During this self study, I noted that I wanted to think about the following questions: Continue reading Journaling Towards Pleasant Surprises
Category Archives: Learners
“What works?” and “What stays with you?”
So far, being in a writing workshop has been an incredible experience. I am in an Amherst Writers and Artists workshop. The group meets online every Thursday evening for three hours. Continue reading “What works?” and “What stays with you?”
Creating the Space for Reflection: Teacher as Learner
Learning brings me joy. For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed learning new things. It didn’t matter when, where, or how. I can remember being in elementary school and waiting anxiously to find out what the class would be studying next. Continue reading Creating the Space for Reflection: Teacher as Learner
The Role of Writing in the Process of Learning a Foreign Language
Writing and teaching have always been the main drivers of my identity. Doing both at the same time has been, in one way or another, a recurring theme in my life. That is why for my self-study I’ve chosen to focus on how my own experience as a writer has impacted my teaching career throughout the years, making me develop a language program that uses writing as a central component of the practice and acquisition of a foreign tongue.
Continue reading The Role of Writing in the Process of Learning a Foreign Language
Creative Writing As a Lens for Exploring My Creative Practice
For my tenure self-study, I will focus on my own creative writing practice. This year, I am specializing in the teaching of English/Language Arts rather than Humanities as a whole. This means I am designing new curriculum and a major focus of the year for me is the teaching of writing, both expository and creative writing. Continue reading Creative Writing As a Lens for Exploring My Creative Practice
Do Not Go Back to Normal
A leader in progressive education since 1921, LREI teaches children to be independent thinkers who work together to solve complex problems. Students graduate from our diverse community as active participants in our democratic society, with the creativity, integrity, and courage to bring meaningful change to the world. Continue reading Do Not Go Back to Normal
A Kindergarten Classroom in a Global Pandemic?
Community is at the heart of early childhood education. We rely on our classroom community to connect with one other, to create positive learning environments, to enrich programming, to build and foster strong relationships, and to deepen our understanding of identity and cultural knowledge. By building community in our Kindergarten, students take risks and persevere when faced with a challenge.
Continue reading A Kindergarten Classroom in a Global Pandemic?
Side paths and future routes of exploration
I have to admit right up front that following my objective in this project did not take the path I anticipated. I think early on I viewed it as a personal research and growth project being undertaken to continue to grow a more robust knowledge of artists and art history.
Continue reading Side paths and future routes of exploration
What Do I Value?
The following are a set of questions and initial reflections that are framing my self-study inquiry. While these questions and reflections have an initial orientation towards students and subject matter, I think that they also have significant implications for my own practice as a teacher. Continue reading What Do I Value?
Self-Study During the Pandemic
When I started my second attempt at the self-study my initial idea was that I would focus on making sure I didn’t become a “dinosaur”. A dinosaur in this context meant faculty member and teacher who was wed to the way he/she has always done things. I was going to re-examine my habits as a teacher and a learner. Continue reading Self-Study During the Pandemic
The Problems of Unexamined Normative Assumptions
Essential Questions:
- How do we teach students to see historical events through multiple perspectives?
- How does changing the “voice” of the class materials challenge stereotypes about non-Western civilizations and cultures?
- How do we teach students to value the achievements of civilizations that are not their (or our) own or that have traditionally been seen through a deficit lens?
- How can highlighting examples of interactions between oppressed and dominant groups throughout history reveal injustices that affect our students’ lives?
Continue reading The Problems of Unexamined Normative Assumptions
Modeling the Work
In September, I decided that I was fully going to commit to having my students keep a year long portfolio. Continue reading Modeling the Work
Towards Interaction and Comprehension
Through this project, I wanted to explore how to make my assignments (homework and in the classroom) even more interactive and centered around listening comprehension and speaking in the target language in order to engage the students, reduce their anxiety (since it will not require a final product) and actually incorporate some mindfulness exercises. Continue reading Towards Interaction and Comprehension
Art for Art’s Sake & The Work of Obligation
My Self-Study plan and goals were firmly entrenched in pushing myself to find the time, strength, intellectual curiosity and courage to produce – in my initial post I bolded and all-capsed for emphasis – A LOT of work. The plan was to work fearlessly and without concern for quality. Not only would I produce a bunch of work, but I would also share the results. The work would be without a specific purpose other than “art for art’s sake”. Finally, I swore to experiment with oil paint – a medium all around me that I have barely ever used.
Continue reading Art for Art’s Sake & The Work of Obligation
In the Pit: On Writing and Revision
The goal of my self study is to refocus my creative practice by completing work on two screenplay rewrites and to start production on a personal documentary film. While the rewrites have been going well, I won’t be able to do any work on the documentary due to unforeseen travel restrictions.