FEARLESS IN FIRST

  The pandemic will be one that we all talk about for years to come. The toll that it took on people mentally and physically was indescribable. The education world had to pivot and transition to a world that was completely foreign to most teachers and students alike. The mandatory stay at home order that was issued wreaked havoc on the learning that took place. It did not take long post pandemic to realize there were huge learning gaps that would need to be closed. So how is it that something using technology, something we are all too familiar with, could cause such disarray? There was no continuity of learning. The key to continuity is consistency. Providing students with consistent educational experiences and where they can continue to learn despite an interruption.  Knowing Technologies (n.d.),  provides recommendations for the continuity plan of learning. The four minimum parts are:  An outline of the tools and resources available to faculty and students...

  via GIPHY In March 2020, our world was flipped upside down. We had this foreign virus enter our state and no one knew how to navigate that. We watched and even participated in food being snatched off of the shelves. We saw loved ones and friends pass away and saw others suffer residual effects of this virus. No one could have ever expected that this virus would affect our country with the magnitude that it did. Educational leaders had to make the toughest decision to shut down schools for the safety of everyone. District leaders, teachers, and school staff had to frantically work up a plan to continue learning through all of this, even if that meant from a distance.  Distance Learning:  Whether we call it distance, virtual, online, or e-learning; our educational platform moved to uncharted territory in March. Our goal was to teach students no matter where they were. Schools had to act swiftly to provide technology and internet to students who did not have access. Teache...

Was there a field experience that you observed/participated in/led that you feel could have been improved? How & why?    via GIPHY      Feedback and data are only good if we use it. As a math coach I am constantly pulling reports to look at student performance and gains. In our system we use i-Ready to evaluate student performance and then using the data we individualize the instruction to help students grow. We take the diagnostic of i-Ready three times a year. Each time it gives myself and the teachers instant and detailed information about each student and ways to close gaps on specific standards.      I am fortunate enough to be able to go out to the schools I serve and help lead professional learning communities. These meetings are a time for us to delve deeper into the data and walk away with a plan for our students. Here is one of the PLC presentations that we used at one of our schools. We really wanted teachers to be intentional abou...

Which field experience had the most significant positive impact on your growth as a technology leader? via GIPHY Using Twitter and creating Professional Learning Networks has definitely been the experience that has had a positive impact on me this semester. The CoSN standard that I connected this experience to was 7B which states, use various communication tools and techniques. Twitter is a digital platform that allows people to connect to and communicate with others anywhere in the world. It is a tool that can be used to provide professional development and learning opportunities from the comfort of your home and device. Before this class I knew of Twitter but never had a desire to join another social media platform. However through learning and engaging in this platform I have learned a lot about connecting with administrators and other educators around the world. An administrator once said to me, “we will never arrive” meaning we all still have learning to do. Sheninger referenced ...