We spend a lot of time encouraging our learners to collect the dots because we think we will get better grades. Many schools focus on the dot collection to transfer to high rankings. These tests are connected to school budgets and bonuses for high achievers. Learners need to understand how the concepts relate to each other and how they connect to make a bigger picture.
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
