Seems like forever since my last post and if no one reads this but me, then that's fine, as this is a place, an outlet for me to reflect. Since Winter Break, my role was added to, stress increased, work piled on with my paying gig and me still working on my Master's degree, which I'm happy to say is finally done, with all testing and certification officially in place. So why have I labeled this an Invested Learner Reflection, well, because I see myself in no matter what role I serve in, as a learner. I feel as if I've finally reached a place I can feel confident in asking or seeking out my own learning, instead of relying solely upon what is fed to me. My PLN has increased exponentially, as I've branched out into Twitter and other social media platforms and I'm still learning. From Jan 2015-May 2015, I tweeted from my account @tippselemstem, until I changed it in June 2015 to @Windham_EduSTEM. I stretched in technology leading a group of students in our first ever Technology Club, where we learned together how to make videos on our school iPads, uploaded to our universal Google Drive (tippstechnology@gmail.com), and to our STEM YouTube page (Tipps Elem STEM), which is still active. While I considered transferring ownership, it just didn't seem right as those videos were from my students at my school, Tipps Elementary (CFISD).
Tipps Elem STEM YouTube Channel I was able to attend TCEA Tots & Technology in Galveston in early June 2015, where I learned from folks that I began following from Twitter, and learned much even with Tropical Storm Bill knocking at our coast. I find that more I learn, the more I need to learn. In ignorance, while sometimes it's bliss, in the case of "Not my circus, Not my monkey!", but in ignorance is also long hours trying to do something that a program or app could do for me or my students, and in ignorance is bored, rote teaching by the book. In seeking out new learning opportunities, I've been able to learn and use Tellagami, Aurasma, Google Drive, Twitter, Instagram, Padlet, Kahoot!, Socrative, Symbaloo, Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, and most recently Autocrat. And I'm still learning new ways of doing things, learning all that Google can do for me, as my district moves into GAFE this year. I've been learning from some great folks and I've added it to my Symbaloo page recently:
Windham_EduSTEM Symbaloo Teacher Page This school year, my role evolves from Math/Science Instructional Specialist, to Testing Coordinator/Technology Teacher, but I'd like to think that should say Invested Technology Learner. I'm excited for the first time in a while in my educational career about the new year as it approaches in a month, with new possibilities, interacting with students more in our new computer lab that I worked hard to advocate for and feel is a victory, and to share my love of all things technology with the teachers I work alongside as I continue to learn from them also.
Something to consider before I leave this topic:
Can We Discuss The Title "Lead Learners" For A Moment?
