Professional Development
Throughout my student teaching experience, I had the opportunity to participate in a number of professional development opportunities. These occasions took place both at R.S. Central High School and outside of the school. Given below is information about those experiences, and some of my reflections as I learned more about the teaching profession.
Macbook Training
I had the privilege to be a part of the launch of the G.L.O.B.A.L. Initiative at R.S. Central High School. As part of the program, all students grades 6-12 were issued macbook computers. This onset of technology, not only called for flexibility and patience as we learned to use the computers and adjust to their constant presence in the classroom, but it also brought about a huge influx in incorporated technology in our curriculum. Personally, I was excited about our instant access and the opportunity to use interactive online programs as way to enhance lesson content. I was familiar with a lot of these educational tools, but there was still a lot about the macbook and about all its possibilities. To learn more about how to really use our new technology, I attended a number of macbook training and technology professional development sessions. These informational sessions ranged from how to use a google docs to ways to build online collages of text and video. They not only contributed to my lesson, but also sparked new ideas. I know I will continue to take this knowledge with me as I teach.
National Writing Project
I also had the opportunity this semester to attend a conference sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Writing Project, an offset of the National Writing Project. This conference was such a refresher in the middle of my student teaching experience, and helped me bring a number of new ideas back to the classroom. The conference covered a lot of programs for writing in digital spaces and how to incorporate that type of writing in the classroom. These were offered as breakout sessions.
The keynote speaker, however, was actually a group of students and leaders from Youth Roots, a program in Oakland, California. They worked with us to demonstrate and discuss ways to connect with students, and how to bridge the gap between school and the ways students are already writing. They talked about how students will come to their Youth Roots program and write some awesome poetry about themselves and where they live, but then they would come to school and just bomb their English classes. I've personally seen evidence of this, and I appreciated the strategies they presented. Not only did I return from the conference with new ideas for writing in digital spaces, information that certainly made sense for my work at R.S. Central, but I also returned with renewed purpose: to continue to use writing as way to connect spaces.
The keynote speaker, however, was actually a group of students and leaders from Youth Roots, a program in Oakland, California. They worked with us to demonstrate and discuss ways to connect with students, and how to bridge the gap between school and the ways students are already writing. They talked about how students will come to their Youth Roots program and write some awesome poetry about themselves and where they live, but then they would come to school and just bomb their English classes. I've personally seen evidence of this, and I appreciated the strategies they presented. Not only did I return from the conference with new ideas for writing in digital spaces, information that certainly made sense for my work at R.S. Central, but I also returned with renewed purpose: to continue to use writing as way to connect spaces.
LOTS: Life of the Scholar Multi-Disciplinary Conference and the National Alpha Chi Convention
This semester I had the opportunity and privilege to go as a presenter and delegate to the National Alpha Chi Convention in San Diego, California. Alpha Chi is an national honors society in which members must be within the top ten percent of their graduating class to be inducted. I participated in the Super Regional Convention in Little Rock, Arkansas in the previous school year, and was honored to be presenter at the national level.
Before going to the conference, however, I was also sponsored to present at Gardner-Webb University's LOTS Conference, or Life of the Scholar Multi-Disciplinary Conference. This conference invites students who have been sponsored to participate by a faculty member, to present research papers or other academic presentations through a showcase of student achievement. The conference took place in February and students who scored within the top ten percent of all presenters received monetary prizes as well. While I did achieve such an honor, through the presentation of my thesis, 'Writing the "Current:" Women and Spiritualism in the Works of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps," it was the conversation with other students and faculty that really stood out to me. Not only was I able to hear other students present, but I was also able to talk about my experiences as a student teacher with other faculty members. This opportunity not only provided quality discussions, but it also strengthen my own comfort level and knowledge within my area of study.
The same can certainly be said for my experiences in San Diego. I was able to hear and participate in student presentations from delegates representing our nation, as well as listen to presentations given by a government agent working with National Defense, and a leader in the Reading is Fundamental program (RIF). This certainly contributed to my knowledge of teaching and English, but it also gave me a chance to hear from experts in other fields. I was able to connect with others students and faculty members from across the United States, and bring back information to be used in the classroom. These experiences in California also gave me the opportunity to talk with my students about Alpha Chi, what it represents, and how they can be a part of it upon entering college - hopefully encouraging them to continue to pursue academics.
Before going to the conference, however, I was also sponsored to present at Gardner-Webb University's LOTS Conference, or Life of the Scholar Multi-Disciplinary Conference. This conference invites students who have been sponsored to participate by a faculty member, to present research papers or other academic presentations through a showcase of student achievement. The conference took place in February and students who scored within the top ten percent of all presenters received monetary prizes as well. While I did achieve such an honor, through the presentation of my thesis, 'Writing the "Current:" Women and Spiritualism in the Works of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps," it was the conversation with other students and faculty that really stood out to me. Not only was I able to hear other students present, but I was also able to talk about my experiences as a student teacher with other faculty members. This opportunity not only provided quality discussions, but it also strengthen my own comfort level and knowledge within my area of study.
The same can certainly be said for my experiences in San Diego. I was able to hear and participate in student presentations from delegates representing our nation, as well as listen to presentations given by a government agent working with National Defense, and a leader in the Reading is Fundamental program (RIF). This certainly contributed to my knowledge of teaching and English, but it also gave me a chance to hear from experts in other fields. I was able to connect with others students and faculty members from across the United States, and bring back information to be used in the classroom. These experiences in California also gave me the opportunity to talk with my students about Alpha Chi, what it represents, and how they can be a part of it upon entering college - hopefully encouraging them to continue to pursue academics.
Other Professional Development Opportunities
Besides conferences and macbook training, I have also had the opportunity to participate in English department meetings at R.S. Central. At these meetings not only did I learn and glean information from other teachers in my field, but I also had the chance to contribute. Feeling a part of the school and the English department, made my student teaching experience even richer, as I learned what it was like to be included in a professional learning community. Seeing these teachers interact, and being provided with the opportunity to participate in that interaction, allowed me to gain perspectives on lesson ideas and classroom management procedures, and really grow as a professional.
I also became acquainted with the new teacher evaluation program through a school-wide professional development session. All teachers meet together in the library one afternoon and the assistant principal walked us through the program as well as how they would be housed electronically. I appreciated this session because I will one day be evaluated in the same way. With this information, I feel much more prepared for my own future experiences.
I also became acquainted with the new teacher evaluation program through a school-wide professional development session. All teachers meet together in the library one afternoon and the assistant principal walked us through the program as well as how they would be housed electronically. I appreciated this session because I will one day be evaluated in the same way. With this information, I feel much more prepared for my own future experiences.
