Summer Reflection

 

        I didn’t realize it was possible to learn amongst other adults and have so much fun. I usually cringe during  grad school classes. In my experience they mostly are mundane and do very little to encourage personal discovery. I am a huge optimist, MSUrbanstem redeemed my  faith in adult education. I was able to learn in so many ways. Every task, every conversation stimulated me as an educator. I went into this program not knowing what to expect and left with a wealth of knowledge, a newly progressive teaching style and even a few friends.

       I am an admitted introvert , yet i love opportunities to let my guard down and be  enlightened. It didn't take me very long to be able to do this. Although it's easy for me to be in the teacher spotlight, it's a challenge to be myself  in the company of adults. It took all of two minutes and a greeting from Punya to recognize that i was  free to wave my nerd flag. The very first “ World of Wonder”  set a precedent that enlightenment through discovery was in store.  

       One of the most exciting things about MSUrbanstem was the abundant use of technology. I consider myself above average when it comes to computers and digital media platforms, being able to teach and assist fellow teachers  things i regularly  enjoy on my free time was a great experience.I enjoy using the skills i do have to contribute to my peers.

         The most important part of the summer program was the discussions i routinely had with fellow teachers. I had thoughtful conversation  on  how to implement a genius hour at my school. In the past  I toyed with critical thinking classroom days but kept being forced to leave it by the waste side to stay true to pacing needs. Through these discussions i learned a lot from fellow teachers who had at one point faced that very same dilemma. The growth of my kids is imperative that i allow them to create and think  outside the box. Discovery opportunities like genius hour  is a way for the kids who think differently to show their strengths.

        The most powerful experience for me what was demo lesson. I taught the  goal post and penny activity with my group.  It was fun  to introduce adults to different types of strategies to promote critical thinking. It a lesson i’ve done numerous times but it was awesome to see the look on peers faces when they allowed themselves to problem solve in an eclectic and non traditional lesson. It meant a lot to have that experience with great educators.  While i am a math teacher, i routinely try to do things in my classroom that are not math related. My goal is to cultivate problem solvers, the demo lesson experience validated the importance for everyone to share that skill is important. It’s always been my fear as an educator to become and average/uninspired teacher.  I try to allow students of any level to just  relax and find ideas to solve a problem. One of the greatest questions people ask  when it comes to math is “how does this apply to the real world”. While one would rarely use multi step equations to solve a real world problem, few can argue that problem solving is a valuable tool. . I myself love puzzles. I myself love  discovering ways to create or find solutions to problems… people who do also become better students. After teaching my lesson it was nice to experience how encouraging the use of genius can positively influence learning.