Intro

Module Five-

This is the end (?)

Please watch my school board video here 

Please review my final script and my draft script

Final Reflection

1. What did you learn in the course?

Although certainly not new, and definitely a tired cliché, I learned that good teaching is good teaching. The skill-sets of being a good teacher are important in a face to face classroom: clear communication; student connection and engagement with the teacher, with peers, and with the curriculum; establishing expectations for classroom behavior and quality and quantity of work. All of these are obviously important in a physical classroom; however, when a student "checks out" in class, it is pretty obvious and a conversation can be had between teacher and learner if/when things aren't working so well. In a virtual classroom, if a student checks out, they may, quite literally, be gone! What is merely important to good teaching in a physical realm becomes mission critical in an online learning environment. Students struggle without structure- they need to know where, when, and how to access the curriculum since they do not just show up for class, open a book, and take a handout and pass one on. Students struggle with learning how to use online learning tools, since they can't just open a binder and jot down notes.

Aw, how quaint- he thinks his students paid attention to him!

2. Why was the course content important?

The course content was a helpful mix of the real/practical (esp the video playlists in which teachers and students describe their real experiences!) and the research- particularly Archambault's research on teacher satisfaction with online teaching. I felt connected to the responses that were reported in the "K-12 Distance Educators at Work." The roller coaster of online teaching, and how when it is good, it is really meaningfully connected, and when it is hard, it is frustrating as Hell! A lot of the statistical information was good background, and informative to kind of how online learning has and continues to develop around the country. Quite honestly, it all helped me come to terms with my frustrations with FCPS and how they are forcing the structure of a "normal" school day onto an online platform. The combination of moving forward in it, and the resources of the courses helped me focus on being reflective of MY teaching practice and focusing on what I can do for my kiddies in making their online learning as simple, direct, and meaningful as possible.

3. How can/will you use this information in your future practice?

Simple, right!  Well, I think it goes back to what I was saying about the materials for this course.  I need to continue to learn more from others about how to make certain that I engage students in a structured routine of wheres and hows for accessing learning materials and learning tools.  I need to make certain that the tools I choose are the best fit for the learning activity and the learners themselves.  I need to make certain to take time for myself, seek support when struggling, and share successes when succeeding (kinda painted myself in to a corner with that turn of phrase).  

I have always tried to be a reflective teacher- someone willing to try new things, willing to fail even- so in some ways this flying leap into the chasm of virtual learning is just that on a VERY grand scale!  My ability to connect with my students in the classroom- to earn their trust so they would be willing to try whatever weird, wacky, and sometime wonderful things I wanted to do- allowed me to feel confident knowing that even if things did not work, I wouldn't "lose" the kids.  It seems to me that the kids came into this new year, this new way of schooling with a willingness and even eagerness to try the weird, wacky, and sometimes wonderful right off the bat.  This course has given me new insights and new tools and reinforced my teaching ethos.  It is definitely going to be a weird, wacky, hopefully more often than not wonderful school year!