Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question

1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.

FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Portfolio

As I look back though the documents and materials I saved from my first year of teaching, I now recognize some areas that need to be improved. The first year of teaching was much harder than I had anticipated and many of my lesson plans were created on site (ie..between classes) and at the spur of the moment. The time restraints/challenges of attending NTI, teaching, advising HOSA, coaching cheerleading, and being a mom & wife led to too little time to develop great lesson plans and projects for the students. But I imagine this is where we all are. This portfolio creation will enhance my professional growth by allowing me the time to genuinely critique which areas need time devoted to them. I had not saved some of my previous work and really wish that I had. I have started to organize my artifacts and save them in INTASC
files for future use and add to each standard. I noticed areas that I had few resources for such as Standard #3 Adapting Instruction for Individual Needs. I am glad to be critiquing my work and see that I have a lot of work to do.

I will also start earlier in the year in helping the students create their own portfolios. One area to help enrich the students is the building of their resumes. Once the framework is completed it is much easier to add to it throughout the year. As a nursing student we had some of the nurses who had already graduated come back and talk to us about their portfolios and let us look through them. I think the advanced students (3rd year) could do the same to the newer Intro students. A visual is always a great learning tool.

3 comments:

AimeeMcD said...

I completely agree with you. The first year is so much harder than one could imagine. There are times that you feel like you don't have time to breath let alone plan. I had a hard time switching from private to public education. There is so much more detail needed in private school. I can only encourage you to save all of your work and critique each year. Good luck and know we are all in the same boat.

Shellee said...

I really agree with your comment that hte portfolio project makes you focus more on pulling it all together so to speak. With everything that is going on in real life, it is hard to give 110% to lesson plans and everything else, and the portfolio gives one a chance to focus on those things and review what has worked and what could be improved upon. I also agree that it can be used as a motivational point for the older levels as well as the younger levels alike. I remember doing my own hard copy nursing portfolio and going back through it to find some of the artifacts that I could use has really been an eyeopener. I keep wondering where that wide eyed, fresh "idealistic" new nurse has gone, and I see that she is not really gone, but just changed. Good Blog!

Dr. J said...

Hi Linda,
I like what you said. A portfolio is supposed to show you improvement over time when used in education. That is why we call it a work in process. As always, you are right on target. Dr. J.