When I start seeing Back to School supplies in the seasonal section of Target, I usually cringe.  I know it means I’ll be getting a “Welcome Back” letter from my principal in the mail soon…which will lead to teacher workdays and then the swarms of students again…and the end of summer freedom.  However, this year I am actually excited about going back to school!  I feel like I’m on top of the game and I’m so pumped to implement all the things I learned this summer!

I love using technology in my class….but it intimidates me and I often shy away from new things that I hear about because I don’t know enough about them.  But not this year!  I feel like I am ahead of my colleagues because of all the professional development we did this summer.  I’m ready to have my students participate in online discussions using Padlet and make videos with Animoto.  I also want to create online presentations with Screencastomatic for my maternity leave substitute to use this winter so those students don’t get behind while I’m out.  I am going to try to collect and USE more data from my students to help me become a better teacher.  And I want to try writing a grant for some chemistry equipment that I’ve been trying to get for several years now.  I feel like I have so many new tools at my fingertips and I can’t wait to try them!

In addition to incorporating information from our PD workshops, I will also be piloting the program I’m developing at my externship with the Morehead Planetarium.  It is all about science teachers leading “Decision Rooms” in their classes.  I love the idea of having students read current science articles and then debate the societal issues involved.  I’m excited to try this out in my own lessons.

Finally – I will be taking this experience with me in the form of new friendships and colleagues.  I am definitely going to keep in touch with the friends I’ve made here because they are amazing teachers and I have already learned so much from them!