Ready to bring something new to your school year?

A very cool teacher wrote recently that she is ready to bring it to her classroom this year.  I have always arrived at the new school year rested and motivated with dreams of what the new year will bring and this year is no different.  I just completed (on July 15^th) my Master of Arts in Learning Technologies and I am feeling more inspired and motivated than ever before. 

My Journey:  Why did I decide to complete my Masters after 13 years of teaching?  I wanted to attain meaningful and transformative personal and professional development beyond my school district.   I sought a program that would present me with a higher mountain to climb.    Would this extra commitment on my part help me to make the change I sought in myself?  Well, a year ago I embarked on a learning adventure different than any of my previous educational experiences.  Not only that, last year,I became my school’s full time technology coach.  

What did I study?  Many topics were integrated into my year long masters program:  Educational history – have you read Dewey?  Social entrepreneurship, social media, leadership, social connections, design for learning, and of course learning theories – wow!  I conducted action research on communities of practice and how they benefit a teacher learning community.  Stay tuned to this blog to hear more about communities of practice or you can explore my research.

How will I help the community I serve?    I work with a dedicated staff of teachers committed to the success of their students.  They are professionals and I value their vast knowledge and experiences.  I am dedicated to awakening the joy of learning for all students while providing them the opportunities and experiences they need for future success.  With that as the ultimate outcome, I will work to transform teaching and learning - designing experiences that facilitate learning; connecting students to their world using the latest tools.  For example, if students are writing, how about communicating through a blog or collaborative online document?  If students are creating, how about using a tool that allows them to create in new ways: Twine, maker spaces, coding? There are so many exciting new tools out there for learning.  Teachers need support not only to get exposure to the latest tools but also to get strategies for using them effectively.  I will document the resources I find, create, and curate, in this blog space.  This year will be amazing and I am ready to bring it!  Are you?