I am NOT saying everything I did was successful - or magical - or ground breaking. But I DID IT! WE did it. This has been the most pleasurable ride of many years - even though a few tears were shed. Now that I stand at the other side of the road, it feels MARVELOUS! I have learned so much from this experience. What a year! I think it has been said by many of my cohort, but I too, look forward to digging a little deeper in the things we have started - I just need some time to breathe...
Thank you COHORT 19 and for our professors who were so patient with me as I sometimes struggled to make all the pieces fit. I will never forget this journey.
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TOURO UNIVERSITY is committed to the following: (I would like to comment on each for this blog.)
My TPACK Journey The framework that we are investing ourselves in - TPACK, is something that I have been engaged in for many years, but without the realization of its title. TPACK is a model that by design engages the learner in a deep way. We as instructors should combine technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge in order to teach effectively. My content knowledge has always been strong. My pedagogical is intertwined with everything I do, each day that I teach. My technological prowess is...improving! Thank you - and I mean this - to Touro University and NapaLearns. Teaching during Covid has changed my life and the entire foundation on which I stand. I can not imagine plodding through the thick, muddy landscape that is distance learning without all the professional development, the offerings of camaraderie and kinship from my colleagues, and the education I am harnessing from Touro University. My personal TPACK journey is continuing and strengthening, which should help my students - of all abilities - become true 21st century learners. I am very fond of our new NVUSD logo by the way. It is a large improvement on the old grapes/vineyard thing. Everything in Napa is grape related. This new logo at least represents learning! But when studying the Mission Statement of NVUSD, I would LIKE to say that it seems genuine, well-founded, and based on data. Further, it is FORWARD thinking. Really and truly, I barely have time to study the efficacy of their Statement but they certainly have a well thought-out website. When we see this:
Transforming lives by instilling and inspiring lifelong learning in every student...I feel it is a rather lofty statement but who can blame this team of thinkers and planners? Our district is really TRYING - especially with our new Superintendent. She is very forward thinking. The Statement above seems to fit her and her passion. What I do not really understand is how this is happening - across all domains within our district? It is my hope to transform lives but I am not sure sometimes, if I am even getting them to fix their video on Zoom or how to explain why they can not seem to share a Google Doc, or worse yet, understand why they "were in my waiting room for 12 minutes but I did not let them in." Time will tell if NVUSD has transformed lives. Right now, we are just trying to keep our sanity while teaching to worried, masked participants in the back of the room, and digital children in the front of the room. This Blog is short but from the HEART. I adore my students and I feel deeply for persons with special needs. My journey to special education is perhaps a simple one - I see what I love, I feel a calling, and I pursue.
I chose my topic for the same reasons, except it made sense to take it to a different level. It is not always easy to explain one's passion. When we were tasked with coming up with a Driving Question (remember everyone - what is your "passion" - what "calls to you") it seemed so relevant and timely to look at how learning and well-being are related during times of isolation. We can NOT IGNORE the COVID FACTOR. It drives everything! It will continue to drive everything! We are educators and our world imploded about one year ago. I actually HAD to write about it. How are my students with special needs affected? What can I do better? (answer: everything) My research is short - my cycles need another round, and I did not have as much time as I needed. But, I have a beautiful and well-meaning beginning. I wish to take this further but it is my hope that someone else will also see the relevance in what I wanted to seek. And share it with all educators and parents. I decided to explore websites that are very different than the ones I would normally identify with! Take a chance I say. I am learning more from my fellow innovators than almost anything else I am immersed with, so it is fair game. This particular site made me proud. I do not know this teacher - I went in cold and just kind of went for the ride. What Samantha Hull is...is honest. She shares that she created her site for teachers like her, who are sometimes overwhelmed with the every day work but want to refine their teaching practices. She does not quite understand how to integrate technology into her art classes, but she is willing to try. Her theme is that educators should never feel like they have nothing to give just because others might be more tech savvy! She explored. She dug deep into innovative sites and technological practices that left her feeling like a brand new teacher. Art and technology DO mix! TPACK started to make sense. Her audience is clearly the educator - one whom might feel like they are good but wondering how to be BETTER. I think she was quite effective and want to give a shout out to Samantha Hull, Art teacher (and Innovative inspiration) at American Canyon High School. Thank you Sam.
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Kathy FlynnAlways hoping, learning, and wondering...how am I making a difference in my student's lives? Archives
April 2021
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