The Next 5 Years
Personal Reflection
In the next five year, I plan to discover more meaningful ways to incorporate technology into my chemistry classroom. I will continue to repurpose old technologies in order to drive my instruction from a starting point. I want my students to learn how to not be so dependent on the immediate gratification of a smartphone and learn how to create their own learning experience. They should use their smartphone as a tool, not a device doing their thinking for them. I always ask them, what if your phone cannot answer a question, then what? Our students expect to be taught at, but do not necessarily put in the time to learn and understand. Our classroom culture is changing in many ways. It’s a lot for a sophomore to understand, but the adolescent brain in still being wired to make meaningful connections for later in life. Who knows what new technologies they will use and be inspired by?
This fall, I will be teaching AP Chemistry. All of my students will have to complete a STEM Fair project in December. I will need to take time to research and make use of the many Google Chrome Apps to help facilitate what I need to do for my students, as well as develop a “flipped classroom”, as some class time will be spent away from the necessary content I need to teach. I have already discussed this with my administrator, so I know I will have her support.
Within the next 5 years, I hope that I will become confident enough to take on the MAET program that MSU offers and, thus, become a teacher leader in my department. I have been moving my way up in that area, but I want to be taken more seriously than I am now. I want to be able to work with the new technologies, in order to bring more creativity to the chemistry content. An effective leader is confident, listens, and leads by example. I hope to continue to develop these qualities outside of the classroom.
This fall, I will be teaching AP Chemistry. All of my students will have to complete a STEM Fair project in December. I will need to take time to research and make use of the many Google Chrome Apps to help facilitate what I need to do for my students, as well as develop a “flipped classroom”, as some class time will be spent away from the necessary content I need to teach. I have already discussed this with my administrator, so I know I will have her support.
Within the next 5 years, I hope that I will become confident enough to take on the MAET program that MSU offers and, thus, become a teacher leader in my department. I have been moving my way up in that area, but I want to be taken more seriously than I am now. I want to be able to work with the new technologies, in order to bring more creativity to the chemistry content. An effective leader is confident, listens, and leads by example. I hope to continue to develop these qualities outside of the classroom.
Curating Resources
The following is a list of resources for articles, websites, PD opportunities, videos, locations, books, etc. I plan explore further:
- Article, Idea to retire: Technology alone can improve student learning by Ellen Lettvin, Joseph South and Katrina Stevens. http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2016/03/18-technology-improving-student-learning-south-stevens-lettvin#
- Article, Transformative Learning Through Aesthetic Experience: Towards a Comprehensive Method by Alexis Kokkos found in the Journal of Transformative Education, 2010, volume 8(3), pages 155-177.
- Article, Where's the Evidence that Active Learning Works? by Jacob Michael. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/30/4/159.full.pdf
- Book, Flipped Learning for Science Instruction by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams published by ISTE, 2015.
- Powerful TED Talk, How to Fix a Broken School? Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard by Linda Cliatt-Wayman. http://www.ted.com/talks/linda_cliatt_wayman_how_to_fix_a_broken_school_lead_fearlessly_love_hard
- Ted Talk, 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation by Celeste Headlee. https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?language=en
- Website, Free Technology for Teachers. http://www.freetech4teachers.com
The following is a list of resources of new additions to my personal learning network:
- American Association of Chemistry Teachers, AACT: https://www.teachchemistry.org/content/aact/en.html
- ChemWest: http://www.chemwest.org/
- College Board for Education Professionals: https://professionals.collegeboard.org/
- DOE Office of Education Technology: http://tech.ed.gov/teachers
- EdTechTeacher: http://edtechteacher.org/start/
- Instructional Tech: http://instructionaltechtalk.com/
The following is a list of ideas for funding:
- ACS Chemistry Club Grant: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/grants/chemclub-community-grant.html
- ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/grants/hachhighschool.html
- Donors Choose: https://www.donorschoose.org/
- GetEdFunding: http://www.getedfunding.com/
- Vernier/NSTA Technology Awards: http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#vernier