Summer Institute I Highlights…A Week at NCCAT in Cullowhee

A “work week” at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, or NCCAT, should NOT be allowed to serve as a “work week.” This center is truly meeting its purpose- to rejuvenate teachers and provide them with resources in their profession.

This past week in the Kenan Fellows Summer Institute  was long and busy, yet relaxing and refreshing. I left Cullowhee with approximately 547,482 technology tools and websites use in my classroom. When considering the highlight of my week, it could have been the FANTASTIC meal service:

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I have a husband and two children under three years of age at home. This past week I did not have to cook in or clean the kitchen…every mother’s dreamland! The only way that I did not gain ten pounds this week at NCCAT was because of my long, QUIET, relaxing hikes each morning. These hikes could have been my favorite part of the week…

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Check out the awesome fungi I met!

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On Wednesday, we enjoyed a beautiful trip down the Nantahala River with our NOC guides and biologists, Peter and Mark. With a birthday on Earth Day and a college minor in Natural Resources, I was in heaven. This could have been my favorite part of the week- no computer screens, no required chair sitting….it was just fabulous.

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In stark contrast, I even had an enjoyable time on Tuesday and Thursday learning about the 547,482 technology tools I could use in my room. Honestly, I really enjoyed learning how to “Flip” my classroom and listening to all of the smooth sounds of Kahoot. One of my close friends through the week, Melissa, even helped me overcome my past “Pinterest Anxiety” and get back into pinning awesome ideas for my classroom.  I worked with a small group to review all of the awesome tips, apps, and websites from the week and place them on a Pinterest board.  This is a great way for me to apply my love of Pinterest to my career and will prevent “mini mom meltdowns” over the birthday cake or home decorating ideas from Pinterest that I can NEVER complete. My time spent learning about new techniques in the classroom and my work in small groups could have been the best part of my week…

Check out my mini group’s best ever Pinterest board:

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I truly enjoyed my week at NCCAT, but the real highlight of the week was not something found in Cullowhee or a product of the Summer Institute Agenda.  The real highlight of my week was found in the people that I was able to meet and the realization that there is not one single personality, background, or passion that makes someone a great teacher. I spent the week with people from every cultural background, personality type, and area of North Carolina. I met some individuals who were “born” to be teachers because teaching was in their blood. I became friends with two beautiful women that became mothers in high school and still worked their way through college to become successful in their careers. Teaching is a passion that is not sparked by the same thing for us all. It is a passion that finds us where we are, and helps us to work through the tough years, low pay, and screaming parents to help our students meet their future goals.