Thing 40: Final Reflection

I can't believe I'm at the end of yet another track of AWESOME Cool Tools!  It amazes me that every year, there are more motivating assignments to keep me exploring and learning.  I've actually put off submitting this final assignment, because I know that there will undoubtedly be more assignments I'll want to try in the coming months, but then I realized, there's always next year :-)

What Did I Learn?

Well, lots!  I think the thing I enjoyed most was making connections between the assignments in this workshop to other learning experiences I've had.  Doing these assignments reinforced and often expanded my understanding of a particular topic.  For example, I really enjoyed the Evidence Based Practice assignments, because that's a skill set I'm always looking to hone and improve, and your assignment resources tied in nicely with what I already know & use, while at the same time, giving me even more tools to explore.

What's Next?

I would like to participate in some of the "Unconferenes" and "Camps" that I discovered through the Online Learning assignment.  For now, though, I think I've accomplished enough PD to merit me perhaps a month off!  Between my post-grad SUNY Buffalo course last Fall, the Tell It On Tuesday monthly webinars I participate in, and this - I think I deserve some down time for further reflection before embarking on my next PD adventure.

What I do hope to do for the next few months, though, is to visit some of my peers' blogs to see what they've been working on.  I love that you've compiled the spreadsheet for us by participants' grade levels and by locations.  So convenient!

Final Reflections:

I absolutely LOVE learning this way.  I appreciate that there are so many thoughtful and engaging assignments that I have the freedom to pick from - and that I can tailor my experiences to suit my specific needs.  I think I glean at least one (usually more, though!) invaluable nugget from every topic I explore.  I know my participation in this workshop enhances my teaching and, in turn, improves the lives of my students in very real and meaningful ways.  I look forward to Track 5 next year.  Thanks, Polly!  And thanks to Jen Cannell at Questar for making this program available to us!!