I am currently sitting in my classroom for the first time since June.  And it actually feels good to be back!  I am so excited to incorporate all the new things I’ve learned this summer from my Kenan Fellowship.  I think the number one “something learned” that I will take with me for the remainder of my career is the attitude of “let me try it out”!  After seeing SO many new technologies and learning from SO many new friends, I have realized that trying out innovative ways of teaching is not as scary as it seems!  I’m now ready to continue to learn and improve my own teaching so that I don’t end up being one of those teachers who gets complacent and teaches the same thing year after year.

There are some specific things that I learned this summer that I am already starting to use now.  I have set up a Remind 101 account to text parents and students about important dates and reminders for my classes.  I will also be holding an online discussion about nuclear chemistry, using Padlet in a few weeks.  I’m going to attempt to write a grant for the first time so that I can get more chemistry equipment.  And I’m going to incorporate more research (using pre and post surveys) to get better feedback from my students and to develop better relationships with them.  These are just a FEW of the ways I will be improving my teaching because of my Kenan experience!