The small victories that add up to huge success……

I have taken many of the activities, opportunities, and lessons that I have participated in and or reviewed within my Kenan Fellowship and utilized them this year. One moment that happened recently that I have not seen a true cognitive understanding with in past years was with a circuit activity. We did an activity with circuit boards in which students become part of the circuit. I was fortunate that one of the teachers I work with had acquired the circuit boards last year post circuit unit and this was the first time that she had used the boards with the students. I participated in the activity in our October Institute and was like a child with enthusiasm after completing and becoming part of the circuits.
The students were just as excited and had a full and concrete concept of both the vocabulary and concepts behind circuits. I shared with them my experience and the picture of my participation and they were as intrigued and excited as I had been. It also fed a healthy and lengthy conversation about complete circuits, materials that serve as insulators and conductors, and I can say with confidence a more cognitively based and solid understanding than in years past. The A-HA moments happen daily. Sometimes they are a smile or a giggle that indicates that they are happy to understand and be productive in what they are doing. Sometimes the moments are monumental and newsworthy. One thing is for certain. All of the moments are what continues to keep us in this profession. Seeing a child connect the dots or make a discovery is priceless.