Highlight of NCCAT week: White Water Rafting: There is something fascinating about a fresh water ecosystem. I enjoyed the botany talk of St. Claire’s Island and learning how unique abiotic factors contribute to biodiversity, which is an important learning objective in fifth grade science. Of course, the most memorable part of the trip was jumping into the freezing cold waters of the Nantahala River. This may not be a big deal for many, but I am not an adrenaline junkie. Actually, I tend to avoid unnecessary risks, and I do not like to be cold. Why did I jump in? Because my peers encouraged me. Yes, peer pressure is alive and well even among adults. This experience made me reflect on the role of peer pressure in the classroom. Often, peer pressure has a negative connotation, because it is usually an excuse for poor choices. As in the Nantahala example, peer pressure can be a positive force to urge others to take risks they do not have the courage to do alone. Just as I was hesitant to participate in the troll bridge, many students are hesitant about their school work. We could discuss the many factors that are ultimately out of our control (difficult home life, past failures, etc.) or we can focus our energies on creating an environment in which positive peer pressure and risk-taking are the norm. Can this be a difficult goal for teachers of adolescent students? Absolutely, but we are professionals, and we are handle the challenge. I would love to hear what my colleagues are doing to leverage positive peer pressure in the classroom. Please share your comments below.

Impact on the Classroom: Twitter “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” -Abraham Maslow.  Anyone who has ever attempted even the most basic repair has felt the frustration of not having the right tool for the job. I will admit I have used a wrench to drive a nail, because the hammer was not close by. Reflecting back on my teaching career, I know I have made the same mistake as a teacher. I saw an obstacle and used whatever tool I had to fix it. Honestly, this is probably acceptable in the first few years of teaching when there are just a few tools in the toolbox, but as the years rush by I gather as many tools as possible. This week I added a tool to my teacher collection: Twitter. Using social media can help me achieve two goals:

#1 Professional networking: What can I glean from my colleagues beyond my school?

#2 Community/parent connection: How can I highlight students’ work and keep parents up-to-date about class events?

Today’s Takeaway: Follow me on Twitter @guerrerosclass

Least favorite session: My least favorite session was about Project Based Learning. I was looking for concrete activities to use in my classroom, but the example given was a high school situation. It would have been helpful to share resources for how to start a PBL in the classroom and give various examples across grade levels and subject areas.

NCCAT and other PD: My Kenan Fellows NCCAT week was one of the most uplifting professional development experiences I have ever had. It was wonderful to be surrounded with so many like-minded teachers who are open to change. Trainings geared directly toward my teaching situation are wonderful, but nothing can replace the energy of true professionals and impromptu collaboration. EdCamp is a great example of how this week differed from most professional development. The ability to choose what I learn is liberating! I would like to host an EdCamp within my school. I work with many talented teachers, but rarely have the opportunity to glean from them. It feels we are always rushing to meetings, rather than learning from each other. Perhaps my administration would be open to having an EdCamp during one of our early release professional development days.

 Most useful session: Justin’s STEM session was useful, because he focused on how STEM should be inquiry based and gave examples of activities we could use in the classroom. His activities were very practical, such as straw rockets and pipe cleaner towers. I think this was one of my favorite sessions, because he teaches a similar age range as me. It will be easy to integrate his ideas into my classroom setting. I also appreciated his willingness to share resources and look forward to seeing what I can learn from him in the future!