Friday Favorites

Soooo, one thing I have realized is that I don't always take the time to reflect on every day life. I miss out on little light bulb moments, celebrations, and learning opportunities. In order to correct this, I am going to make sure that I post every Friday with a list of my favorite experiences from the week.

This week has been INSANELY amazing. Here are a few work highlights.

Strategic Plan Meetings

Our district is currently working on an overhaul of the strategic plan process. I have been involved in much of the process, and I am thrilled to be serving on the four implementation teams for technology. This week we have been focusing on two tactics. We plan to have a makerspace on each campus and are in the process of transitioning our librarians to the role of Media Technology Specialists. So far, my heart has been SO happy at how enthusiastic and excited the teams have been during the process of making the changes necessary to provide the best experience for our students. That being said, if any of my peeps have any tips or tricks for MAKERSPACES, I would welcome the help!

One strategy that I learned about was something called SWOT. When implementing something new, you should look at the STRENGTHS to build upon, the WEAKNESSES to address, the OPPORTUNITIES that you have, and the THREATS to keep an eye on. I found this to be pretty eye-opening and a great strategy to use when developing new ideas.

First Grade QR Code Animal Exhibits

On Wednesday, I was invited to go through the Animal Exhibit that our first graders put together at Brown Elementary. It was awesome! Groups of students researched their animals and then created a board full of information. These boards included hand-drawn food chains, QR codes with videos about their animals, and then QR Codes from Seesaw where students had uploaded a Chatterpix video explaining a fun fact about their animal. On the day of the exhibit, they stood by their booth and facilitated as parents, teachers, students, and other faculty went around to learn about their animals. The excitement in the room was incredible. I love so much about this. Technology was used in a way that was meaningful to student learning. Students had choice in their animals and videos. Students had an authentic audience to demonstrate their learning. Other teachers were getting excited and asking questions about using the technology in their own classrooms. A culture of learning and growth was evident in the room. LOVE it.

First Grade Economics Interview

On Thursday, I was asked to stop by for an interview from a first grade class. I honestly didn't know what to expect, and I found myself slightly nervous. The students had been previously studying economics and had each developed three questions to ask district personnel during the interviews. My sweet interviewer, Isla, asked me about when I pay my bills and why, how did I get such an important job, and what is the greatest need that my family has. We discussed those questions, and I was able to share a little bit about my experience with them. After a quick break for a fire drill, they told me all about opportunity costs, and we had a great discussion about why you should probably choose to pay your bills instead of drinking Starbucks every day. It was just another example of solid teaching and learning.

Fifth Grade Science Camp

Today, I was asked to help out at the fifth grade Science Camp. My station was supposed to look at various land forms and discuss how they were created. I was able to take my Google Expedition kit and allow them to view these land forms using virtual reality! The reactions of those kiddos was priceless. They were impressed by the Grand Canyon, thrilled by the inside of a glacier, a little scared of the sand dunes in the Namib Desert, and overwhelmed by the valleys and peaks of Mount Everest. I simply told them that our goal was to discuss land forms and how they were created beforehand and honestly, they drove the discussion. I didn't have to say much except to ask a few guiding questions or provide a few insights. We really had a great time!