Having completed all three Professional Advancement Institutes, what does this experience mean to you?

All three Professional Institutes were beneficial.  They provided me with the opportunity to view all aspects of education and not just being in the classroom.  It made me  more aware of the way our government works and how it has to determine what our tax payer dollars should be spent on.  I was able to find out more about myself as well.  Being giving the opportunity to step outside of the classroom and look at it in a different light was an eye opener. I was able to relinquish more power to my students in order for them to become leaders in the classroom.

• Of the three institutes which one did you find the most valuable and why? I benefited from all three but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed our initial meeting in Cullowhee.  During the week, I was given so many new ideas to try in my class that made me realize that I needed to be the teacher that found ways to get all of my kids excited about education.  I use to be very formal and did things one way.  I realized that it was acceptable for my students to make their own rules for their PBL’s and to give them a way to show me what they have learned besides on paper.
• How do the three institutes compare to other PD that you have had in the past? Previous PD’s that I have attended were basic and did not really cater to my needs.  No not all of the sessions that I attended via Kenan were used in my classroom but I was able to share some of the ideas with other teachers on my team and they have been able to use ideas in their class as well.  Through this fellowship, I have begun to tune in more to NC Spin.