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Looking back to when I was in school and looking the way students are learning now has indeed changed over the centuries. School back then was mostly do as I say not as I do; we were giving directions and were expected to give the answer. When it was wrong, we received a big fat F. I can remember there being some hands-on things but not much because our teachers back then were so strict and that’s the way we learned. Now fast forward til today when students learn they have so much freedom maybe too much freedom. Which in my eyes have made them soft because they really don’t know what hard work is? Its almost like things are just being handed to the kids and they still can’t grasp the content giving to them. The primary lesson learned from visiting 60 schools is to just start innovating change even if the school is not ready just start some where and eventually change can start to begin and form for students and teachers who are scared to implement change.

For century’s we as learners have been taught one way to learn, it wasn’t until I got into this master’s program that I learned it was other ways to learn and to teach learners by giving them choices through COVA. When it comes to making meaningful connections between the teachers and students, we really have lost our way because now instead of teaching the learners about real life situation that they will have to face in the real world we are teaching them how to pass standardized test. Far as my learning skills I consider myself to be both dependent an independent learner reason being I’m still learning which makes me (dependent) and taking what I have learned and applying it to what I already know (independent). The goal is to create a significant learning environment where students will feel comfortable, being able to create effective outcomes so that our learners can make meaningful connections. These connections will allow the students to gain a deeper understanding of the concept. Reference: Collecting dots vs connecting dots. YouTube. (2021, January 18). Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://youtu.be/_7o3Jh1KZLw Aligning Outcomes, Activities & Assessments: Learners Mindset fundamentals. YouTube. (2021, February 24). Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://youtu.be/YsmbuD00Vfg

This week I decided to go sub at a school and when I tell you these kids are so different they are. There is no discipline for the students which makes it harder on the teachers who have to teach them. The parents dont give a damn either and its rather sad. I have gotten to the point where I dont like coming because it does something to my mental and I have to take mental breaks here and there and it should not have to be this way. Here I am just a subsitute and I feel there needs to be a major change and soon because our district is losing teachers left and right and our students are not learning anything not because the teachers arent teaching but because the students dont care to listen. Just like the children are running their parents at home they are trying to run the school and its just not working anymore. Like what can be done to fix this problem so we can start working as a team and stray away from fixed mindset to growth mindset within our Learning community. Im really over it.

Professional Learning: Risk Taking 5389 After watching OCSB: Risk Taking video for this week I realized how important it is to not be afraid of taking risk when it comes to me just being a substitute. Just because I don’t have my own classroom, I can still be a big influence on the students that I encounter. Now don’t get me wrong I try my best to keep the students influenced through little funny stories that will keep them interested since they lose focus so fast. In my opinion to be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation you must first be willing to put your pride aside in all honesty kids now days are children of the digital world, so they do know a lot more about that part and they have taught me things I had no clue about. Giving children the opportunity to feel like they’re in charge is somewhat good but the district I’m currently these children really need to be the ones to listen giving them this type of power will not be good because they already don’t listen. Leaving traditional learning and elevating our way to the new culture of leaning will take time to get it all together BUT will not be hard to do or maintain especially when the teache.rs team up Reference: Innovation that sticks case study - OCSB: Risk taking ... (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAMcjUzdVnE

Walking the Walk For this week class videos and discussion it is very clear and important that the principals need to get involved when it come to Professional Development there needs to be some form of collaboration between Principals and their staff (the teachers). Since being in the school district I have learned firsthand how the teachers are being treated and its not good. Yes, teachers are role models but who are teachers to look up to with little to no help in the classrooms. Being that schools are now cutting budgets because funds are low teachers are stranded and when the teachers are not available the students are stranded. Its honestly just a big mess that needs to be fixed. Principals have a bigger job that requires a lot but if they are not demonstrating good leadership skills when it comes to helping the teachers who help the students the whole school fails. Even if the principals are not on board the teacher doesn’t have to wait….. if they see there is a problem especially if they can fix it, I believe they will because as a teacher our students are our babies, and we try our hardest to help them while they’re under our care to the best of our ability and will more than likely go above and beyond. Teachers and students can make their own collaboration group their own learning environment. Reference: Innovation that sticks case study - OCSB: Collaborative Professional Development. YouTube. (2016, May 19). Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://youtu.be/iUusuw-xdr4

I was very fortunate at an early age to be able to be put on programs at church. I didn’t know why then but now I know that every time my mom volunteered me to participate in a program it was for me to be able to deal with large audiences of people. Being 5 and 6 years old standing up in front of people is so scary but just as Simon Sinek mention you just must be yourself, own the room, and know your stuff (Sinek). He mentioned more but those three stuck out to me because that’s what you must do for anyone to really believe what you say is true. Now when giving a speech sometimes you are faced with roadblocks that can’t be preventable but in the nature in which one occurs you will be able to get though those objections and be able to push forward. By getting your audience involved come up with a way to make a joke just to get by but never just stand there or say ummmmm like you’re thinking that really throws off what your trying to get across to the audience. Both videos from this week were very good to watch even though I know im good a public speaking I get nervous and have to stop, pause, and get make on track. Resources: Simon Sinek - how to present properly(part 5). YouTube. (2018, January 10). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://youtu.be/msvmLlAkOno

Sitting here scrolling through the news on abc 13 and come across a article about Houston ISD and the funds set aside for the district as a whole and it looks like there have been a extreme shortage when it comes to funding the schools with substitute teachers. The funds have been cut so low that schools are actually turning away Subs…..but I thought that’s what the schools needed in order to have someone teaching the students. Now if there are no Subs to help teachers in time of need or when they are out then who is going to step and help the students maintain and be successful. The new superintendent has joined a messed up system and they expect him to come in and change this crap over nigh. Hell that ain’t gon work because it took decades to mess it up. We need a Resolution ASAP because at this point I see no Hope for our future students within our current learning system.

After reviewing this week’s videos and readings I honestly needed the videos by Sir Ken Robinson and Daniel Pink’s. Another eye opener to what we as educators see daily and it I very clear that our educational system is truly messed up and change is needed. Ok yes, we know this but, how do we get over this messed up system and start implementing change? (They say you don’t suppose to answer your own questions but I’m going to answer this one LOL). Well according to Sir Ken Robinson, we have to bring on a learning revolution and that’s by having passion towards what motivates you as a person. Being an educator (sub), I have realized and understand these children need to be motivated daily and I got my confirmation through watching these videos. My mom tells me all the time “Girl them kids need you go make their day”. Now her telling me that motivates me and then I go motivate the children and that’s sometimes all we need is for someone to motivate us. In the second video by Daniel Pinks was all about motivation he mentioned 3 elements that helps motivate people and that is autonomy, engagement, and purpose. Maintaining self-control over the situation in most of our cases the classroom, engaging with our students, doing is with passion and purpose. These videos really influenced me because they have allowed me to continue to motivate and continue having passion because someone must do it. I really enjoyed this weeks videos they just did something to me. D, S., B, J. (n.d.). How People Learn Bridging Research and Practice. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/9457/chapter/1 Robinson, K. (2010, May 24). Bring on the learning revolution! | Sir Ken Robinson. YouTube. https://youtu.be/r9LelXa3U_I RSA ANIMATE: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. (2010, April). RSA ANIMATE: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. YouTube. https://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc ‌ ‌

Discussion 1 After viewing this week’s reading’s along with the video provided, I’ve come to realize that teachers from way back when where fighting not only for the students but for themselves. Teachers are faced with so much and no one really understand but Teachers (lol). This week reading and video shared light on how we can start making Professional Learning and Professional Development better not only for the students but for the teachers as well. I would like to identify myself as an average tech teacher meaning I know a little something now when it comes to some of my colleagues which are realizing that technology is needed are not to fund of this new stuff and prefer to teach by the books. After viewing the articles provided I kind of see why this is a huge issue and that is because well in my opinion teachers are not properly trained professionally basically just thrown out there to fend for themselves then we have to try to help our students it’s a big mess and really needs to be fixed which is why I think the mirage report was created and why it is important to begin implementing it into our districts. The mirage report is important because it will widely challenge the perception among educational leaders while improving teachers’ professional development. Keeping funding. Building guidance within teachers giving them the ability to speak up. Hill, H.C. (2015). Review of “The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development.” Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved [March 29, 2022] from http://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/review-tntp-mirage.

After viewing this week’s discussion videos pertaining to focusing on being able to help this new culture of learners, I’ve come to realize that we as educators that want to see change in our students, we must first look at the educational system as a whole. Some where along the line the system got messed up especially when they started adding standardized test. Thinking back to when I had to take those tests, I honestly hated them. It made me hate taking test all together. The best way to look at the entire learning environment in my opinion is to first look at the pieces that is forming the environment together. This reminds me of a puzzle….to see to full picture of the puzzle you must put the correct pieces together to see the bigger picture. Currently I am a substitute but, within my current learning environment I have been more proactive than reactive, and I say this because when dealing with this new generation of learners I must remain on my toes at all times when it comes to dealing with the students, I’ve come in contact within this new generation of learning. Now days our children don’t like to think on their own the love to grab the phone instead of solving the problem. Getting our children to start using their giving tools can help them go further in their educational learning process. Not only will it help them in school but in the real world as well. Being able to push our children to do better is my main goal and helping them believe in the self. Works Cited TEDx Talks. (2012, September 12). A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas at TEDxUFM. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM80GXlyX0U&feature=youtu.be

I sure wish Spring Break could've lasted a little while longer. I mean when i was coming up I remember Spring break being at least 2weeks. Anyway class is back in session. The last 8 weeks I had the pleasure of taking Dr. Grogan, which her class has prepared me for the 2 classes I will be taking this semester....yes 2 (LOL). But I know I can do it because with God all things are possible along with putting my best foot forward by studying, scrolling to the bottom of every page, turning in assignment, participating in class and group discussion and just overall doing whatever it is I need to do in order to come out on top. As I always say ITS ONLY UP FROM HERE.....meaning knocking out every obstacle thrown your way push through no matter what.

Kicked this semester off with 1 class which was great because after reading over the upcoming class schedule I knew all 10 finger and 10 toes had to be on board and that 5304 would have me moving around especially when it came to the readings and books, I would need to complete this semester. Overall, I pushed all that doubt to the side and dove straight into the pool headfirst (Scary) but I’ve managed to stay in the game and put my best foot forward at all times no matter if in fact I do mess up. Which I did and its ok because as I always say is not how you start but how you finish. Long as you keep your head in the game you can’t lose. Having a learning community of colleagues was a huge blessing and something that I have looked forward to since being apart of this program. I also know that since being in this program I have met some amazing individuals that all bring different techniques to the table and that is what helps our learning community keep going. For this semester the learning community I was apart of consisted of four people which included James, Monika, Ericka, and myself. Our group met every Thursday@7pm via Zoom/Microsoft Teams. Each meeting was never the same because each assignment was never the same. Our weekly discussion was on point, and everyone got a chance to say or show how the interpret the readings for the week. Being able to communicate, grab notes if class was missed or just to move ahead on future assignments my group members done that and more plus within this program you will need several colleagues to get through. Having a caring team with positive attitudes and encouragement pushed me to go harder. “We started together we finish together no man/woman left behind plus there’s always room for improvement. Being a part of a group, this semester was extremely helpful due to all the unexpected bull crap I faced this semester. It was so many times I wanted to say forget this and just throw in the towel especially after missing my first assignment well turning it in super late. After getting off to a rough start and putting my head back in the game I made it my business to add all group members to our chat as well as make sure we had reminders set up for our weekly meetings. Having those reminders were indeed a great help not just for me but the entire group especially since we all have another life outside of school. This semester I grade myself a score of 78, the reason I give myself this grade is because I let one assignment slip through the cracks because I turned it in late which was totally my fault. I was so devasted, but I got my s*** together and dust the dirt off and went back to work. I quickly learned my lesson and tried my hardest and best not to miss anymore assignments, readings, and continued to stay on top of my class discussions. The biggest lesson I learned this semester was communication not only with my team members but my professor as well. I have really enjoyed 5304 the readings will not only help me with this degree but also how I handle whirlwinds in my daily life.