My Professional Learning Plan "From a seed to an Apple Tree"

CEP 810, check! CEP 811, check!

 CEP 812…finished!

I can’t believe these 8 weeks of CEP 812 are over with. I have developed as an educator both scholastically and professionally in taking these courses. I  have learned so many effective teaching strategies and have an impressive list of resources and tools to use in my classroom.  

Technology is ever-changing. It changes the way we live, communicate and go about our everyday lives.  It becomes part of our routine.  It is now time for technology to change the way we teach our students.  Some educators contemplate whether to implement technology into the classroom; this should not be a choice but a must!   We live in the 21^st century!  As educators we are to prepare our students for the real world (which uses a ton of technology), not hold them back.  The amazing thing about being a teacher is we teach all professions. We teach future lawyers, firemen, soldiers, teachers, salesmen, accountants, carpenters, etc.   Our students hold our future.  It is vital we incorporate the TPACK system into our classroom and develop our students to have a 21^st century mindset with proficiency in collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving.

When incorporating technology into the classroom it shouldn’t be a substitution of learning but a transformation of learning.  Think, “How will using this tool enhance the learning of my students?”  We all have to accept the fact that implementing anything requires change.  I have not been teaching very long so change is easy for me because I am the "newbie" when I get hired.  Yet, some have been teaching for 20+ years and it gets harder to go away from their regular way.   We must think of the needs of our students and prepare them so they can give back to us one day when they are working citizens.  There are countless ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Money issues should no longer be a dispute. While taking CEP812 we have discovered so many FREE resources. Incorporating technology doesn't physically mean it has to be in used in classroom, it could be something as simple as a Twitter account where students can visit on their own time.  Every school has a tool in front of them almost daily, but most never realized how powerful it can be.  What do we use every day as teachers to take attendance?  The internet!  The internet is marvelous!

It offers:

• Podcasts
• Videos
• Blogs
• WebQuests
• Educational sites
• Resources for parents
• Infographics
• Google Sites, Docs, Apps, Hangout
• Twitter account (able to keep in touch with students, post reminders of assignments, collaboarte with other educators,etc.)
• Clickers (Fast response)
• Web 2.0

This list could go on forever.  

 “Teachers who inspire realize there will always be rocks in the road ahead of us.  They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how we use them.” -Author Unknown

It is never an easy road when changing your old habits and trying to adapt the new. It will take time, patience and practice.  There will be bumps and curves along the way.My professional learning plan is to take these rocks that I run into as stepping stones and use it to my advantage and pursue my goals:

• Complete MSU’s MAET program
• Continue to grow and study as an educator, never stop my learning.
• Collaborate, teach and share my ideas of technology with not only my students, but co-workers and friends.
• Research, research, research! There are so many tools out there, it is important that I take the time and see what is out there that can be of great benefit to my students and teaching.

I plan to be that teacher that INSPIRES and takes the stepping stones to become that amazing technological educated teacher!  I may have just been a tiny seed in the beginning but now I am a beautiful tree that grows delicious well-rounded apples. Not the best metaphor, but I think you will get it once you watch my Prezi. I am still not where I need to be, but I am definitely blossoming into what the kids would say, an awesome "techy" teacher. 

Please see the growth I have made and my plan for the future below in the Prezi I made.