Reflections

I have spent the majority of my time over the week of my spring break thinking through my learning that I have done since joining the Learning and Teaching with Technology master's diploma course. It's been good to give it such a concentrated effort, not only to leave my April a little freer for birthday parties and things such as full-time teaching, but to take serious time to reflect. I have learned a lot, but as the saying goes "The more I learn, the more I know I have to learn." The more I learn, the more I realize how stupid I really am!

I think I have made huge progress in each of the 5 capacities of the program. The learning curve has been steep and many times I have not wanted to travel this road as it has been hard work. I thought I was joining the "T-Lite" program, a precursor to this course which by reputation was much lighter in the workload than we have encountered. Oftentimes, I would think I was much too old for this. I have had to learn a whole new language and way of doing things.

I have changed as a teacher, as an educator. I used to hold myself as the "keeper of the knowledge" that students needed to learn, but I am learning to see myself rather as a facilitator to the children doing their own exploration of learning. I'm still figuring out how to do this effectively, but rather than deciding how to do it on my own, I am trying to let the children be learners with me on this journey.

The technology, which I thought would be foremost in this program, has been a interesting, and sometimes overwhelming, side dish. I have enjoyed dabbling in twitter, diigo, online PLN's, etc., but the main change has been inside me and my pedagogy. I did not expect this. I had thought I would learn lots of technology (read computer) things to do with my class to enhance the lessons I would plan. Instead, I have been forced to examine what I teach and why I teach it. What would be the best way to engage the learners? What research verification do I have to support it?

I have learned to look at myself as a teacher-inquirer. I reflect, reflect and reflect on those reflections! (inside joke) During a classtime, I think nothing of grabbing my camera to record something that is happening. Later I will remember what it is that I thought was noteworthy and think about it. Let me rephrase that...I will REFLECT on it. I have learned how to ask good questions and then follow a plan to discover the answers.

I am not quite so hesitant to put myself and my ideas out there in the global community. People who post on the world wide web aren't some super brains, (well, some of them probably are, but I'm not referring to them!), but just ordinary folk like me who are trying their best to make education a good thing for the children in their care, JUST LIKE ME! So I will continue to offer my ideas, continue to ramble on about my reading groups, my discipline issues, etc., because somewhere out there, someone else is probably going through the same thing, or has gone through it and now has some good ideas for me.

And now...I am taking a break. See you after the weekend!