So what did I do on my summer vacation?

I learned a lot about home construction, materials, and the markets.
I learned that Challenging the Status Quo is how I think. I like to try new things in order to have my students experience the real world.
I learned that there are companies that see the value of partnering with educators.
I learned that you can make roofing products from recycled bottle caps, wrappers, shrink plastic, and talc.
I learned that if you Think Different you will be rewarded with new ideas.
I learned that networking is critical for teachers, especially networking with people outside of education.
I learned about the maker movement and want to try to bring some of the “tinkering” into my classroom.
I learned about TweetDeck and how Twitter brings a lot of information to the teacher.
I learned that you get more ideas the more you can think.
I learned that innovation can be supported by modeling and challenging my students to think different.
I learned that I am no longer suited for working in the corporate world.
I learned that there are educators who think different like I do.
I learned how to bring Genius Hour into my classroom and tailor it to my needs.
I learned that I want to learn more about materials engineering and chemistry.
I learned that a career in science or engineering is really exciting.  It is more than just working in a lab. There are important and challenging problems that need scientists to provide solutions. Science is really cool in the real world.
I learned that my fellowship has provided me opportunities to network with a variety of people. I hope to continue those relationships throughout the year to bring materials science to elementary students.
I learned that going out to a restaurant for lunch is fabulous!
I learned it is wonderful to have an ice cream social on your last day.