A TEACHER: INNOVATIVE LEARNING JOURNEY_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Starting my fourth year as a teacher here in Napa, I decided to join my fourth grade team and embark on a new journey. This Innovative Learning program has tested what I thought I knew and what I believed I was doing well. I feel that my first couple of years teaching were filled with energy and the desire to try new things, over time, this started to slow and I began to feel like creativity diminished as I adapted to what I had to do in order to meet time constraints. I have learned and considered many new approaches to teaching and through research and content covered in class, I have been able to question what it is I need to do in order to be successful in teaching my students and continuing my own growth. I believe student learning starts with a teacher that is excited about what he or she is doing. In order to spark curiosity in learning for my students, I must be able to successfully utilize effective tools and strategies myself and understand that the way I learn is not the only way for my students to learn. I need to make sense of how I can best approach different scenarios in the classroom, and in order to do that I am tapping into research and practices that will allow me to expand my thinking. Technology offers many advantages that I am still exploring but I have also been exposed to and continue to learn from other areas in our sessions. In the sessions we have had so far I have learned about research on the human brain and body, and how different life choices influence the way we think and feel. What we eat and how we engage in daily activities has a big effect on how we think and how our day goes. Being able to identify the effects that my choices will have on my life is a powerful interest that continues to grow and I hope I will be able to guide my students to this same interest in becoming a better learner and individual. In this program I have been involved in a process of struggles that have allowed me to analyze what works for me and understand what my strengths and weaknesses are. At the same time I have started to be more aware of how I can improve those areas that need growth. Exploring new ideas and learning from them, knowing what works for me, and practicing effective habits that will further my growth, are a few of the things that have resonated in the months I have been involved in this program. As a teacher, I want to continue this growth and interest in new creative forms so that I may teach more effectively and motivate my students in engaging with what works for them.
1 Comment
Jeff Albertazzi
2/20/2018 06:23:07 pm
Ken says in your video "Education is a personnel experience" and you hit that on the head when you said " ...and understand that the way I learn is not the only way for my students to learn." I too am hoping this journey will help me better understand my students and their needs as learners. Do you share your learning experiences with your students? You would be a great role model for growth mindset and the inquiry process.
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May 2018
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