Module 4- Amanda Smith

I just want to start by saying that I don't work in the public school setting like a lot of you do, and so my ideas are strictly based on 4 semesters of teaching math here at FSU and the cloud that surrounds that. As I read through everyone else's posts, I feel like my "ideas" lack the right type of teaching experience. Overall, I really enjoy reading your first hand experiences and what you have learned from them. 

1) What are your thoughts about effective professional development strategies? Describe a professional development opportunity that led to your adoption of new teaching or leadership practices.

My thoughts are that you people need to have a hands on learning experience and in order to do that, they need to be given the chance to learn from others who are in that current position. I don't think that just reading or listening to a lecture is the best way. Everyone learns differently, and in my opinion, hands on, engaging discussions and activities are the best approach.

Over the summer, the Math department brought in two different speakers to discuss with us the changes that they had made in their curriculum, which were very closely related to what we are currently working on. The first speaker was amazing! Her school in PA had a few semesters under their belts with this new math support system. She presented us with an interactive power point, we asked her questions, and overall it felt more just like an informal meeting among friends rather than a speaker that we all just met. She gave us great ideas and some examples of what did and didn't work for her school.

Unfortunately, the second speaker wasn't as helpful, but only because her information and experience was just too different than what we were looking for. She was slightly informative and gave a few ideas, but being honest, overall, I was disappointed because I walked away having no new outlook on my teaching ability and no ideas that I knew I wanted to use.



2) What made this professional development opportunity effective from your perspective?

I think what made it so effective for me was that I had the change to be an active participant. I wasn't just bombarded with a bunch of boring information. We had a blended crowd...there were a lot of actual professors there who have years of experience, some students workers, people with only bachelor's degree, and people with master's degree. I liked hearing different point of views from people who are currently in the position that I want to be in on day.



3) What is the PD strategy or strategies you plan to use in your Technology Integration Initiative? How will this strategy or strategies help you achieve the outcomes for your TI Initiative

I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to be doing just yet. I do know for sure that I will meet with Beth Thompson, coordinator of math support. In passing, I mentioned this to her and she said "Oh we will have lots to talk about!" This has to be my first step and all strategies will stem from this meeting. 

4) What will you need to do to provide leadership to successful professional development (here you might think back on the results and your analysis of your Leadership Assessment and/or the resources/challenges present in the context for delivering professional development)?

According to Mary Beth Hertz's blog, "schools need to ensure that they have a network of mentors and can provide an adequate number of coaches to support teachers' technology integration efforts". I couldn't agree more. For example, the room that I teach in underwent a makeover this summer and is now equipped with all new computers, a document camera, and a computer that allows you to write on the screen with a special pen and it be displayed to the students (I don't know what that's called!). Since day one of the semester, this special pen has been broken. I really don't know how to use this new technology, and the best I can do with it is to get the document camera to work, and that is even still sometimes a fight.

The point I'm trying to make here is that if I am going to be providing some type of new technology, or upgraded even, then I firmly believe that I need to provide correct training on how to use it. It's no good to me if I don't know how to use it, and therefore I can't and I'm not implementing it in my everyday classroom. This is an injustice for the people who worked to get it in there, the students who don't get a chance to see/use it, and to myself because I am unable to add this new technology to my repertoire.



Chapter 7:  Branding

What is "Brand-ed" School Leadership?


To me, brand-ed school leadership is simply how you represent your school. Obviously, it's not just that simple, but it's a good start. Just like the reputations of the brands that we know and love, brand-ed is a way to build a "fan base" for your school. You can market your school and get the word out telling the community about your school: it's values, it's culture, student achievements, funding, resources, create and share content, have two-way conversations, and just be an overall connector or your school, students, parents, and the whole community.

I think this line from chapter 7 sums it up nicely: "The creation and maintenance of a brand presence rely on the consistent and targeted use of social media for school communications and public relations. When combined with traditional methods, a leader's and school's brand will be established and resonate throughout the school and education community" (p.113-114)

Chapter 8: Professional Growth and Development

After reading Chapter 8, what experience do you have with PLN – Personal Learning Networks? Do you think using PLN would be an option in your workplace setting to promote professional growth and development?

I don't have much experience with PLN at all; only the blogs that I use for this class and EDUC 6810. I personally have a Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram account, none of which I use for school related reasons.

I do think that using a PLN could be an option in my current workplace setting. I could use some of the tools mentioned in the text to establish my own PLN and just go from there. I did create a Twitter account waaay back in the day, however, I've never used it and have long forgotten the password. I also took a business class during undergrad and was required to create a LinkedIn account. Again, I made it and that was it. Th tanks to this class, I have and use frequently a Google+ account. So it seems that I am already familiar with and connected through several online tools. Now, all I would need to do, is actually put these tools to work in the right area so that I could utilize them to their potential and create my PLN.

Also, I recently learned trough a comment on someone else's post that FSU has an online presence on many of these social media sites. It could be possible for me to somehow connect to that as well. To my knowledge, the Math department doesn't have anything in place that I could piggyback off of.