First Twitter Chat

Tonight was a first for me. Participating in a Twitter chat lead by Tina Jagdeo and Laura Mustard opened up yet another wonderful way to connect with educators and like-minded-folk who are passionate about teaching and learning.  A few of the questions caused me to reflect. I thought I would share a few thoughts.

Q: Gratitude: What do you feel grateful for as a teacher connected to your class, your colleagues, your school community?

I am very grateful to be a teacher because I get to be connected to young people who make me feel hopeful about the future of this world. Working with students reminds me of the power of potential and possibility. I am also very grateful to work at UCC because the community is open to innovation and supportive of change, new ideas, and collaboration. So many of my colleagues innovate, publish, and inspire me to push beyond the limits of what I thought was imaginable. Instead of work, my job feels like play and a state flow. I’m grateful to be part of Cohort 21 this year because this experience pushes the boundaries of education. Being connected to educators who can provide critical insight and support is a rare opportunity.  

Q: What strengths do you bring to your teaching? How might you share these strengths with your peers, your colleagues at your school, or within the Cohort community?

Ok, I have a confession, I am organized and borderline OC. The books in my personal library are sorted by genre and alphabetized by author. I, therefore, consider organization to be a strength. Here is why: In my family, we often joke that one of Poland’s (I’m Polish) most abundant exports are engineers. Organization is basically a dominant gene. Although I did not go into the family business, I think an plan like an engineer. I see structures, systems, and patterns in curriculum as well as in the disciplines I have studied and taught. Organization can also be challenging because disorder (like a teen’s lockers) can cause a visceral response. Accepting, and dare I say, embracing, a certain amount of chaos is a goal.

Q: Risks. Name a teaching risk you’ve taken recently or are planning to take. Why does it feel risky?

Creating a blended math program and developing our math lab at UCC feels risky because it is uncharted territory and I don’t have all the answers. I hope to leverage Cohort 21 as a way to solidify and reflect on the possibilities of blended learning, and hopefully realize aspects of the vision. I struggle with the different level of learners in my math classes. Some boys are learning at grade level, while others are ready for calculus in grade 6. How does a teacher engage the diversity of interest and ability in one classroom is a question which our team grapples with. My predecessor developed a really cool hybrid-flipped classroom approach which we call “math lab;” however, there is an opportunity to move in the direction of a sticky web-based ecosystem. This project feels risky because I am moving beyond my comfort zone. It also feels terribly exciting!

If any of my fellow Cohort 21 participants have experimented with synchronous or asynchronous blended learning solutions, please connect with me! I would love a chance to learn from you.