Monthly Archives: June 2013

NCCAT Highlight….Teamwork Works!

 

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller

Regardless of the task with which we were charged this past week at NCCAT, teamwork seemed to be the unifying theme. From working together with strangers (who quickly became friends) to build a marble “bridge”, flip a tarp from side to side with only the use of our feet, escape a fiery pit of death by walking together on “floating” white squares, or collaborate to rescue our three tennis ball “students”, we quickly saw that together we could achieve much more.

Rafting

The theme spilled over as we tackled more challenges….most notably, rafting. Though I was not thrilled with the initial thoughts of possibly plunging headfirst into bitterly cold water, I must admit that the rafting experience was a high point of the week. Although I’m certain we had the best river guide (Hank, whom we renamed Ryan), during multiple times on our trip we had to work together as a team to navigate the raft to appropriate locations. Together it was possible….alone it would have been nearly impossible. I’m thankful that, through teamwork, I remained relatively dry and in the raft!

DPI Fellows

As I consider the task ahead of me, working towards the completion of my unit, I know that I will rely on my team of fellows, the wonderful ladies who have accepted the same challenge as me. Though we may not teach the same grades, we have the same goal….making teaching and learning better for teachers and students across North Carolina. I am proud to be one of the “Fabulous Five” working to create fabulous ELA units for NC teachers!

Kenan Fellows 2013-14

Most notably, I am proud of the 2013-2014 Kenan Fellows “team” that has been created and charged with making incredible things happen across the state. Together we can achieve more….and together we will achieve greatness! Go team!

Meet My Mentor…

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“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” ~John C. Crosby

I will have the pleasure of working with Lisa Llewellyn McIntosh, K-5 English Language Arts Consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. During my fellowship, I will create an ELA unit plan focused on specific Common Core Standards, which will be available for use by elementary school teachers. In addition, I will work with other Kenan Fellows involved in the same fellowship to create and host a webinar on our created materials.

This summer I will spend the majority of my time planning and creating curriculum materials. I will also spend a week working with my mentor and other leaders from DPI in Summer Institutes held across the state. As a result, I know that I will learn greatly from the expertise of my mentor and look forward to our work together.

What Will This Experience Bring?

Plants 1

“Learn wisdom from the ways of a seedling. A seedling which is never hardened off through stressful situations will never become a strong productive plant.” ~ Steven Sigmund

What exactly is a Kenan Fellow? Though this is a question I have been asked by colleagues and administrators across my district since the announcement of my fellowship, I have yet to find one definitive answer. The closest description I have provided was “I am a learner, a teacher, and a motivator. The Kenan Fellowship will allow me to use my willingess to learn about ways to transform my pedagogy, take what I have learned and apply it in the classroom, while also encouraging other professionals to follow suit. Being a Kenan Fellow means my voice, my ideas, the good stuff I have to share can be heard by educators across the state.”

When considering what the Kenan experience will bring professionally and personally, I am reminded of Steven Sigmund’s quote. In many ways, teachers are like seedlings. Whether we are 20 year veterans or newly inducted into the profession, we are a resilient group. We face unique challenges daily, as we work with struggling students, shoulder increased curriculum and accountability demands, deal with limited resources and funding, and work to keep parents involved in the educational process. We work through the hard situations, becoming stronger and more determined to make our teaching more effective.

What will this experience bring? I’m certain it will bring many more questions, both from others as well as from myself. I know that I will grow professionally through this experience, as I deepen my understanding of the Common Core and how to best educate students. I also see personal growth, as I develop new friendships with this group of colleagues who share the unique “Kenan” bond. Overall, I don’t think this experience is about bringing me to a realization of what all the right answers are….rather a deeper appreciation and understanding of what the right questions are and how those questions bring about growth, in my students and myself.

What will this Kenan experience bring for you?

 photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/onegiantleap/4124211492/”>Jackal of all trades</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/”>cc</a