2/16/15 Becoming a Connected Educator
I am excited about becoming a more connected educator. If two heads are better than one, two hundred (or thousand) connected Spanish teachers via Twitter and other platforms will surely help me improve my practice. It scares me only because it is another thing to spend time on staying organized and updated. However, I imagine after a bit of a learning curve, being connected will help save time and keep me more organized in the long run. I’ve recently experienced this by creating Edmodo groups for my different Spanish classes. Previously I had students turn in assignments by sharing a Google doc with me. Now, instead of receiving 70 email notifications per assignment at all hours, I have all of their work in one place ready to grade and give comments. The students definitely appreciate being able to check assignments and due dates on the same site they are using with their other teachers as well.
As for student privacy, I recently read that California is leading the way by being the first to have certain laws increasing student privacy online. I see a parallel between teachers having such a great responsibility in maintaining the safety of others’ children and online platforms for students needing to be held in the same regard. I might come from a generation that is too trusting of online security while my mom is the opposite, wisely changing passwords and reading fine print. I wonder what the trust level and security habits are of the latest generation of students.
As for student privacy, I recently read that California is leading the way by being the first to have certain laws increasing student privacy online. I see a parallel between teachers having such a great responsibility in maintaining the safety of others’ children and online platforms for students needing to be held in the same regard. I might come from a generation that is too trusting of online security while my mom is the opposite, wisely changing passwords and reading fine print. I wonder what the trust level and security habits are of the latest generation of students.
10/30/14 Emotion in Reason
Today was an emotional day. It started with a serene sunrise over the hills of San Marcos and was followed by a rush to finish the details of the day’s lesson plan before my two student led conferences (SLCs -meetings where students discuss their progress and goals to parents and teachers). All of this before the beginning of first period. Add two tablespoons of adrenaline when the director comes in for an observation during a technical difficulty with the projector.
The observation ended well enough and the following classes and meetings did too. The day ended with a well needed and meaningful talk with the director. We talked about how teaching is an emotional profession. We must open ourselves up emotionally and interact with students' emotions at the same time. We experience our highs and lows often unexpectedly.
Tonight I was especially moved after reflecting on how the day’s conferences revealed how much my students care, how much their parents care about them, and how hard they are working. This was an “aha” moment full of emotion where for a moment I quit thinking about myself and my workload and really appreciated everyone else’s hard work who surrounds me. The day reminded me of how learning is just as much an emotional experience as teaching, if not more. As teachers we can’t just feed our students information, we must be able to connect with their emotions.
10/22/14 Transforming Knowledge
What does it mean to transform knowledge? After a few recent discussions on this topic, I would say it means to take something that you’ve learned and apply it in a new context. In learning a language you take building blocks of vocabulary and grammar to create more varied and complex speech. That knowledge transforms by allowing you to shape your experience with communication. In learning a second language, and actually communicating with another culture, the knowledge you gain can be transformed into a new personal perspective of the world and humanity. Transforming knowledge ultimately means transforming yourself.
10/16/14 College Day
Last week I had the privilege of chaperoning a school field trip to USC for College Day. I was slightly anxious in the morning wondering if students would be on time for the bus departure, how they would behave on the bus, and how the tour would go once we got there. Only one student didn’t catch the bus, and the other students were lively yet well behaved on the drive to Los Angeles. After arriving to the campus, I was immediately in awe of the hustle and bustle of the large community of students and professors and beautiful buildings. The place was buzzing with academia and history. The tour was very informative and I found myself just as engaged and interested as the students, maybe more so than some. It could be that some students had no idea what kind of lasting memories and valuable experiences could take place when attending a 4-year university. It could be that I was reliving my experiences and comparing them to what I was hearing and seeing. Some students felt like they already fit in and were pretending to be college students when having lunch and exploring on their own after the tour. I hope the experience impacted them by at least planting a seed or giving them a glimpse into a potentially valuable and influential time in their future.