Blog # 11

What does it mean to be a teacher-leader in the digital age?

As I reflect on thoughts and feelings I had when I started the semester I can see that I have grown quite a bit since the beginning. I have always felt the need to push myself to better my own classroom. Each year I have various goals I want to accomplish that include student indicators and learning objectives. My previous mentality was to push and change individually. I am not one to show others the things I am doing in my classroom. I look for different ways to teach and to help students gain worthwhile experiences but, most times was doing that in the confines of my classroom. 

This semester Dr. Cox encouraged us to present at UCET; this is something that I felt I needed to do. In the past, I have done different presentations on Professional Development days at my school. I felt like I needed to branch out (even though it was something I do not like doing). I don't want to come across as the “tech” person who “knows everything” (which I don’t). This at times brings forth negative connotations. 

UCET was a great experience for me. I finally realized what it means to be a teacher-leader. At that conference we were surrounded by other people trying to better education for students. Teachers that were there, were those who are trying to push and make a change towards digital classrooms where students learn through the creation process. I now feel comfortable to share what I am doing and share my work with others so they can use it in their own classrooms. 

Being a teacher-leader does not mean you have possess some special skill or knowledge. It means being a teacher who is willing to try new things and make a difference, someone who is willing to share and stir the pot of change. 

How will you use what you have learned in this class in your future course, unit, and lesson planning?

This semester (although a lot of work) has taught me a lot. It has bridged my previous education classes with a new view on instruction and ways students can learn in my classroom. Although I  have taken courses on backwards design and how to create units, I never felt like I was effectively creating lessons. Incorporating technology into my lessons has changed how I view assessments. I have always use technology in my lessons to deliver instruction. My failings as a teacher has been my inability to incorporate technology for students. I now see the total change I can make by delivering instruction that is engaging and relevant for my students. I will now go back and look at my curriculum map to see what changes I can make to create real-world, authentic classroom experiences for my students.