Reflections

What challenged me the most this week?

The most challenging I encountered in class this week was the Marie Kondo project.  It was challenging because I, Like most others, do not like cutting things out from my assignments.  Primarily however it was difficult for me to set up for the video without the use of a tripod, and other tools I am familiar with to make the set up easy.  So I had to be creative with my at home set-up video 

What did I learn the most about this week

It amazes me that each summer I can take tech camp and walk away with an arsenal of new tools that I can implement immediately into my classroom.  This week as ironic as it may sound, because I use this platform quite often.  I learned how to use "buttons" on Google Sites.  This may seem like a small thing, yet it has drastically changed the flow and look of my website .  While this is not the only thing I learned (SAMR, Marie Kondo, etc.) for me at least it was one of the most interesting as I implemented it into my site.

What engaged me the most this week?

I was really engaged with Lesson 5: Meeting the needs of all students.  I think when we think of "equity" we really think of race and learning disabilities however, the resources provided also highlighted the need to make sure we create equitable resources for English as a second language learners as well.

What tools/topic/pedagogy most impacted my thinking for the future?

The pedagogy that most impacted my thinking for the future, is how do I help my students who are english language learners , in my content.  I need to begin to think of resources that can equip them with the tools they need to avoid barriers within the classroom.

What Challenged me the most this week?

I think the most challenging part of this week was working on a project in which I felt that it I was not sure about the direction of the project. I knew how to complete the individual assignment but had a hard time of figuring out how it contributes to the assignment as a whole.  My choice of what I created would have probably changed if we began by explicitly outlining what type of lesson  we are creating and why.  

What did I learn the most about this week?

I learned the most about how Adobe Sparks/We Video and Final Cur Pro operate similarly and very differently from one another.  I had the chance to use the programs to create something and really navigate the pros and cons of each program and how I can use them within my classroom.  This was helpful because while I am familiar with the programs I was not really familiar with the limitations of each.

What engaged me the most this week?

I would say the most engaging thing that I encountered this week was the Brooklyn Lab Charter School Opening Plan.  I was intrigued initially I thought that it was nonsense and unrealistic.  There is no feasible way that they will be able to support all students safely in that size classroom with the layout they have.  However, I was amazed that they have 118 page instructional program scheduling map for a plan to head back to school, when our district can barely answer one question.

What tools/topic/pedagogy most impacted my thinking for the future?

Honestly I began to delve deeper into Peardeck this week and while it is a useful tool  while using it I felt an overwhelming sense of stress.  This is because I feel like I will have to recreate all of my lessons plans for a hybrid/remote environment with little time to do so. 

What Challenged me the most this week?

The most challenging part about this week was creating a lesson/activity that catered to 3 different models.  Keeping in mind that I wanted to have my activities adapted to a blended learning environment I used tools I would not normally use, and I included elements that I would have preferred to teach differently. 

What did I learn the most about this week?

I learned while I would not ordinarily teach some of the skills I implemented in my classroom, It was a great task on expanding my borders and pushing my students to adapt to different environments.  It allowed me to show my students how to get the same products through different avenues.  I think this is a valuable skillset they will need in the future.

What engaged me the most this week?

I was really focused on completing my lessons, and shocked at how long it took me to adjust a lesson that I previously thought was "complete".  While I am excited to do this to each of my lessons/activities it is a bit overwhelming.

What tools/topic/pedagogy most impacted my thinking for the future?

I think this week I walk away with the knowledge that we need to equip our students with an attitude of resiliency and grace.  They need to be able to adapt to new environments, pushed to use new tools and allow themselves some grace when they do not get it right away or on the first try.  

1: Jamboard Challenge:

Students had difficulty with collaboration during the assigned task.

I would solve the difficulty of having students collaborate through a variety of platforms:

2) Leveraging projects . . . 

How will you leverage the projects you have created and information you have learned to teach in a hybrid, remote, and possibly face-to-face classroom?

I have learned so much over this summer as a whole that I almost think other teachers who did not take courses over the summer are at a huge disadvantage! I feel like I have learned about so many tools that I can incorporate immediately into my repertoire that I can hit the ground running this fall.  Whether it is expanding upon what I currently teach in my class, using tech tools to support it in a blended learning environment or using teaching models like a flipped classroom, I feel all have greatly enriched my curriculum.