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Jessica Foster
7th and 8th grade ELA
Papers of Significance
Throughout my experiences at Michigan State University, I have had the privilege to become more involved in my current organization (school district) in the subjects of Literacy and Leadership in Technology. My portfolio and hyperlinked buttons reflect some of the revelations I have had that have allowed my progression toward becoming a professional who is perpetually improving in these two areas.
Within this project, I learned that to be comfortable grading a genre of writing, I must be comfortable writing it myself. I also learned that argumentative writing does not lend well to the "five paragraph essay," and that to write poetry, you absolutely must read a lot of poetry. I also learned the value of reading in front of students.
Writing and Grading Argument and Poetry
Literacy
Through this project, I learned that the key to helping kids with literacy is to understand where they are already literate and differentiate to it. Because of this project, I am using blogging and Edmodo in my classroom this year.
A Realistic Outlook on Maximalism
This project was more about the process of education. What I learned was that you have to want to learn, there is no right way to learn, and that the internet is one of the biggest burgeoning landscapes on which everything is readily available. Sometimes that lends to learning, and sometimes it just makes us more helpless.
The Effectiveness of iPads in Education
This was a major in-depth study that I did on the pros and cons of using the iPad in a school district where every student has the device. It covers the history of the iPad in education, tools that can be utilized by teachers, learning curves that need to be addressed, and distractions that inevitably coincide with using technology within the classroom.
Within this project and semester-long study, I learned that "critical" means finding truth or extracting a big idea from a text. It also means to pick something apart and not take anything at face value. Sometimes perspective can be a type of truth, even if one does not nexessarily agree with it. Through this study, I found ways to incorporate more critical thinking into my class practices as a teacher.
Throughout this assignment, I was pushed out of my comfort zone. Previously, I was content to be a part of a larger group, occasionally participating. This leadership challenge forced me to implement an idea that I had to better my department, and spearhead the program. Analyzing and overcoming challenges has made me into a more assertive, conscientious leader.
Leadership
This leadership challenge was to take a look at a one-sided problem that a colleague was having and offer advice to move forward in a positive manner. Sometimes it is hard to see past issues that blind us to real situations. This assignment was about pulling off those blinders in the better interest of the students that we teach.
Leadership is easy when the followers are amenable. This is not always the case in education. This assignment taught me that it was important to consider context and realistic goals, as well as consistent communication with stakeholders when dealing with children who have difficult issues to overcome in the classroom.
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