What a week!

What a week! As I sit here writing my last reflection of my masters program, I am planning out my first activity in my brand new course, teaching Math Matters to 6th, 7th and 8th graders! Very exciting times!

The program is a new course that I am designing to include hands-on, interactive, innovative, and technology based activities to show students how math is used in the real world. I could not have planned better timing!

Walden has completely prepared me for this venture and has inspired me to look beyond the classroom walls to bring the world and all it has to offer to my students. Many of the lesson plans or activities that I have developed through the program and all the ideas shared and gained from my cohort will allow me the confidence to take on this project without any doubt and to continue to build on these ideas. I am motivated and ready.

The energy gained through this situation has encouraged me to stand out among my colleagues by bringing ideas and supporting their ideas to include technology resources. My school district is extremely fortunate and has resources readily available and a board and superintendent willing to support teachers’ innovativeness. I plan to take this energy and confidence and help my colleagues incorporate their ideas into 21st century skill-based activities, but will remember to do this reasonably and with a patient, kind spirit.

Technology for many is scary and taking complete leaps into some of these projects is difficult. I hope to be a supportive and patient liaison for my colleagues both veterans and beginning teachers alike.

I am grateful to my cohort groups and my professors here at Walden and feel very prepared to take on this role due to the many interesting dialogues we have had. I have learned to stop and really listen to others ideas and points of view and feel the discussion platform has really helped me with this. I also feel the discussions helped me see what it is really like in other areas of the country and what other districts are doing. All too often I get caught up in my own world; I just assume everyone else’s world is similar.

The program has offered a lot and has made a difference in ways I was not prepared but will benefit from for the rest of my life. Good luck to everyone and thank you for a fabulous experience!