This break was well needed. This is my first year teaching and I'm really enjoying the breaks that I get periodically. In the past, I would take "vacation" time off and then run around trying to do as much as I could in that allotted time. When I would return to work, I would feel so exhausted. Having these breaks allow me to regroup and get caught up. I'm looking forward to this summer. I'll probably spend a lot of time tweaking my class material as I'm sitting by the pool, of course. I'm not one to sit still and have thought about getting a part time job back in the graphics industry just so that I can stay current with the technology.
I know that seminars and conferences are offered over the summer for technical teachers, but does anyone know if these are mandatory or just a suggestion to keep current? I believe that I would learn more by actually working in the industry for a short time. What does everyone else do to keep current in their technical areas?
Obviously, since I'm not teaching in a k-12 environment, I'm not under the same professional development guidelines as you are, but I do many different things to stay current in my field. For one thing, I do a lot of reading. I read articles in professional journals, online teaching magazines, educational blogs, etc. I also continue to advance my level of education. I'm taking graduate courses now that will lead to an Ed.S. degree in Instructional Design and Technology. I'm learning a lot in this course that I am already applying to NTI. I also look for ways to learn informally by talking to other teachers and by seeking feedback from students. Okay, that's just me. What about the rest of you?
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ReplyDeleteYeah I’m going to try juggling working in a restaurant to keep up on my skills over the summer. My wife wants to go on a 2-3 week vacation. I need to get my ACF certification and try to schedule a GACE test. I need to send my paperwork of for my certified culinarian verification, and then I have to take a written test for my Secondary Culinary Educator Certification. Who knows I may try to take some online classes to get a culinary bachelors later on. That I’m sure will be coupled with some mystery baskets, which are Iron Chef Type competitions for certifications and degrees. All the while I’m trying to get my first cookbook published and praying for someone to offer me a TV show. A friend of mine and I are working on a new website dedicated to outdoor renaissance. Its concept is still in its infancy but it will be dedicated to Camping Hunting/Shooting and cooking wild game and/or cooking outdoors. Yes Jessie I have a few vegetarian recipes I’ll post for you. I’m also debating on whether I should consult for a restaurant who is trying to get backed by Char Broil and another property which is still a flash in the pan (idea stage) but will be very upscale.
ReplyDeleteYeah well I want to do it all and make my mark on life. As Morrison said it’s better to burn out that slowly fade away. Or was that the bad guy from the first Highlander movie?
I have mixed feelings about using my summer vacation to attend seminars. I don't think the summer courses are required but the GACTE conference is worth trying at least once. Sometimes a lot of reading is better than some of these seminars we attend. But I have learned more by talking to other teachers than some of the conferences I have attended. Some of the HSTE teachers discussed at the TIEGA conference the possibility of having regional meetings after school in which we would take turns presenting one of our best demonstrations. Learning from our peers can be one of our most valuable resources and I am excited about this idea becoming reality.
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