The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) began a webinar series to help social studies educators teach with resources to teach historical moments better. This synchronous Zoom session was focused on improving social studies teaching practices and redesigning our pedagogy. The speakers explained the ideas of how to teach social studies in a changing world and how to make sure educators teach using the Michigan Social Studies Standards to their full potential using the C3 (College, Career, and Civic Life) framework to teach geography, history, economics, and civics. After explaining the C3 and Standards framework, examples were shown to demonstrate how it should look in the design of lessons. I learned that unit design should challenge students through problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to help students become engaged citizens. Since this training, I have resided my lessons to fit the C3 framework better. For my lessons and units, I have made more conceive of challenging my students and helping them understand how vital social studies is for them to know.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) began a webinar series to help social studies educators teach with resources to teach historical moments better. In this three-session topic, guest speaker Dr. Pamela Brandwein and other guest speakers held synchronous Zoom calls to explain the ideas of the Civil War Amendments and how they led to the Civil Right Movement. During this professional development opportunity, I understood how to learn more about the movement and how it affected the United States during this period. I connected with other educators to share teaching strangelets to help design better lessons about the era. I found it helpful to attend this because it aligned with my teaching and assisted me to more about the content politically, socially, and economically. From this training, I have been able to revise the lessons I taught last year and reflect to improve them using the knowledge I learned in the sessions. As I have redesigned, I have noticed how the concepts have made lessons and content for my students clearer and taught me new information. 

EdCamp MACUL was a learning opportunity I could complete through the MAET Hybrid program in Lansing, Michigan. With my classmates, I was able to attend this in-person training with fellow educators about ideas around technology and education. From the various breakout sessions, attendees brainstormed ideas and created sessions. The best part about this was ideas about what we wanted to discuss with other editors. Each room had different topics, and I could choose where to expand my thoughts. In addition, a couple of main sessions brought everyone together to center their ideas around technology and STEM (Science, Technology, Enggeriening, and mathematics). From these experiences, I could have helpful conversations with other educators, share my tricks in the classroom, and connect with others in education and technology. 

Wanting to further my knowledge, I pursued my Google Educator Level 2 Certification. This training was another asynchronous learning opportunity led by my school district's technology integration coach and MAET graduate Alex Milton to continue to further my understanding of Google Products. For this professional development, I went one step deeper and built on my skills on a deeper level to help me prepare for the Level 2 exam. Besides testing my knowledge of the ideas around basics Google Products, I learned more about how Google tools integrate. This experience has helped transform how I create various assignments for my students by incorporating the applications. Since this training and exam, I have discovered the capabilities that have pushed my digital skills to try new tasks. 

Google Educator Level One training was an asynchronous learning opportunity led by my school district's technology integration coach and MAET graduate Alex Milton to understand Google Products and its endless capabilities. Over a few short weeks, I could work outside of the classroom to learn more about the Google products I use every day. I could focus on Drive, Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Youtube, and others, which built on my prior knowledge and taught me various tools and tricks. In each module, different tasks were introduced and practiced to demonstrate understanding and ability. Throughout the modules, I learned the skills to prepare for the Google Educator Level 1 Exam. Since passing the exam, I have transformed how I use Google products in my classroom and personal life. I have taught my students these essential digital skills to help them learn how to be more efficient with Google Products. This learning experience helped me expand my toolkit and helped with utilizing online class material and resources.

7 Habit Training was a two-day in-person opportunity for new teachers in my school district to understand the ideas around Stephen R. Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This professional development was instructed by my school district's Assistant Superindetnt, Nicole Airgood. During this training, I learned how to be effective in society and how to introduce those skills to students. Throughout the 7 Habits, Covey explains the necessity for each habit and how it can help people be productive members of society. When people incorporate these skills into their lives, they build on skills such as time management, setting goals, collaboration, and more. Reflecting on my time since this training, I have used it personally as I entered the classroom. I have improved my communication skills, become more organized, and discovered solutions to daily challenges. I have begun to increase this in my classes to help teach my students these vital life skills that will impact them for the rest of their lives.

TRAILS Social Emotional Learning Training was an opportunity provided by my school district to understand the concepts and SEL and implement their SEL curriculum for my advisory students. This online training was completed as a staff to help bring these vital skills to our students that we felt our students needed to improve since the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the course, we learned how essential SEL is for students and staff and understood the dining of the lessons we would be teaching every two weeks for one period over the next two school years. This professional development expanded my ideas about teaching these skills to high schoolers and finding a way to make and find it meaningful for them. Implementing this helps to provide resources for students, such as mental health support, and create a positive school environment where students become more aware of their feelings, relationships, and decisions. Since this training, I have noticed a positive change in my classes and a notable change overall in my school. I have taken some of these ideas I have been teaching my advisory students and incorporated them into my social studies classes to help students continue to use them. The positive change in the school environment is only beginning to change, but it is a step in the right direction to prepare our students for the next chapter.