Introduction

For the Fall semester in 5313 and 5389, I worked with Lola, Stacie, and Lorena. I collaborated with these ladies the semester before and continued to this semester. All four of us have busy schedules as teachers and additional responsibilities. We work together to complete assignments on time. I am blessed to work with these energetic, positive, and determined ladies. 

Key Contributions

We all uniquely contribute to the group. Stacie is like the leader of the group; she takes the initiative. She is the first one to check blackboard for updates and notify the group. Lola is our writer. She takes our writings and makes them better by adding words or phrases to them. Lorena is energetic; she brings lots of joy to our learning. Then there is me; I like to stay ahead and remind everyone of the assignments and discussions. I took the lead in making infographics for our e-portfolios. 

Last semester we set a goal not to finish assignments on the last day. We have improved our timeline for completing projects a day earlier. We did not start with finishing assignments ahead of time, but we kept reminding each other. This is still an area that I need to improve on so that we have more time in other areas. Another area I can improve on is by participating more in class discussions and asking for clarifications on assignments. Someone else may be thinking or wanting to ask the same thing as me. I completed all class discussions on time, so my classmates could see my posts and comment on my reflections. Reflecting on my Creating Significant Learning Environment coursework, I translated the Growth Mindset and Power of YET into Spanish. I did this because I am a bilingual teacher, and to foster an appropriate CSLE, students must feel comfortable in my class. During Developing Effective Professional Learning for teachers, I reflected and started participating actively in my district’s PLs. By doing this, I learned new teaching techniques from other teachers and shared my success stories with them. 

 My most significant growth this semester is sharing my ideas with my colleagues. Before, I would not have shared my ideas due to a lack of confidence. I shared a digital student data tracker. My views are received positively by my campus.  

Supporting Contributions

Stacie starts the collaboration page, and I contribute to organizing the class information into tables with the class. I arranged another table with our names and e-portfolios links. I added links to our collaboration document to other e-portfolios that we look at as examples.

While working on assignments and looking through examples, I placed links to the e-portfolios on our collaboration page, along with notes of what was intriguing to us and specific notes from class that the professors specified for us to do or not to do. This was helpful because we could refer back to it anytime while working on the assignments; it kept us organized. I noticed last semester that we had difficulty finding documents from previous projects, so I linked them to our collaboration page for easy access. 

I am also part of Dawn’s Group Me collaboration group. In Group Me, classmates post questions, clarifications, and e-portfolios. I take the time to read the messages and respond to the questions I know the answers to or refer my classmates to where they could find the answer. I also posted my discussions on blackboard, replied to classmates on time, and posted in APA format.  I would change in the future to go back to the discussions, check if anyone responded to my post, and do a follow-up. 

Although Lorena is not in 5313 with Stacie, Lola, and me, she was available for questions and any clarifications we had on the assignments. Lorena took the time to show us her work and other exemplary e-portfolios. 

Conclusion

My collaboration group with Stacie, Lola, and Lorena is very motivating and diligent about their work. I have learned so much, and I look forward to the Fall second semester in a few days. However, I am nervous about participating more during class discussions.

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I decided to join the ADL program because my school had been underperforming for years. The school had seen many principals come in and out of the school. One may say that maybe I should have just left for another school, a high-performance school, but it is my school, my community, and I will not turn my back on them. Through the learning process, I have learned that I have a few things set in place to Create a Significant Learning Environment, which I need to expand on to make the most of the student’s learning. I currently do Social Emotional Learning, I give students opportunities, and we have the technology. I am learning how to use these things properly to increase student engagement. I can learn to use more technological applications my school district provides and train my students to use them. Students benefit most from these applications when I show them how to use them. I have created a digital table where students keep track of their progress and learning goals.

The district has a variety of reading applications students can use to learn reading skills and improve fluency, grammar, speaking, and listening. We have established cooperating groups, where students are responsible for contributing to their learning. They can discuss concepts, new knowledge, and new ideas. All students are responsible for turning in a product to show mastery. Students use applications like Flip to record answers and feedforward to other students. Recording helps students that struggle with writing, spelling, or language learners. My bilingual students also use Summit K12, which allows them to grow their English in reading, speaking, listening, and writing. 

A growth mindset is one thing that I want to incorporate more in my lessons and goal-setting meetings with students. I believe students can learn and take away so much with a growth mindset. They can achieve it with hard work, determination, and sweat. 

I am an independent and dependent learner. When learning a new idea, it had to come from someone else. As I connect ideas, my thinking process starts evolving. I seek understanding or more information from others. If we were all independent learners, we would not be able to innovate. Innovation comes when there is a need for change. 

I want my students to be independent and dependent learners as well. Dependent on the part of the collaboration to discuss ideas, take what they learned and discussed, and show mastery of what they have learned by creating something unique.

Reference

Harapnuik, D. D. (2021, January 18). Collecting dots vs connecting dots. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7o3Jh1KZLw 

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The question is, will you join the educational revolution to make students’ dreams into reality?

Reference

Bring on the learning revolution! | Sir Ken Robinson. (2010, May 24). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LelXa3U_I&t=988s

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Students want a better environment, and I try to incorporate collaboration to increase student engagement. Options are limited to two and are not offered often due to time and planning. I see students lose the desire for creativity and imagination. As the district wants us to keep moving through the curriculum, I believe creativity and imagination take time. 

I am not sure what my next educational step will be, but I know it will involve student choice and creativity. 

According to Douglas Thomas in A New Culture of Learning TedTalk, learning is something we do from the day we are born until we die, and learning is easy, except in school. Students struggle to learn in school, which should be the easiest and safest place to learn. 

References

Dwayne Harapnuik. (2021, April 16). EDLD 5313 Module 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4RIBNgK6xI

TEDx Talks. (2012, September 13). A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas at TEDxUFM [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM80GXlyX0U

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change (1st edition). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

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Understanding the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX model) can be used in both settings, professionally and personally. 

We are constantly setting goals in our lives and aren’t always successful. Here is my explanation of the 4DX model. What I learned is that the LAG is the result. The lead is controlled by what you implement. For example, your lead can be the plan you implement. Examples of methods include blended learning in the classroom to increase student engagement or eating clean for six weeks to see body results. The results of those actions are considered the LAG. The whirlwind is the everyday hustle and bustle that comes with the job; it acts on you. An example of the whirlwind in blended learning is there might be a teacher shortage, so you have to accomate for more students in your classroom, or your meal prepped and your co-workers convenience you to go out for lunch. The Wildly Important Goal (WIG) is the goal that is important to you and wants to achieve. You may have more than one goal, but you should concentrate on only 1-2 goals simultaneously to be effective. Keeping a compelling scoreboard while working towards your WIG is vital to keeping track of your progress. The scoreboard should be simple, easy, show lead and lag measures, and show who is winning.

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The self-differentiated leader is like the emotional immune system of the organization because every person and cell has a purpose. The cells make up an organization, a family, or a nation. The leader in the organization is connected to everyone without losing their intent to keep the organization moving. In every organization, some viruses are insecure and want to communicate with other cells and bring them down. You are your cell in your organization; you have a purpose and cannot let negative cells bring you down. Just like the body needs a pumping heart, the organization needs an encouraging leader.

As the heart of the body and the organization’s leader, crucial conversations are essential to be effective. People want to feel like they are cared for and safe. There are three defined features: opposing, strong, and high stakes. The first is to be unstuck and start with the heart. Be sure of what you want. As a leader in your organization, be sure to know what you want.

Dr. Haparnuik uses analogies that keep going back to the heart. I watched the first video a few times before fully understanding it. Constantly feeling that I had a communication problem and allowing silence to come into play, I know I did let silence come into play, but now I know I should keep the conversation going.

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While Stacie took the initiative to start notes on assignments, I reminded the group that information had to be straightforward. We had to provide a clear message to our audience. Stacie introduced us to Canva, and I learned how to make infographics for the group and share them. Lola is tech savvy and was able to teach us to improve our E-Portfolio. Lorena is good at finding evidence in our required reading texts to support our work. To make our collaboration more effective, we decided to split the reading in the future. For example, we each will read a book and take notes on the collaboration page. Each reader will note critical points and quotes with the page number.

My group discussed doing the following to improve:

• Watch the videos and read article discussion before class
• Have a draft of the class discussion, and right after the lesson, reflect and post
• Improve APA citations
• Set earlier due dates for assignments

If I can accomplish at least one of these goals, I believe I can influence them to do at least one of the following things. I can relate this to the Wildly Important Goal (WIG). I am choosing one and working towards it. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, I can accomplish at least two of these.

I joined Dawn’s GroupMe, ADL 2021-2023. Participants shared assignments, asked question, and provided feedforward. I distinctively remembered Valary Patterson’s Growth Mindset presentation and was able to let her know how impressive her presentation was. I also noticed that when someone needed help, anyone available would assist them by zoom.

I also participated in class discussions during the zooms, and it was a unique experience to see others’ points of view on the subject. I learned many new things while also sharing my knowledge with others. I may not have been the first to post a discussion or attend every class zoom meeting, but I managed to be dedicated and complete all graded assignments on time. I was able to balance family time and the ADL program and pursue higher career opportunities while getting Covid.

Last semester I would tell myself, “You never know unless you try.” Now I recognize that I can achieve great things with a growth mindset. I am giving myself a numerical grade of 98/100 for both 5303 and 5304. I hope to transfer a Growth Mindset to my students.

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While Stacie took the initiative to start notes on assignments, I reminded the group that information had to be straightforward. We had to provide a clear message to our audience. Stacie introduced us to Canva, and I learned how to make infographics for the group and share them. Lola is tech savvy and was able to teach us to how improve our E-Portfolio. Lorena is good at finding evidence in our required reading texts to support our work. To make our collaboration more effective, we decided to split the reading in the future. For example, we each will read a book and take notes on the collaboration page. Each reader will note critical points and quotes with the page number.

My group discussed doing the following to improve:

• Watch the videos and read article discussion before class
• Have a draft of the class discussion, and right after the lesson, reflect and post
• Improve APA citations
• Set earlier due dates for assignments

If I can accomplish at least one of these goals, I believe I can influence them to do at least one of the following things. I can relate this to the Wildly Important Goal (WIG). I am choosing one and working towards it. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, I can accomplish at least two of these.

I joined Dawn’s GroupMe, ADL 2021-2023. Participants shared assignments, asked question, and provided feedforward. I distinctively remembered Valary Patterson’s Growth Mindset presentation and was able to let her know how impressive her presentation was. I also noticed that when someone needed help, anyone available would assist them by zoom.

I also participated in class discussions during the zooms, and it was a unique experience to see others’ points of view on the subject. I learned many new things while also sharing my knowledge with others. I may not have been the first to post a discussion or attend every class zoom meeting, but I managed to be dedicated and complete all graded assignments on time. I was able to balance family time and the ADL program and pursue higher career opportunities while getting Covid.

Last semester I would tell myself, “You never know unless you try.” Now I recognize that I can achieve great things with a growth mindset. I am giving myself a numerical grade of 98/100 for both 5303 and 5304. I hope to transfer a Growth Mindset to my students.

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At the start of the quarantine, teachers were scrambling to gather resources and make video lessons for their students. At the time, I was teaching 4th grade Science in Spanish. Although there are many resources for Elementary Science, not so many of them are in Spanish. I suggested to the Science district coach that we start a community specifically for Science in Spanish or Ciencia en español. In this community, teachers could join and contribute to translating, gathering, and creating resources, lessons, activities, and other digital Spanish assessments for our district English Language Learners assessments in Spanish for our English Language Learners in the district.

Another learning community I have been a part of is the TCCA, Technology & Curriculum Conference of Aldine, which has been happening for over ten years in Aldine, Texas. At this event, there are many educational resources and organizations for educators, and it is a free conference that anyone can join; you can pre-register at the following link. TCCA Register

I am also a participant of REMSL, Rice Elementary Model STEM Lab, at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Teachers all over Houston and the surrounding areas come to be part of this learning community. Teachers and Science coaches share ideas, lessons, and resources to make science engaging. If you work in Houston or the surrounding areas and are not a part of this organization, I highly recommend you join. REMSL provides teachers with tools that will help teachers in the classroom to be more innovative. They provide classes on using these tools effectively and let teachers brainstorm ideas.

I look forward to joining more learning communities in the future. I am hunting for a blending learning community in Houston, Texas. I am ready to share the information I have learned during these courses and, most of all, to share my e-portfolio with others. If I do not find a blended learning community, I hope to build one through my E-portfolio. I have already started sharing my innovation plan with educators in my organization. I enjoy speaking about everything I have learned in the ADL program.

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