uncomfortable intimacy though you've never met? That's what happened when I read the above quote I saw a friend had posted. There's a lot more to it, but this part stuck with me. Self-doubt and me...we go waaaaay back. I definitely have that voice in the back of my head that tries to silence my brave...that constantly asks those exact questions...Who am I to be brilliant, talented, fabulous? A world exploding with social media can compound those feelings and amplify that voice.
So, the question isn't "Who am I to be...?" it's "Who am I NOT to be..."?
Now to embrace it and live it...haha! I'm a work in progress. It's part of my journey into my brave. The quote continues, "As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." So, come on! Shine your light and I'll shine mine. I think the more we practice shining, the brighter we become. Our lights together can chase out any darkness. We don't cancel each other out. We amplify the light! I am SOOO excited that TCEA published my article on their TechNotes blog!! Putting myself out there was far outside my comfort zone, but so exciting! If you or a friend have been on the fence about ed tech, read my article!! It can change everything! Take the leap with me! :)
blog.tcea.org/take-the-ed-tech-leap-and-make-it-count/ Guys. Sometimes we are pushed way outside our comfort zone and asked to take a leap. The sole focus of my current class is to try to get published! What?? Super exciting and terrifying at the same time. Obviously, I can't share my efforts...yet! Hopefully, I'll get published and then can share with the world! Fingers crossed! As part of our growth, we were asked to create an elevator pitch...a teaser if you will, for our publication. Well, here's mine. After a lot of debate and back and forth, I chose simplicity. I hope you feel my passion, can relate, and it piques your curiosity! Enjoy! I work at an amazing school with inspiring teachers and awesome students. Since joining this team I have been pushed, stretched, and challenged to elevate my teaching practices to provide the best learning experience for my students that pushes them to the next level. It's exciting to brainstorm with colleagues who are just as excited and determined to experiment for a more engaging learning experience that sets our school apart from the rest. Our reality is that we face steep competition from charter schools. If we want parents to choose and entrust us with their children's safety and education, we have to do things that haven't been done and offer an experience unlike anything they can find anywhere else. That's why it's time for us to step up our game and empower our students to take ownership of their journey and foster an environment that promotes deeper understanding and connections across and between content areas and grade levels. E-portfolios allow us to engage students in authentic experiences and strengthen our school-family relationship. Our students have the opportunity to develop connections from 6th grade through graduation. Talk about post-secondary readiness! By the time they graduate, our students will have an extensive portfolio to showcase learning growth and connections, as well as displaying technology design prowess. They will be ready to pursue higher education or careers. We are throwing the doors wide open for their future!
Beyond an amazing opportunity to show the world what they are learning, digital portfolios more intimately invite families to share the learning experience. Imagine the powerful impact of classroom conversations extended at home. Digital portfolios tell our families that we want them to be part of the journey; that we readily acknowledge the significant role they play in student success. This shifts the framework of teacher-parent-student communication and allows students to lead conferences, explaining their learning through artifacts, reflections, and connections. We are empowering students through choice, ownership, and voice! It's an exciting time to be in education and offer students and families a new way to interact throughout their learning experience! I invite you to learn more about my proposal, the research behind it, and the implementation plan by clicking the links below. Innovation Proposal Literature Review Implementation Plan As exciting as this next step is, our journey doesn't end here! Digital portfolios are just the beginning of a grand adventure into innovative practices that continuously distinguish us from all other programs. We cannot afford stagnation or complacency. We have to actively seek out new ideas or create our own. Our job is to prepare our students for jobs that don't yet exist and we do that by inviting them on a journey they have never experienced before. I am surrounded by people who are motivated to join this adventure. From project/problem based learning to flipped classrooms to hands-on experiences, we are constantly evolving and improving and the excitement is tangible! We are only limited by our imaginations! In the words of Les Brown, "If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you!" Reading To-Do List to Keep the Innovative Fever Alive Reynolds, C., Patton, J., & Rhodes T. (2014). Leveraging the eportfolio for integrative learning: A faculty guide to classroom practices for transforming student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing LLC. This book provides a framework for successfully implementing and getting the most out of digital portfolios in classroom settings. It lays out practical strategies educators at any level of experience can adopt to use portfolios to empower student learning. Through examples, learning theory, and key concepts, the authors communicate the how and why of effective implementation. Couros, G. (2015). The innovator’s mindset: Empower learning, unleash talent, and lead a culture of creativity. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Educators who want to develop 21st century, forward-thinking students will be inspired by this book. Full of ideas for empowering student learning through exploration and wonderment, Couros challenges educators to use innovative practices that fully engage students in their learning experience rather than pushing compliance. This book inspires educators to embrace change, work together, and discover new methods for measuring progress. Spencer, J., & Juliani, A.J. (2016). Launch: Using design thinking to boost creativity and bring out the maker in every student. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Another book aimed at empowering student learning using design thinking. Spencer and Juliani provide tips to help educators release their students' creativity. This book provides practical strategies educators can implement right away to promote the 4 Cs-communication, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Following the authors' process, students can envision themselves as creators, makers, and inventors while developing 21st century skills that will prepare them for success. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Mindset matters and Dweck skillfully explains the impact of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset in this book. Innovative educators embody a growth mindset as they embrace and promote change and understand that failure is part of the journey to success. This book empowers readers and organizations to reflect on their mindset and proactively take steps to develop a growth mindset while combating the false growth mindset. With a growth mindset the possibilities of success of limitless. I've had the opportunity to check out a bunch of different blogs lately: educational, professional, personal. It's fascinating to see the variety that exists. Some are definitely more fun to explore while others...not so much. What I've learned is that there is pretty much a blog out there somewhere for any topic you are interested in reading more about. Of course, please be careful and check facts before assuming everything posted is truth. It's really cool to see so many people from so many backgrounds sharing their stories. Every blog serves a purpose and clearly the ones that update often are dedicated and committed to their purpose or why would they continue? Those purposes are as vastly different as the people writing them, and yet there is so much to learn about each other that can help us connect and realize that our differences make us great together.
I started my own blog. If you're reading this...CONGRATS! You found me! :) I've got another confession though...most of my postings are still to fulfill a requirement for a grad class I'm in. I look at others' blogs and there is so much intention and purpose and I look at mine and I am still defining my purpose. So, welcome to my journey! I can't promise magical words of wisdom that will transform your life (that'd be awesome though!), but hopefully, as I find my voice, you will see me...the real me. And hopefully, as my journey evolves and progresses I will have stories to tell that just might be what you were looking for. Or maybe you will be able to continue the conversation with your own experiences and help me grow. Because really, that's the point...CONNECTIONS! Share ideas. Share experiences. Share life. We "own" a lot of things in life. I own clothes, dishes, my car, and on and on. I can go out and spend lots of money to own things and when they get old or outdated or broken I can spend more money to replace them. When I buy it, there's no argument about ownership. It is mine to do with and take care of as I please and see fit. The same should hold true with my portfolio. But does it?
It's a fun project to take on. I love creating and these drag and drop sites make creating your own webpage incredibly easy. I made a math site a few years back as a resource for my students. It was challenging and exciting and 100% mine. No one dictated what to include or how to include it. I saw a need for my students and I made it happen. When we talk about COVA (choice, ownership, voice, and authenticity--you can learn more here), I was all over that without realizing there was a name. It was a true labor of love that I was fully invested in. I can say without hesitation that I own that site. So, what about this site? I can't honestly say that I completely own this site yet. It was created as an assignment and I have been told (and continue to be told) what needs to be included. I get some creative freedom in how I present the information, but nonetheless, do I really own it if it's for a grade? If I don't write this blog, will my grade be effected? If I don't include a project or tweak my formatting, will my grade be effected? I think as long as those types of questions linger in the back of my mind, I cannot honestly state that I own this site. Because no matter how much choice and voice I have in assignments, as long as there is a grade lurking, full ownership and authenticity will never be reached. I have 4 classes remaining before I complete my degree (Wow! That's crazy!). I'm sure there will be more expectations of the contents of my portfolio before I reach the end. It's after graduation that the challenge really begins. What I do with my site once released from educational expectations will determine true ownership. What topics will I blog about or projects will I take on that are authentic to me? Authentic ownership will determine whether the investment is worthwhile to continue. All of these ideas are important to consider for classroom implementation. The first huge step is for students to have a site that is theirs and will follow them throughout their lives instead of setting up portfolios within school learning management systems. From there, how do we promote true ownership instead of an assignment dumping ground completed by students checking off expectation boxes? I don't have all the answers, but I think it's a worthwhile topic to explore. |
AuthorHey! I'm Karen! A middle school teacher trying to embrace my brave, find my voice, and change the world one kid at a time! Archives
March 2020
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