Summer Reflection Paper
This summer, I have learned that becoming an MSU Urban Stem fellow is incredibly challenging yet beneficial to my personal and professional growth. As an educator, I am constantly trying to recreate my teaching style and what I believe is best for the district, school, students and myself. This program has taught me that being humble and making mistakes is something that is positive for growth. We completed several tasks this summer, over the course of 3 weeks including creating our own websites, videos, twitter and facebook accounts, world of wonders, quickfires, tech tips and all in the company of great teachers as well as MSU instructors.
I was pleasantly surprised with the results of each new challenge and outcome even if it was not a success at first. For example, when our group had the challenge of making a motion video and uploading it to the the Facebook page all in the matter of minutes, we learned so much. We took several approaches to the task and for some reason just couldn’t get it right. I downloaded the Imotion video app onto my Iphone and decided to play with it a little on my way home. While in the car (I wasn’t driving) I figured the app out. I was determined to get the task finished and the next day I showed my group and we made a short motion video! The success of the assignment was based on our determination. We had a determination and a drive to complete the video and we did it. This is the kind of determination that our students need. They need to know that it is okay to get stuck or confused and in this case extremely frustrated. They need to realize that they can keep going forward and that in the end if they pull through it, it will be the result they wanted or even better. These are the types of experiences we have in our daily lives, and we have to remember to stay positive and believe in our abilities. We also have to stay focused on purpose as well as the plan.
I was also challenged personally this summer. With each assignment that involved technology, I found a new obstacle to overcome. With building my own website, I had never worked with these different programs, manipulating pictures, downloading and uploading pictures and videos. The biggest challenge of all was putting together my I-video. I spent a couple days working on it and the night it was due, I stayed up working on it until midnight. I was able to finish it but again, I felt like it was something I would just have to accomplish. At one point the whole thing was even deleted from YouTube which was so disappointing and discouraging. When I saw the final video I noticed that it was not perfect, but then I reflected and thought about how much thought and work I had put into it. This taught me that I could really achieve what I pushed myself to complete, although it would not always turn out exactly how I wanted the first time.
There was so much that was new about this experience. First of all, I did not expect the program to be as fun as it was. Everyone in this group was enthusiastic and helpful in any way that was necessary. The innovative approach that was used, presented each day as a new adventure, but I will share that working with so much technology has been my biggest challenge as well as being the best part of it all. I have been introduced to so many new ideas that I have to include in my classroom and with my students. The idea that STEM is such an innovative and interesting approach to viewing what we already do, is so amazing to see. I also liked that we saw STEM as being something new but also something that is dynamic and open to better ideas.
Discovery was a huge component of my summer learning. I loved going out and looking for physical things that resembled different letters. I really enjoyed the day we had improvisation from Second City and took the trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. Who knew that we could find so many things and ideas representative of STEM there ? I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the fellows and becoming close with the four women in my assigned group. We were all able to build from each other also including what we brought in as individuals. I learned so much from others and also was able to learn new things about myself that helped me to personally grow.
This learning experience is of utmost importance to my outlook on the school year. I never thought that I would be so excited about entering my twelfth year as an educator. However, this program has opened my mind to the “new,” new ideas, new students, new subjects, new projects and most importantly new learning! I will be teaching a new subject that I can include more STEM into and this gives me so much encouragement to become even better at what I am already doing in my classroom.
This summer’s experience is going to be extremely influential in the future because as a professional I want to get my students to see the importance in everything they do. Personally, I want to be able to feel the comfort of introducing the new innovative ideas in my classroom and including different aspects of technology. Finally,or. I would like to introduce STEM as something that we already do and that my students can also feel motivated and to increase their knowledge including growth.
I am definitely going to include these ideas in my teaching and allow my students to learn from what they already know. Students should be able to build upon each other’s ideas as well. They should not be afraid to share they know and offer help or guidance to one another. They need support in order to develop the confidence they need to be successful.
I will take so much from this program back to my students this fall. I will be teaching a new subject this fall and although I feel excited, it is not going to be easy. However, with this program I think I am ready to learn once again and further enhance my abilities as an educator. I will once again face new challenges and new content that will only benefit my teaching experiences making me more aware of what I am capable of achieving as a STEM educator.
This summer, I have learned that becoming an MSU Urban Stem fellow is incredibly challenging yet beneficial to my personal and professional growth. As an educator, I am constantly trying to recreate my teaching style and what I believe is best for the district, school, students and myself. This program has taught me that being humble and making mistakes is something that is positive for growth. We completed several tasks this summer, over the course of 3 weeks including creating our own websites, videos, twitter and facebook accounts, world of wonders, quickfires, tech tips and all in the company of great teachers as well as MSU instructors.
I was pleasantly surprised with the results of each new challenge and outcome even if it was not a success at first. For example, when our group had the challenge of making a motion video and uploading it to the the Facebook page all in the matter of minutes, we learned so much. We took several approaches to the task and for some reason just couldn’t get it right. I downloaded the Imotion video app onto my Iphone and decided to play with it a little on my way home. While in the car (I wasn’t driving) I figured the app out. I was determined to get the task finished and the next day I showed my group and we made a short motion video! The success of the assignment was based on our determination. We had a determination and a drive to complete the video and we did it. This is the kind of determination that our students need. They need to know that it is okay to get stuck or confused and in this case extremely frustrated. They need to realize that they can keep going forward and that in the end if they pull through it, it will be the result they wanted or even better. These are the types of experiences we have in our daily lives, and we have to remember to stay positive and believe in our abilities. We also have to stay focused on purpose as well as the plan.
I was also challenged personally this summer. With each assignment that involved technology, I found a new obstacle to overcome. With building my own website, I had never worked with these different programs, manipulating pictures, downloading and uploading pictures and videos. The biggest challenge of all was putting together my I-video. I spent a couple days working on it and the night it was due, I stayed up working on it until midnight. I was able to finish it but again, I felt like it was something I would just have to accomplish. At one point the whole thing was even deleted from YouTube which was so disappointing and discouraging. When I saw the final video I noticed that it was not perfect, but then I reflected and thought about how much thought and work I had put into it. This taught me that I could really achieve what I pushed myself to complete, although it would not always turn out exactly how I wanted the first time.
There was so much that was new about this experience. First of all, I did not expect the program to be as fun as it was. Everyone in this group was enthusiastic and helpful in any way that was necessary. The innovative approach that was used, presented each day as a new adventure, but I will share that working with so much technology has been my biggest challenge as well as being the best part of it all. I have been introduced to so many new ideas that I have to include in my classroom and with my students. The idea that STEM is such an innovative and interesting approach to viewing what we already do, is so amazing to see. I also liked that we saw STEM as being something new but also something that is dynamic and open to better ideas.
Discovery was a huge component of my summer learning. I loved going out and looking for physical things that resembled different letters. I really enjoyed the day we had improvisation from Second City and took the trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. Who knew that we could find so many things and ideas representative of STEM there ? I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the fellows and becoming close with the four women in my assigned group. We were all able to build from each other also including what we brought in as individuals. I learned so much from others and also was able to learn new things about myself that helped me to personally grow.
This learning experience is of utmost importance to my outlook on the school year. I never thought that I would be so excited about entering my twelfth year as an educator. However, this program has opened my mind to the “new,” new ideas, new students, new subjects, new projects and most importantly new learning! I will be teaching a new subject that I can include more STEM into and this gives me so much encouragement to become even better at what I am already doing in my classroom.
This summer’s experience is going to be extremely influential in the future because as a professional I want to get my students to see the importance in everything they do. Personally, I want to be able to feel the comfort of introducing the new innovative ideas in my classroom and including different aspects of technology. Finally,or. I would like to introduce STEM as something that we already do and that my students can also feel motivated and to increase their knowledge including growth.
I am definitely going to include these ideas in my teaching and allow my students to learn from what they already know. Students should be able to build upon each other’s ideas as well. They should not be afraid to share they know and offer help or guidance to one another. They need support in order to develop the confidence they need to be successful.
I will take so much from this program back to my students this fall. I will be teaching a new subject this fall and although I feel excited, it is not going to be easy. However, with this program I think I am ready to learn once again and further enhance my abilities as an educator. I will once again face new challenges and new content that will only benefit my teaching experiences making me more aware of what I am capable of achieving as a STEM educator.