I went back to work at a brand new school last Friday! I am so excited to be working at Mills Park Middle School. In addition, I have had the opportunity to inform many individuals about my Kenan Fellowship. I am excited to watch our dandelions grow and analyze the data throughout the school year. I have used Google Docs a great deal since NCCAT. I have learned how to create and share documents. I even created classes using Google Classroom. I will also be using www.remind.com to send out email and text reminders to my students and parents. The beginning of the school year is such a hectic time. Yesterday, was an open house at my school. Students and their parents reported to their child’s homeroom teacher to receive supply lists and briefly meet teachers. I have 120 students and probably met about 75% of those students and their parents yesterday. I am looking forward to a great school year!

My fellowship ignited my passion for science again. I truly would like to teach science after working in the lab for three weeks. I enjoyed running DNA extractions, PCR, and gel electrophoresis on soil samples. I believe science and math are so interconnected and there are numerous ways that I can incorporate science within my curriculum.  I think one of the most important things that I gleaned from my fellowship is the importance of collaboration. I loved collaborating and working with Amy, Laura, and my mentors at the museum. We wrote our lesson plans together and worked on the soil project together. I am determined to incorporate collaborative work within my curriculum this school year. I think I would have been a little intimidated if I had to go through this process alone.  

As  I reflect on my summer and the many activities that I was involved in, I have to admit that this has been one of the best summers of my life. I have been telling everyone about my Kenan Fellowship. I have been in Michigan since Wednesday, July 30, 2014 visiting family. I shared my experiences with my family. My time at the Museum increased my appreciation and respect for nature. I enjoy gazing at a beautiful sunset or picturesque waterfall. I want to go back to Prairie Ridge to watch birds. This is rather ironic for me, since I have never been an”outdoor person.”  I have always enjoyed playing tennis, basketball, and volleyball though.  I absolutely loved working at the Museum. Everyone was so friendly and treated us with such respect. They viewed us as experts in our fields. This was such a good feeling because teachers do not always receive the respect they deserve. I enjoyed NCCAT  and the Professional Development Institute. I also have enjoyed meeting and connecting with so many awesome educators. This fellowship has also helped me to appreciate the importance of collaborating with others. I want to incorporate this within my classroom.  I believe  that you must experience being a Kenan Fellow in order to truly appreciate it!