Each of you have come a long way on your journey to be literacy
leaders where ever you are now and in whatever role you take on. I'd
like for you to reflect on your growth as a literacy leader from the
beginning of the semester. Revise your Self as a Literacy Leader poster to demonstrate that
growth. When you respond to this blog, embed your link to your poster in
the comment. Also briefly summarize where you think your greatest area
of growth has been and why you think that is your greatest area of
growth. Please do this by May 4 at 7 pm.
Return to this blog after that time.
Using the links provided you, visit the poster of each of the other members of your group. What else do you see as their growth? Give one compliment
about the poster in general and one compliment about how they have grown.
Please do this by May 9 at midnight. I'll be visiting as well.
Don't forget that your grant proposal in a final form is due May 1 at 11 pm.
While you are working on and uploading those posters and finishing up coaching as per our discussion in class, I'll be in Uganda planning with women peace advocates for a grassroots women's peace conference to occur in June in Northern Uganda. I'll have some internet access but not enough to download your coaching projects until I return. I'll get the grant proposals downloaded and graded as I travel. Thanks for your patience with me.
I have enjoyed working with each of you this semester, and look forward to seeing some of you again in the Fall!
Here is the link to my Final Self as a Literacy Leader poster:
ReplyDeletehttps://prezi.com/view/j0prmAx50n3K68pcGDsr/
I think my greatest area of growth was in advocacy. That section on my poster did not even exist in the original. I did not see myself as much of a literacy leader or an advocate at the beginning of the semester, but due to current events and what I have learned this semester through this course that has changed dramatically.
I now realize that I AM a literacy leader and that I do have the ability to be an advocate for positive changes in literacy.
I had never written a grant, been to the Capitol, spoken with a legislator, considered myself knowledgeable of current policy decisions, or felt comfortable in sharing my beliefs and knowledge with stakeholders in the community. I can now say that all of those things have changed! In these few short months I have visited the Capitol multiple times, met and spoke with a legislator, become knowledgeable of local policy, had my first teacher-related article published in the paper, attended support rallies, and written my first grant! I plan to continue these my efforts to become an event stronger advocate for the students I serve.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMykal, I am so happy and excited for you to put all of your knowledge from the program to good use in your new leadership role as a reading specialist. Wooo!!! I know you will be absolutely amazing in helping students and in supporting continued teacher growth at your school. I loved looking at and reading about all the ways that you have grown as an advocate and especially thought it was so cool that you were able to have your words published in the newspaper. Too cool! Overall, your poster was very professional and it is evident that you are a very knowledgeable and effective literacy leader. Awesome job!!!
DeleteMykal,
DeleteCongrats again on your new position and completion of the program!! I'm so excited for you and the new journey you will be embarking. You are such a passionate and knowledgeable educator and I know you will be an effective literacy leader at your school. I love that your poster included being a lifelong learner. As educators and leaders, it's important to understand that the learning never ends. You definitely posses the traits of an effective leader and I'm so excited to see how you will impact your school in a positive manner!
Mykal,
DeleteClearly you have grown - look at your new job! Congrats :) I know you will do an amazing job! I think your Prezi is very well thought out and concise. It clearly shows how you have grown as a literacy leader.
This semester, my greatest area of growth was definitely in Adult Learning Theory and how to create an effective professional development environment. Prior to this course, I myself had a disinterested view in professional development. However, after learning about characteristics and aspects to make it more relatable, practical, and problem-centered, I believe I can create this environment for my fellow colleagues in the school. I know how to appeal to my audience and develop a choice-based and interactive experience. I am excited to take on this role at my school and make professional development more engaging, motivating, and on-going.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to share my professional development plan with my principal. I love how we were encouraged to provide a variety of choices for our staff to participate it. This way, they do not feel forced to do an activity and the experience does not feel like a chore. I also liked how we were asked to include different formats of PD. This way, teachers could work in small groups, large groups, or individually to learn about the new skill. I am very inspired to promote this style of PD to the schools that I do and will work in!
Here is the link to my poster (you may have to download it):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PJ-3_XJZNc9QzFREj65Hd1pqhhyXbf2J/view?usp=sharing
Wow, Theresa! Overall, your poster is very entertaining to watch and you possess a wide variety of skills that definitely make you a literacy leader. It is evident that you have grown in the areas of creating effective professional development programs, coaching models and as an advocate. I loved hearing about the aspects of effective PD that you will incorporate into your own professional development programs such as being sure that teachers are provided with learning opportunities that are hands on, relevant, ongoing, reflective, problem centered and choice based.I have no doubts that you will be able to successfully motivate your teachers to implement new practices in the classroom with this knowledge. I also know how hard you worked to advocate for education at the Capitol. Your hard work is very inspiring and I to agree with your goal of providing high quality and exceptional learning experiences for all children. Loved your video! Way to go, girl!!!
DeleteI love all the pictures and videos you included. They really showcase the things you talk about in your video! I also loved that you said you plan to carry out some of your professional development ideas at your school and to encourage teachers to see coaching as a positive opportunity for growth. It seems that you are really seeing yourself as a literacy leader in your school!
DeleteI definitely see your growth in advocacy. Your time fighting for our students may not have had the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely powerful! I can tell that you gained a lot from your experiences each day at the capital, and I think it is so great that you got to speak with and listen to some of your representatives. I hope you continue to advocate, and I'm sure that you will!
Theresa,
DeleteI really enjoyed your video! I need you to give me a tutorial in iMovie because yours was awesome. I like the way you organized the video with the headings. Of course, I loved seeing you in action in your classroom and your wonderful relationship with your students. You are very knowledgeable about instruction methods and strategies.
Thank you for all of your advocacy efforts at the state capitol! Your enthusiasm and passion for students and educational funding has been contagious over the last few months. I can also tell that you grew in your knowledge of professional development and adult learning theory. Seeing your PD plan in progress, as well as the final product, I can tell you have gained much in this area. You are a very deep thinker and notice nuances many miss, and I have no doubt that you will continue to positively impact education in Norman and in our state! Keep up the good work!
Theresa,
DeleteYour video is amazing! :) I really like how you included pictures of your students and classroom. It was also awesome how you included some videos of your own teaching practices. It really personalized the video and I felt like I really got to learn about you as a literacy leader. I can really see how you have grown in the area of professional development!
This spring has been a whirlwind and so much learning and growth has come from it. One area of great growth was in advocacy. Prior to this semester, I had never been super involved in political matters, I had never e-mailed, called, or personally talked to my legislators. I honestly couldn't have told you where to even find out who your legislators were and how to contact them. Now, I can help others find that information and I found myself actually doing it. I found my voice and realized just how powerful it can be. I don't have to be afraid to use it.
ReplyDeleteAnother area of major growth was in understanding adult learning and creating learning opportunities that are engaging, motivating, and effective. Professional development has always been an area of hesitancy, even as a participant. Now if asked to create learning for our staff, I feel so much more equipped to rise to the task. As I move forward, I look forward to putting these new skills to practice and building confidence in myself as an advocate and resource of knowledge. I have always placed an emphasis of my leadership on my classroom. I am going to make it my goal to look for ways to be a leader beyond my classroom. I've taken a couple of smalls steps since the walkout. I plan to keep going!
Here is the link to my poster!
https://biteable.com/watch/self-as-a-literacy-leader-1864227
Great poster Audra! I love that you redid it and made something new! I am jealous that I did not add more pictures of my classroom and the walkout to my poster. :) Now I'm also interested in biteable! I will check that out.
DeleteKudos on the growth of your leadership skills outside of your classroom. I see that as a stronger area for myself also. I am excited for you to take on your new role next year. Your helpfulness and ideas have been very valuable to me this semester, so I can only imagine that you'll be a rock star in your new classroom!! I'll keep a watch on Facebook for your updates! Have a wonderful summer friend!
Audra,
DeleteYour video is awesome :) I really liked seeing pictures of your classroom and students. It was very personable. Your video also shows your growth! I really liked how you worded your growth - how you are a creator of PD, not just a participant.
Audra,
DeleteI really loved your video- very engaging. Loved the personal pictures of you and your kids at your school as well as the graphics. I’m definifely going to have to check out biteable. I can definitely see that you have grown as a leader, I think maybe most in confidence since I think you had all the skills you’ve needed all along ☺️ From getting to know you over this semester I know that you’re a great teacher- and will use the knowledge gained from this course to become an even better leader as well.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLink to my poster: https://read.bookcreator.com/lMfjyHG1NkV6LPGCIA1Fc4FEIgt1/Jhx1jLfqQayQPgHtJbuG6Q
ReplyDeleteOne area where I grew a lot this semester was in coaching and interpersonal communication. I have mentored other teachers, but I had never really coached another person before. What I learned about the coaching cycle and coaching for transformation will make me much more effective in this role in the future. In my coaching experience and even in meetings with my colleagues, I have tried to practice what we learned about active listening and how to help a group work together. I realized I need to do more listening and less talking!
I also learned a lot about effective PD this semester. I had never considered adult learning theory and how that should influence PD programs. I also had not considered how important PD is to impacting large-scale change within a school. I had also never considered involving other stakeholders in PD plans or giving so much choice within a plan. I have learned so much this semester, and I know that this knowledge will continue to mold me into the literacy leader I want to be.
Jenny, congratulations on your new position as the middle school librarian! I loved reading about all the ways that you will be a literacy leader as a librarian. I am especially excited that you will be able to keep instructing students with research, library and literacy skills. I also have no doubts about you will continue to help adolescents in fostering a love for reading. It is also evident that you have grown as an advocate for education in that you spent time at the Capitol, contacted a state senator, and your efforts to continuously educate yourself about the various education bills and vote in future elections. After looking through your book, it is evident that you are an effective literacy leader. I really liked your presentation using the Book Creator app and I especially liked the read to me function! What a great resource! Great job, Jenny!!!
DeleteJenny,
DeleteI am so excited that you are getting to take on a new role at your school! Librarians hold such potential to help students love reading and learn those essential research and library skills and I know you will live up to that. Your book shows that you are a literacy leader in multiple realms, even those outside of your school, which is fantastic.
I definitely see evidence of your growth in professional development. I think your new knowledge of effective professional development and adult learning theory can really be assets to your school and I hope you make sure they take advantage of them! I can imagine you organizing and leading professional development on research and literacy skills in your new role!
Jenny,
DeleteI'm so excited that you will also be changing positions at your school! The school librarians are such an influential component to literacy success in schools. You have the most creative ideas to improve literacy development, so I'm confident that you will take on this position with great success. Your passion for reading and writing can easily be seen from your poster. The knowledge that you've gained from the course is prominent. I'm excited to hear about your positive influence in the environment, as a coach, leader, and now librarian!
Jenny,
DeleteYour book is SO cool!! Your information in it shows us that you are on impressive lady. From being a speaker to now being a school librarian you have accomplished a lot! Even though you have accomplished a lot we can still see how you have grown as a literacy leader!
ReplyDeleteThe two areas that I feel as if I have grown the most in are as a teacher advocate and as a literacy leader who is capable of not only helping children but one who can also support the growth of teachers.
With the knowledge that I have gained from this class and my experiences at the Capitol during the recent teacher walkout, I’ve grown to feel as if I can help support education in greater ways beyond my own classroom. I’ve realized how I can play an influential role in policy decisions that support education. For example, my superintendent had sent an out an email prior to the walkout with a survey that he used to gauge teacher participation. This survey asked teachers whether or not they would be attending the walkout. By responding to the district survey saying that I would be a part of the walkout, I was influencing a policy decision that could positively improve teacher work conditions and student learning environments. While at the Capitol, I was able to further influence policy decisions along with other educators by marching with my posters and voicing my opinions to state legislators. I also have become familiar with how to write an effective grant. Prior to this class, I had only written two grants and only with lots of help from my teammates. When searching for sources of funding for my own grant, I was surprised to see how many grant opportunities there are that are available to teachers. I am excited to continue to write more grants to help support students and teachers. From those experiences, I have learned about the positive impacts that I can have on improving education by becoming knowledgeable about policies and then acting to influence them so that my students can have a brighter educational future.
I also feel that I have grown to be a more supportive literacy leader in terms of being able to help support teachers and their continued growth. In completing the professional development plan assignment, I learned how to develop, design, facilitate, and evaluate professional development programs that are effective because they are tied to adult learning theory and research on change. I also learned various ways in which I can involve teachers and give them a voice in this process such as through a needs assessment which I can use to identify school wide needs and goals for literacy as well as preferred professional development formats. I can also give them a voice by allowing them choices in what and how they learn by creating a plan that is differentiated in terms of topics and formats. By involving teachers and giving them choices, they are more likely to “buy into” the topic and be motivated to participate in the professional development program because they are able to take ownership of their own professional learning. I’ve also learned about the importance of shared leadership and how it truly takes all stakeholders to help create positive organizational change rather than just one person trying to make these changes in an authoritative way.
Literacy Leader Poster Link:
https://edu.glogster.com/glog/jamie-culwell-myself-as-a-literacy/2hdvpok5tr5
Jamie,
DeleteI really like how interactive your poster is! I didn't know you could scroll on each of the written parts or click on the pictures to see them larger at first. Very cool! It was a great idea to include your professional development tasks as evidence of your growth in professional development knowledge.
I would have to agree that your growth as an advocate has been big. I like that you mentioned that being an advocate isn't just going to the capital and talking to legislators, but is also doing things like voicing opinions to your administration through surveys and writing grants to support student and teacher learning. I am glad that you plan to write more grants and have found more sources and opportunities do so!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJamie,
DeleteI have never used the Glogster app/website, but it is amazing! I think it such a fun and interactive way to create a poster that I want to use myself in the future. I love all the pictures you have on your poster that show how you interact with your colleagues and your students. I also like how there is no white space on your poster, but it is cram-packed full of all the wonderful things you are doing.
I can tell how much you have learned about professional development. I am impressed that you added anticipation guides, QAR, and inquiry charts to your PD survey. Those are all innovative strategies that many teacher don't know about it. It looks like many people at your school are interested in PD about them. I can also tell how much you grew as an advocate for your students and our state as a whole. Your work inside your school looking out for the best interests of your students is just as important as lobbying to our legislators. You are a great leader in your district and your school, both in instruction, collaboration, professional development, and stakeholder communication.
Jamie,
DeleteCongratulations on finishing the program!!! I'm so thankful to have met such an inspiring, knowledgeable, and motivating colleague. You're so filled with great ideas for literacy development and keeping your students engaged. The activities you implement and connections you build in the classroom are evident in your poster. I can also see that you're a team member. Your approachable and welcoming personality is going to allow teachers to seek advice and knowledge from you as a leader. You possess so many characteristics of an effective educator and leader! I'm excited to her about your experience as a fourth grade teacher next year! You're going to do great!!
Jamie,
DeleteYour poster on Glogster is amazing! It is interactive, colorful, and very informative :) Congratulations on finishing the program! You will definitely be missed. Your growth as an advocate for students and teachers is admirable! It's not always easy to stand up for what is right but you are definitely doing that!
Here is the link to my poster: https://prezi.com/view/JlJyuUM1A5CXjobPSOpR/
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think the majority of the growth I have made stems from the fact that I have become much more confident in my knowledge about literacy. Before starting this class, I felt like I could not possibly be a literacy leader because I knew next to nothing that could help my colleagues and teammates become better reading teachers. Now I feel much more confident sharing my knowledge with them, even though I know there is much more for me to learn. I have begun sharing articles, strategies, and different things I have learned through the program with them, so they can use them as well. I was able to coach another colleague and help her become more confident in an instructional strategy she was afraid to use before. We were able to work collaboratively to make strides towards her goals, and this is something I never thought that I would be able to do. The content and projects that we have had learned and worked on for this class have given me such a rich learning experience that I will be able to take with me into my classroom next year, and into my reading specialist job (whenever that may be).
Kaitlyn,
DeleteYour prezi is so concise and informative! You can definitely seen how you have grown and how much more confident you have become. Your writing committee experience is cool! You should be proud of your growth! Sharing your knowledge more confidently with others is major :)
Kaitlyn,
DeleteI'm so glad you shared how you are already putting your literacy leadership skills to work with becoming an expert of writing based on your knowledge gained from our classes. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase what your are learning. I'm happy that you feel confident enough now to take on opportunities to collaborate and share your knowledge with others. They will see you even more as a trust-worthy expert and begin to depend on you even more now. And guess what...you can help them because you are AWESOME!
Kaitlyn,
DeleteI love how informative your Prezi is! Also, I am so impressed with your role in helping form your schools writing curriculum. That is no easy task, and its amazing that your administration recognizes what an asset you are to your school. Finally, I am a touch jealous of your coworker who is going for her graduate. She is so lucky to have you as a resource. It will be so beneficial for her to see that it can be done!
One area I believe I improved a lot in was professional development. I learned how to plan it, how effective it can be, and how it doesn't always have to be a boring workshop. Before this class I did not know much about professional development. Now I have a wealth of knowledge! From types of PD, adult learning theory, how to create it, how to tailor it to a specific school, and what it all entails. I was not aware of how much it can impact and improve a school!
ReplyDeleteHere is the link :) let me know if you can't view it! I think I did it right :)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1V_bUngKO8Taaf0hclDNpvzwp1krrHtcvB9qF1QonYrU/edit?usp=sharing
Bre,
DeleteYes! GROWTH! You definitely show it in your poster and I see it in class! I love that your poster showed how you grew in specific areas. You definitely displayed literacy leadership in becoming a delegate for your district. How exciting and what an experience! In your poster, how blessed are your teammates to have you as their colleague. I know you are a great coach just by how you take your time and are patient in explaining and helping me in class! You hit the nail on the head with growth in PD. Looking at it from behind the scenes gives a totally different outlook on all of the details it takes to give an effective PD. You are definitely a literacy leader!
Bre! This is wonderful! I bet your team members are so thrilled to have you lead the PLC meetings. Michelle is right on. Your patients and communications are going to serve you so well as you transition from not just a literacy leader, but a Reading Specialist!
DeleteBre the poster you made shows so much growth! You were able to really showcase how you changed over the semester and the ways you were able to impact your colleagues and education in general. Being able to see this growth and being able to read what you have done to help your colleagues shows me that you are and will continue to be a great coach for whoever you work with.
DeleteHow have I grown? WOW! What areas have I not grown in? I think my top two main areas of growth are in ADVOCACY and LEADERSHIP SKILLS. Before this semester I had been to the Capitol building and walked the stairs a few times, but I had always been very quiet about my thoughts, ideas, and concerns. After this semester I've carried signs, marched, talked, advocated, talked some more, and even hosted two Representatives in my school. I also have discussed future advocacy efforts with my teachers, my school, and teachers from surrounding schools. That is new territory for me.
ReplyDeleteI have also grown in regards to my leadership skills. I've always been able to talk with people and I've always had a desire to help, but now I have a better understanding of how to help, how to plan, and why certain ways are more effective. Adult learning theory has grounded my thinking when I discuss PD planning ideas. The concept of choice was huge for me. In the past I thought my idea of choice was pretty spot on, but I see now where I needed to grow my idea. The PD plan was definitely a learning experience for me, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. The active listener piece was big for me also. The grant writing sparked my interest also. I have written several grants in the past, but I had grown complacent in that area. The grant writing activity rekindled that drive for me. I have been seeking out different grant programs that I can work on.
Literacy Poster Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DACtiYYPjaQ/5broL3vmOrXU5mlmE670Pg/view?utm_content=DACtiYYPjaQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton
Tamee,
DeleteI liked how on your poster you can easily tell all the components that make you up as a literacy leader! I especially like how you put the importance of choice on your list. Choice is so important and we have learned so much about it. I agree with you on your sentences of "WOW! What areas have I not grown in?". This class has taught us so much!
Tamee,
DeleteYour poster was very clear in the things that make you a literacy leader. It seems like you've been able to add a few since the beginning of the semester. ;) Congratulations on all of your new learning! I appreciate all of your insight and support this semester as we navigated through our old ideas and morphed them into so much more. Good luck to you as you continue your path as a literacy leader! I can't wait to see and hear of all the great things that you do!
https://www.emaze.com/@AOLQFRTFF/literacy-leader-in-training
ReplyDeleteThis past semester I have focused on finding ways to incorporate what we've learned over the past 2 years into my speech therapy sessions. Multimodal texts, interactive books, engaging activities, visuals, choice, and readers theater are just a few things I have incorporated in my instruction. I have also focused more on collaborating with the reading specialist, ELL teacher, as well as classroom teachers. Lastly I have made an effort to participate or volunteer in all things literacy related that I can! I.e. pajama reading night, SRPT meetings, PLC's, etc. I've had fun and learned so much about being a literacy leader- even as someone not explicitly teaching literacy skills.
DeleteI did a voice over to go with my poster but cannot figure out how to get it to work. I will keep trying!
DeleteMelinda - I like your emaze poster! I am proud of you for trying something new. I love all of your pictures and the ways you are incorporating your new learning into your class. I know you say you aren't a "Literacy Teacher," but I disagree. Regardless of what your official role is, you are planting seeds in your students that tie into their classrooms and their daily lives. Like the study we read last week, you just need to see it from a different perspective. :)
DeleteCongrats on all of your new learning. I am proud of you for collaborating more and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You have great things to offer. When you get that new position and your dream job in the future, you will be A-MA-ZING!! Thanks for being a part of my group(s) this semester. :)
Melinda,
DeleteYour poster really shows your growth in your view of yourself as a literacy leader since the beginning of the semester. While your role may look slightly different, it is so important that you truly recognize your impact on literacy. It looks like you have really tried to strengthen your ties to literacy in your classroom. Many of your pictures had me thinking, "Oh, that looks like fun! What all is in that game or book?"
Congratulations on all of your new learning! Good luck to you as you continue through your journey of being a literacy leader!
Wow! I have learned a lot since the beginning of the semester. My learning has increased in every area of a literacy leader. Presenting Pd with adult learning theory in mind and making sure teachers are offered choices has been an eye opener for me. I have attended many workshops but going behind the scenes to understand what it takes to put it together has been a wonderful experience to go through the process of planning a pd session and sharing this with my coworkers. More than I could have imagined. My biggest takeaway is all this begins with relationships. When teachers know and feel that you are there to have their backs: to listen, to be helpful, resourceful, to be interactive, to advocate for them - they are more receptive to you being in the trenches alongside of them. I'm excited to bring with me this newfound knowledge as I venture into the role of an instructional coach for the 2018-2019 school year.
ReplyDeletelink to my Presentation
https://prezi.com/view/OkSMXwfGwf4XhQ7hYj3H/
WOW!!!! Michelle!! I am so proud of you! Delving into the role of Instruction Coach is fantastic! Congratulations!
DeleteI also really found the Professional Development portion of this semester a challenge for sure, but really informative. Its amazing how many options there are for creating professional development opportunities for teachers that can be much more engaging than presentations. Although this was a tough one fore sure, I am thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with you gals!
Michelle I'm so happy for you in your new role!! You are going to be absolutely AMAZING at that job. Your poster really showed how you have grown throughout the semester, and how you have used what you've learned to help you. Your poster was very informative and I loved how you compared what you knew then to what you know now. I have been so fortunate to have you, Paige and Bre as resources and I am so glad that the faculty at your school is going to have you as a resource as well.
Deletehttps://prezi.com/view/H9GV2zjBjW6SngC8VTiN/
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this semester has been full of new and exciting information! I think I was shocked to have found the coaching experience the most uplifting. Although I had to find a new partner last minute, it really worked out for the best I think. Together, we worked to utilise our resources, including all of the surrounding libraries, to create a lesson that was fun and engaging. We both left that experience feeling as though we had really accomplished something great for our students.
DeleteAdditionally, I really learned how important it is for educators to work closely with stake holders. I think it was surprising to me to learn through the walkout how many community member felt somehow disconnected from the public education system.
Paige I loved reading your poster about the growth you’ve made this semester! Your poster really articulated the changes you’ve made and where you feel your growth was. The coaching experience was the most rewarding part for me as well. I felt like it really opened up my mind and showed me I was able to help someone else.
Delete