| DESIGNER | LEADER | LEARNER | MENTOR |
| REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER | STUDENT LEARNER |
| Lifelong Learning Formally going back to school was very difficult for me. That said, a teacher should also always a student. I feel that there is reciprocal learning constantly taking place in any classroom environment and that the lines between who is doing the "teaching" and who is acting as "student" are often blurred. In almost any interaction we as humans have with one another, both teaching and learning occur simultaneously, which I never consciously thought about but do now on a daily basis. I also feel that the best teachers are ones who view themselves as life learners. I have a desire to know more and know my journey is just beginning. I am not certain when I will venture back into an official classroom as a student--if ever. However, I do know that I will continue my education through personal reflection, independent discovery, and collaboration with my colleagues on best practice strategies especially in regards to the integration of technology in schools. These have been invaluable to me as a student learner. Don't Be Afraid to Fail In my business life and throughout my teaching journey, I have had many successes, flops and bouts of mediocrity. I now understand that that is OK, provided you learn from ALL of these. You can not have good without a balance of negative. I tell my kids often that I make mistakes all the time. No matter how long, detailed, or hard you design a lesson there can always be something(s) that does not work. This could be a minor or gross oversight, timing issues, technology or simply a gap in content or preparation. Due to my nature as a person (consultative, quick witted), I am actually thankful for these hiccups for they give me the greatest area for growth. It has been through these areas in addition to my successes that I have learned the most valuable elements of design and delivery. Through the quantitative and qualitative data collected I could accurately assess the success of my design. This is an invaluable skill that I will not soon forget. Every Journey Ends Only to Begin Anew I feel that I am still embarking on my journey as an educator and student. A state of constant discovery and rediscovery. I am an educator with a wealth of ideas to implement into my instruction to engage, motivate, challenge, and inspire the students I interact with. I am a designer with principles and strategies to implement to enrich curriculum and help prepare students to learn what they live and live what they learn. I am a leader with innovative ideas for delivering instruction with the motivational tools to inspire fellow and new educators to change their practice. I am a student with a desire to know more and know my journey is just beginning. I know that living and learning is a key concept for students to grasp and for teachers to employ. |
