Reflections

It is hard to select just one highlight from this amazing week of Professional Development! If I reflect on Stephen Covey’s private victory and the four quadrants, there is one for each easily definable.

• Mind: This area, by far, is the one that has been most (over)stimulated, stretched, and challenged! The sheer volume of information received this week is astounding. Standing out foremost in my mind:
  • MBTI assessment: Diving deeper into the personality profile in greater detail was an intriguing exploration of how I have changed in the 2+ decades since taking the assessment in college. Seeing how the indicators interact, balance, and compliment each other has been deep insight into how my team relates and works together back at school.

This is the biggest takeaway for me in regards to classroom implementation. As an introvert I have always struggled with group assignments / projects. I want to find a modified version of the MBTI that I can have my students complete so that I may better assist them in discovering / defining who they are, and teach them how to work as a team regardless of personality mixes.

• • Branding myself as an educator: While I have certainly heard of this concept and applied it in previous professions, doing so as a teacher didn’t occur to me. Combined with the upcoming Leader In Me training and my recent refocusing on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits this brand exercise was pivotal. The phrase I settled on has already begun to change how I view the upcoming school year: Passionate, relevant, growth-oriented learning.
• Body: I think I have exercised more this week than I have in months! Beginning with a yoga practice Tuesday morning, two kayaking sessions, and a 4-mile day with the scavenger hunt I have moved more here than I have at home recently. I am pleasantly sore and motivated to continue nurturing my physical fitness when I return home.
• Heart: SO MANY NEW FRIENDS!
• Soul: Spending time on the water this week in a kayak has been refreshing and restoring on so many levels. The added bonus of bonding with new friends and like-minded educators has been a breath of fresh air.

This week has been the experience of a lifetime, and I am looking forward to this coming year and the adventures yet ahead.