Highlight experiences with Kenan Fellows at NCCAT: Summer Institute
It was secluded and not very easy to find. As my GPS turned on and off at various points along my drive to this little hide-away, I wasn’t confident as to where I was going. I feeling nervous. I mean, I had never been here before. I did not know what to expect. Who else would be there? Will I be the first one to arrive? Did I pack my flash drive and my toothbrush? Why did the host mean advise to bring rain boots? I thought to myself, this whirl of thoughts and what did I forget to pack swirled around in my mind. And yes, as I drove up and around the mountain to my destination, I was more excited about what I was going to learn and experience during this week with the Kenan Fellows Program Summer Institute. “Turn right” my GPS chimed when I was about a mile away. I put my turn signal on and prepared to turn right. Driving up this narrow driveway into what I felt like was driving into clouds,the buildings appear to my left and right. “This looks nice”, I say out loud to myself, wide eyed in amazement that this opening was even back here. I park my car, got out and head towards the main building to meet the rest of the cohort members.
Day 1-Oh Happy Day. I met my tribe.
I was so excited! Can I say again, I was sooo excited! No one can truly know how much excitement I had on my way to NCCAT for the Kenan Fellows Program. I had to sit on my hands at one time to just contain myself. I was excited of what was to come. Excited about the connections, the wealth of resources, the lessons that I learned and most importantly, that I was chosen. Others were discovering my personality out-loud as I theirs through our Myers-Briggs Personality test results. It was becoming very real.
Day 2-Upload: Me Please!
The sessions from today were overwhelming. At some point, I had to just stop and say “ wait a minute- I can’t think about this right now. It’s too much!” But was it really? I found that I could handle it. I can handle tough conversations about diversity and inclusion. I could handle discovering what authentic, real-world connections with the curriculum I teach, I could walk my students (PBL), I mean project-based learning projects. And Digital Portfolios are now my new jam! Learning what I have been exposed to today, my professional outlook just got a little brighter. (Maybe a lot a bit!) There is so much that I can use in my classroom. Kenan where were you last year, when I needed these resources in my classroom. Wait, you were waiting for me.
Day 3-You want me to what?!
The rain was very soft this morning, but constant. While having breakfast with peers, I thought to myself, well I guess the planned scavenger hunt will be cancelled. Everything would have to be moved in doors. Secretly I was happy, but did not want to show it or appear uncooperative. I mean, I know there was a lot of work put into organizing and planning just for today. But I didn’t want to do what Kenan Program Manager, Mark Townley called ” Get nature on you”. Guess what, I did. As our day began, our visit to Judaculla Rock; a sacred Native American site which was an outcropping of soapstone boulder is covered with hundreds of ancient carvings known as petroglyphs. I was moved by the stillness of the mountains and the air of calm. We moved on to lunch by the river and complete missions in Goosechase as teams learned about various plant species, microorganisms along the trails, in the streams in the iNaturalist, yes even channeled our spirit ant. And yes, it rained the majority of the day and were were all in it, getting nature all over us. But the best part of it all, I got to work and play with a greater group of teachers. We laughed at our mishaps, our lack of understanding, we cheered and high-five each other when one of us completed a task on behave of the team. This is the feeling I wanted to bottle up and bring back to my students in my class. Although the day started bleak and less than sunny, you are as strong as your team. Nature was all over me that day.
Day 4 I love summer camp-that is Edcamp Kenan!
The best part of summer vacation as a child for me is summer camp! The longer days were not enough for me. I loved hanging out with my friends and new “ summer buddies” laughing and learning throughout the summer. I still felt connected to school. Yes, I was that child. Well adult summer camp is just as fun. But adult, I’m a teacher summer camp is even better. We explored how to Smash Apps, jumped off the Diving Board sessions and became inspired by Overcoming Obstacles from fellow mentor fellows. I earned my badges and stripes.
Day 5 Now it’s time to say Goodbye, to all my Kenan friends!
It’s the last day. I don’t want to leave my home away from home. My week at NCCAT at Cullowhee has been remarkable. As all the nervousness diminished, I opened up and peaked out of my shell, I roughed through the mud of project based learning (and literally through the mud), I felt armed and more prepared to take back to my school, my colleagues, my community and most importantly my students a wealth of information and resources we WILL use. I felt the compassion of other teachers, their excitement for learning more FOR their students, the level of commitment they have to seek out resources for their schools and communities instead of waiting for the resources to come to them. AND even more their love for the development of other teachers.
So, as we say pack our bags and cars, state our goodbyes, send travelling mercies, and exchange contact info (Thanks Randy for ordering our Kenan business cards) while receive our instructions for what is next to come in the program, I feel more confident as an educator. I am inspired to continue to push for what my students need in learning as well as teaching the whole child. So to my fellow Kenan members, community members,stakeholders, parents, and students I will continue to teach every student, every time.
A hidden retreat away from home for a week.