Curtail the Trail

In Daniel Pink's thought exchange, he presents science backed information that shows that although money is a motivator, it does not promote real improvement or innovation within an organization.  He explains that people want to feel like people.  Pay them enough so that money is not an issue and creativity can occur.  As a teacher in a high need demographic I see the effects of this on a daily basis and I could not agree more with Pink's words.  Furthermore, science has supported this human behavior.  It is evident to me that in order to expect academic success from our students, conformity and linear thinking cannot be the sole motivator in our classrooms (Robinson, 2010).   Students that I have traditionally taught come to school with preconceptions about the world and lenses that have been shaped by their experiences.  Unfortunately, many of these experiences are not positive and have been molded by traumatic instances.  When students com...

Educators know that teaching is a gift of heart.   One important factor that displays how much a teacher cares about her students is the effort she puts into preparing her students to be successful members of society in the future.  There are current educational trends and pedagogies that greatly influence the environment in our classrooms.  It is now time, however, to consider a new way of teaching, or, as Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown call it, “A New Culture of Learning.”  As a teacher, I have been guilty of following unsuccessful traditional learning systems in my class.  Although I made efforts to improve the class environment, there are still some aspects that, across the board, are no longer as effective for learners.  It is our job as educators, to investigate these areas.  We must improve and combat them with useful and updated ways of learning that will most benefit our students.     It is commonplace to believe that the te...

As I progress through the DLL program at Lamar University, it is important that my work is shared in my organization through an innovative project.  After the writing of a proposal letter and finding resources to support my literature review of it's benefits, I must begin to plan how the project will take shape in my Implementation Plan.  I have attached my  Implementation Plan  as of today.  I will be revising and changing the plan as necessary, however, this is my shared goal for the next couple years.  I hope that you can give insight to help my journey come to fruition!

Upon the end of my second course in the Digital Learning and Leading Program at Lamar University, I have a smorgasbord of thoughts and ideas.  These thoughts have a range of relief from completion of another beneficial course to self approval of the hard work and technological information I have attained.  However, I can't help but think about the timing of the MANDATED shift in education due to the widespread pandemic of the COVID 19 virus.  I planned to begin this masters program with a positive outlook for my future.  With all the years of education, the perspective of my work and experience, along with the completion of the courses, I believed I was setting myself up for success.  There would be challenges along the way, but nothing I can't handle.  And then... change happens.  The world is different now.  The lives we knew are temporarily put on hold.  The way we communicate, teach, interact and learn are all different.  It is n...

I'll be honest.  This has been a difficult experience.  It has been enticing yet challenging. It has made me aware that I need to organize my ideas, think of the bigger picture, and reevaluate my way of thinking.  Boy, do I have a lot of work to do! If anything, the biggest lesson I have learned during my first phase in the Digital Learning and Leading program is that I MUST change my mindset.  Although there are many things that I approach with growth in mind, there is much that I have to apply to my practice. Most importantly, the failing forward mentality.  It is a relief knowing that it is in fact "OK" to fail and even necessary to do so. However, with that comes the responsibility and accountability to know that the ball is in my court.  It gives me the freedom to take risks, learn, assess and execute again. I have made many mistakes in this program and I plan to make many more in order to fully understand my role as an educator.  Honestly,...

I have made attempts to create what I believed to be an ePortfolio in the past.  I collected important resources, assignments and artifacts, categorized them into an online drive and thought, "Boom!  Here's my work!" After reviewing the recommended resources, I now have a slightly different understanding of the purpose and importance of such a resource.  I find that, as stated in "Making Meaningful Connections in An Eportfolio" there is a lack of tangible evidence to show one's growth and capabilities both academically and professionally.  In my experience, there only seemed to be a need for those in more technology inspired fields to utilize an ePortfolio. It was not something seen as beneficial to everyone.  As time passed, I have noticed that technology is seeping into almost all areas.  It is crucial if not necessary to display your digital mark in the world so others may better understand your journey, the connections made and your projects and su...