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INTRODUCTION Communication Through Writing is a class that will teach the high school students the basics of the writing process while also teaching them how to integrate the learned material into the world outside of a classroom. This asynchronous class’s design is to allow students to work week to week, but will have the option to work ahead if they are prepared to do so. The students will always have access to me through various means in order to help answer questions or eradicate concerns. Instructional Design Theories I have found that there isn’t a real right answer when it comes to implementing a particular instructional design, but there are some of these theories that are more right than others. For me, I have dreamed of using the constructivist approach, but in the first year of having my class, I probably won’t be good at it at all. This would be ideal, but probably unrealistic. The Agile Instructional Design theory gives more room for flexibility in learning for my particular structure that I am (for the most part) forced to follow by our administration. Eventually, I would love to give the students the ability to research the material or the problem, process the information, work towards finding their own solutions (whether in groups or independently), and then presenting their information. I would be there to give support and guide the students as they went through their respective trials and errors. UbD Plan Implementation When I was able to backwards plan for my course I was able to look at the results that I desired from my students and then find out how to best present the information that needed to be learned. Understanding what results I needed from the students and the evidence that I needed to see to demonstrate learning gave me the opportunity to better plan for assignments. Creating the 3-column table also gave me an opportunity to break down the activities and learning assessments. Importance of Online Learning Online learning is paramount to 21st century education. Students have the capabilities to process so much more in a much shorter time span. Looking up information for research used to be an arduous process. There were bulky encyclopedias that needed to be searched for information, copied and then rewritten. Many times that meant a trip to the library if these expensive forms of media were not in a person’s home. Now students can simply find that same information and reproduce that same information in less than a few minutes due to technology. The hardest part would be determining if the source of information was credible or not. Students also do not NEED a teacher standing in front of the class lecturing all day during every class period. Students need the flexibility to communicate with their peers and work at a pace that benefits the learner. This gives the teacher freedom to roam around the classroom and answer questions or (in asynchronous classes) simply respond to emails to assist in learning. Enduring Understanding What I recognized is that creating an ideal class means that there should be multiple forms of supplemental information in case students are lacking understanding. Creating a simple video to explain assignments should also be followed up with slide decks, books, or other sites where students can potentially find examples or solutions. Students need the opportunity to speak with each other to help process ideas and bounce ideas off each other if they so choose. This class is based on communication, but I found I can’t simply give my students one form of communication (writing) in order to obtain and present their information. Understanding that students process information by doing, by reading, by watching and other learning opportunities means that my class should incorporate some of those same opportunities in some capacity.

To be honest, I think I do a pretty decent job in the classroom. I'm not an amazing teacher, I'm not the greatest, but I am pretty confident in what I do. Well, I was. The more I learn in relation to teaching, the more I find that the process of becoming a better, more effective teacher, is like walking in quicksand while juggling. I've never been a person to give up on an idea or a task because it was too hard, but sometimes I think, "DAYUM! This is hard!" Let me explain. I recall some of my greatest teachers and their methodology they used to help us learn. A lot of the process was focused on discipline and repetition of learned concepts. Flash cards, memorizing vocabulary terms, and a lot of sitting and getting information was what we were used to doing. To be honest, it worked. I've learned that that process is not necessarily suited for the 21st century learner. I've recognized that the same process was not necessarily suited for the late 20th century learner either. I hated sitting in class and not being able to move around. I hated trying to learn about things or complete processes in one particular format. I knew I was a different child ever since I was in kindergarten, but I didn't know how to articulate it. Example. In kindergarten we were practicing our coloring skills and staying within the lines. It's kindergarten, we all did it. Don't act like you don't remember. Anyway. It was near Halloween and our teacher told us to color these orange pumpkins on a sheet of paper and then cut them out. We would be graded basically on our coloring skills. Well, I decided to color the eyes and teeth carefully, and then just color the rest of the page, pumpkin included, orange. It was much faster and less precise. My classmates looked at me and teased and ridiculed me for not being able to color within the lines. My teacher recognized what was going on and told me to color within the lines. I politely told my teacher that if we were going to cut it out, then why should it matter. Because I was sincere and not being rude at all, I didn't get a punishment. Some of the other students began to use this faster and more efficient method. The results were the same, but we used a different method to arrive at that point. What I've been learning is that as teachers, we need relinquish so much control and give students the ability to find alternate or even improved solutions. They also need to know that failing is okay. We just need to let them feel that it is okay to fail and then they can try again. This class that I have been creating is trying to give the students more options, more opportunities to find their own solutions. I am trying to do this while relinquishing control and fitting within the school's policies. It doesn't feel like it is going to work. It feels like I am working toward a goal that has no real end. It feels like there is no real way to determine if this blended learning classroom that incorporates the COVA methods will be beneficial or even accepted by administration. Then I learn more. I've researched and learned about practices and then turned around and banged my head. I've read and discussed with my peers and then felt rejuvenated and excited. I have no clue how I feel from one day to another. I just know that I am in it for the long haul and I will do all I can to make sure that I do what is best for the students. I have to incorporate these constructivist ideas and practices in order to prepare our students for the future occupations that haven't been created yet. I have mixed emotions, but I know that I will keep pushing forward until I learn enough to feel confident in my practices for these young men and women in my classroom.

For a very long time I have admired Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon for having very many crucial conversations on their trendsetting sports television show called Pardon the Interruption. I am not naive enough to think that most of the show isn’t preprogrammed or scripted, but I have completely witnessed legitimate conversations between the two that sparked into uncomfortable moments on television. When topics of negative racial relations in sports would come into play, and Kornheiser (Caucasian male) would give his opinion, and Wilbon (African American male) would have a similar but slightly different opinion, the debates would often become tense. When the two gentlemen would have completely different opinions, the debates would become outright awkward, but necessary. Crucial conversations are not designed for the faint of heart. Emotions can often get involved and lead to silence or violence. (Patterson et al., 2011) When these two friends would have these tense conversations, it always felt as though it ended with a mutual understanding that would move forward, but not a winner. Crucial conversations are the necessary, pivotal moments that have the ability to create a mutual in-depth understanding between parties that have the capacity to move conversation into action. Understanding the idea of being a differentiated leader means that I may have to encounter some very legitimate conversations that may be tense or awkward. These conversations, if managed well, will lead to organizational change in my school. Leadership is not always about being the loudest or having the last word. It is an understanding of how to listen and get input from others, have pure intentions, create a safe space for conversation, controlling my own emotions when faced with backlash or differing opinions, and compiling all of the information in order to move towards the actions of real purposeful change. A differentiated learner must understand that crucial conversations that will lead to evoking change can potentially be met with harsh resistance. Passive resistance (silence) and aggressive resistance (verbal violence) can both be a struggle that will be obstacles that would need to be resolved before ideas can move forward into action. When having crucial conversations that would lead to organizational change are taking place, and a leader is met with silence or violence, it is imperative to make the conversation space safe again by re-establishing what the mutual purpose is, which will be a reminder of mutual respect. (Patterson et al., 2011) My goal is to create a system of classes that students will complete during their given advisory periods. These classes will give the students an opportunity to earn lost credit, be a remedial source of information, test out of classes, or gain college credit. The initial fear is that the teachers will front load the workload by creating classes online through our online program in place. Once the classes are created, the students will do the bulk of the work. Teachers would only then be used during the advisory periods to guide students in the right direction. It appears to be more work for the teachers during the advisory period, therefore resistance and potential “viruses” could emerge. Understanding that this crucial conversation is necessary and may be tense or awkward, will demonstrate that my differentiated leadership is prepared for what is to come. The students have everything to gain once the classes are created once the teachers understand my “why”. Implementing this strategy would be an arduous process, but a process that is necessary. Being prepared for the crucial conversations will benefit the students tremendously for years to come and eventually create a culture of academic encouragement compared to academic apathy. References Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high. New York: McGraw-Hill

Stage 1: Getting Clear My school and staff should understand the value of using blended learning in the classroom. One representative from every level of English will meet with me, as well as one representative from every department, to discuss the structure and importance of blended learning. This process will be used during our current advisory periods that take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will create a blended classroom that will be used for academic growth and acceleration that students will have access to during the Fall semester of 2022 and Spring of 2023. These classes will be created in order to give students the opportunity to recover credit, enhance their education, or to gain credit by examination. The biggest challenge will be that students will have to work at their own pace, and path while the course material should be challenging and engaging at the same time. Stage 2: Launch During the 2022-2023 school year, this program will be expected to launch its first pilot course. Prior to the course launch, in the summer of 2021 I will continue to meet with school administration and department leadership to install the potential pilot programs for each introductory level course such as English I, Algebra I, and World Geography. Creating pilot programs will be a simple process of uploading previously used material to our learning platform that is already established in a format that gives the learners the opportunity to learn at their own pace. The information will also be submitted and graded on the learner’s pace. The Wildly Important Goals can be established and evaluated on a weekly basis. Stage 3: Adoption Our school currently uses the advisory period as a time for make-up work and study halls. This time would be altered for our pilot programs in order to give students the opportunity to learn as much as they can and gain credit for classes that they were previously not successful in during years prior, or even prepare the students for credit by examination for classes in which they plan to test at the end of the school year. The PLC meetings for each department take place on different days once a week after school. During this time period, all pilot program teachers and leaders will have the opportunity to discuss and adopt necessary changes to their Wildly Important Goals. Stage 4: Optimization When teachers begin to see the results of the students' performance, they will have the ability to modify and adapt to their learning by restructuring the learning material. Students will be able to learn at their own pace while teachers will be allowed to modify the rigor of each class through their submitted online assignments. If students have started to learn quickly and efficiently without much resistance, the rigor could be adjusted to future assignments in order to ensure that the learning matches the assignments. All of the assignments will be used in a blended, asynchronous format, so the students can always ask questions during their advisory periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays if necessary. Stage 5: Habits Teachers simply have to continue to show up to their advisory periods and monitor students progress as they have before. This time, students will be actively working towards completing a goal instead of sitting, sleeping, or listening to music during the advisory period. Teachers will simply have the opportunity to either answer questions about simple projects or assignments, or send students to the other teachers that can help the students get those questions answered. Ensuring the students get their goals accomplished will come from the weekly progress checks that the online platform currently in place automatically keeps track of. Teachers will be expected to simply check progress just as simply as they check the students’ attendance. The Four Disciplines of Execution Discipline 1: Focus on the WIG (Wildly Important Goal) My wildly important goal is to have one pilot program in every major subject have at least 70% of the students demonstrate 80% mastery of the particular class workload by the end of Spring 2023. The students will be able to work at their own pace while having the ability to make corrections and retest as many times as possible on all assignments in order to gain a true understanding of the course materials. Teachers and administrators will have access to all of the data because it will all be posted online with results coming in immediately after assignments are submitted. The Lag measures will be easy to determine because the data will be displayed in the school’s automatic online grading system. If there is an issue with rigor within lessons, the lessons can be modified on a weekly or monthly basis during PLC meetings. Discipline 2: Act on Lead Measures (Launch and Adoption) The Lead Measures for this program will be based on assignments attempted (and re-attempted) per week and student attendance each week. The students will have multiple short, rigorous assignments to complete each week that will spiral into future assignments. Their learning will be directly related to future assignments, therefore they will see the relationship between what they are learning now and constantly in the future. When students do not complete assignments, this will immediately show a lack of understanding or lack of attendance. Both of these issues are major contributors to poor grades at the school where I work. If we can fix these issues, we can solve a lot of problems that lead to loss of credit and poor grades. Discipline 3: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard As a high school basketball coach, I am well aware of the scoreboard and how people perceive what winning is. What many people aren’t aware of is the idea that many teams have individual goals before the games even begin. If our students meet with their advisors before the classes start, half way through the semester, and at the end of the semester to create and adjust academic goals, the students will be more apt to complete those same academic goals. All of the goals should be based on how much a student plans on learning or completing in a given semester. Some students may want to complete 12 lessons in a semester, some may want to complete 18 lessons in a semester, others may want to complete an entire class in a semester. All of the results will be posted by the percentage of their goals that they have completed. If a child completes 6 of 12 lessons, then they are obviously at 50% of their goal. Another student may complete 18 of their 36 lessons. They both will have 50% of their goals completed. This information will be posted as a leaderboard for all students to look at and have access to on a daily basis. This information will be updated on a daily basis in order to give the students the motivation to continue in their journey to complete assignments. This video game high score approach will always look like a leaderboard, but will be simply based on different goals. Discipline 4: Create a Cadence of Accountability While the assignments will be very short and rigorous, they should be based on learning and how the students can retain information. The assignments will be graded mainly through our online grading system and occasionally through our master teachers that will be the teacher of record for these classes. This is not additional work that the teachers will be doing, but instead doing the same work, but with real purpose. During these advisory classes, the teachers will eventually have the freedom to simply assist in the learning process by answering questions and guiding students to their understanding of the answers. In the past, teachers were expected to stand in front of the classroom and lecture for 45 minutes at a time. If the students feel that they are in control and WANT to learn at their own pace, there is no pressure when it comes to if they are behind other students or if they need additional help. Students will begin to form the habit of enjoying a class period free of real structure, yet it holds them accountable for learning at their own pace. They will eventually be able to sign up for any class that they choose. When a student is in control of their own education, they will be more apt to learn at a pace that they feel comfortable. These classes currently meet twice a week for an entire school year. If a student has the ability pick their own class and at the pace in which they learn AND have the option to get as much help as they need from a teacher without worrying about where the entire class pace, a student will begin to enjoy learning once again.

I plan on having my students at Northbrook High school take additional classes during their advisory period that teaches the students asynchronously. The students will get to pick their own classes and will have the opportunity to work at their own pace. If a student needs remediation or to make up a credit, they can take that class also. If a student wants to take classes that aren't currently offered on campus, we can upload that information to our online platform. It is imperative for this program to begin because our students have the ability to better their lives through extra college credits being earned in high school, professional certificates being earned, and students gaining knowledge that was not previously offered. I am speaking to the heart of the administration because everyone that works where I work knows that we are a school that is over 95% in poverty. Our students don’t want to live how they live and often talk about how life can be better. The big picture is that college sounds so hard and so difficult. If we are able to have students take these classes, learn how to learn, learn things they are interested in, and even gain college credits because they have learned extra information, college will no longer be a scary idea. With every year that passes without utilizing these ideas during the advisory period, many more students will not have a better opportunity to change their lives. Here is my Why, How, and What. Why - I believe our students’ desire for a higher quality of life will be obtained through meaningful and purposeful education. How - We will utilize the advisory class period to implement asynchronous classes that students choose and complete at their own pace. What- We offer various classes in a blended learning format that will elevate all students’ desire to learn, which will lead to students having the ability to create a solid foundation where students will be ready to take their next step after high school.

Initially, I learned a great deal of information relating to the growth mindset vs a fixed mindset. My previous post documented some differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. What I've learned is that it is EXTREMELY difficult to have a complete growth mindset. It is tiresome and seems unrealistic to have that mindset all the time. It appears to be glorious and well worth it, but it is tough. Previously, I learned that people with a fixed mindset may believe that people are either born with talent or they are not. Individuals with a growth mindset believe that they can accomplish anything through hard work and dedication. It sounds great, but a growth mindset is all about the constant push to be better. It is retraining your brain to stop listening to the people in our lives that hold us to a minimum standard, and to stop listening to ourselves when we are filled with doubt. This is the new standard when it comes to understanding what it will take to have any real form of disruptive innovation. My plan is to change the way my entire school functions two days out of the week. I plan to have our students take extra classes in an asynchronous, blended format, because they enjoy it. The problem is Students don't enjoy school. Administrators don't enjoy major change (where I am currently teaching). Everyone will tell me "No!" and will quickly explain that it can't work or it won't work. I've learned that growth is gradual and it needs to be implemented over time. I do not believe that a structural and conceptual change will be welcomed by students, faculty, or administration. The initial plan was to simply create the lessons based on the COVA model and focus on the power of "yet". That isn't good enough. My plan is to create the class while focusing on how well the students will learn. I've researched models of learning and have come to find that Mark Robber has taught about how the youth tends to learn. The learning is not focused on your first chance or second chance trying to solve a problem, but instead on having fun learning many things while failing multiple times. This is a video game based approach to learning. Video games keep people's attention for hours on end while they are constantly learning, failing, learning, failing, and learning more. There is no real anger, frustration, or lack of empathy when they are learning when playing video games, but instead a desire to figure it out. That is what I want my class(es) to emulate. I still whole hearted believe that the fixed mindset should be changed using the four major steps. I just believe that helping the students to have fun learning by creating a class based around these steps will be easier than purely teaching these steps. I am well aware that this will not be an easy task. I am well aware that educators and administrators with Doctorate degrees, Masters degrees, and more formal and informal education than I will ever receive, will eventually scoff or laugh at my innovation plan. I am prepared to make my English pilot class one that will mesmerize audiences of young and old. We must change from a behaviorist teaching philosophy and move closer towards the constructionist teaching philosophy as soon as possible. We must put the power in the students' hands and let them begin to enjoy learning compared to enduring learning. I firmly believe that I can start this program and change the way our school functions forever. Well, change it until it needs to be changed again. That is the power of growth. Sources - Harapnuik, D. (2013, April 5). Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset. It’s About Learning. http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=3627 The Super Mario Effect - Tricking Your Brain into Learning More | Mark Rober | TEDxPenn. (2018, May 31). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vJRopau0g0&t=5s

I've stated that learning is often forced and difficult. It hurts to see students that are disengaged and filled with apathy towards any subject. What has changed since the early elementary years where the majority of the students seemed so happy to be at school? I've heard that teachers kill creativity and imagination in students. Well, I've witnessed it. I've been a part of the problem myself. I believe that teaching students shouldn't be something that we force, but instead something that we inspire. Learning is filled with many instances of failure that is encouraged with opportunities for success by trying again. I've come to the realization that the video game model of game play illustrates how learning should take place. The learning sessions should be quick, filled with mini-obstacles that can stump a person if they aren't prepared. The student would learn to overcome the obstacle after a few "games". They would then feel that sense of accomplishment as they move on to the next level. They would be inspired to move forward. This learning environment would allow students to progress at their own pace while being able to find pleasure in learning. If there was a classroom structure where students had a character that was supposed to shoot/capture/tackle (or any other action verb that works) nouns, dodge verbs, and jump over adjectives, students would be more engaged. If there was a high score posted every day or every week, students would take more pride in their achievements. They would also be learning without the painstaking red marks on their papers, or the teacher shaking their head while telling the student they were incorrect. Students also need to get up and explore, create, and invent on their own at times. Teachers can't always give students all of the information that they need in order to be successful. If students were guided instead of lectured, learning would have a different feel to it. The passion for learning would start to come back if students had much more freedom and creativity. In an age where the state tests mean more to the school than it does to the student, teachers are often handcuffed when it comes to creativity. It will take courage when taking the bold steps forward to present new ideas to our administration, but I think that it is worth it. This antiquated system is tried and true, but not necessarily as great as it can be.

Sources are listed in the video description and also listed below. Sources Blended Learning Models. (n.d.). Blended Learning Universe. Retrieved October _ 20, 2020, from https://www.blendedlearning.org/models/#ala Harapnuik, D. (2013, April 5). Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset. It’s About Learning. http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=3627

Changing a mentality is something that is one of the most challenging tasks I’ve ever had to accomplish. Years ago, I was working at a school that had not witnessed very much success as a whole. My job was to change the culture, the mentality, of the people that I encountered. Being young and inexperienced, I told the students that they would work as hard as they could and stand up to ANY person that doubts their progress. The problem was, I didn’t use those same words. The words that I chose were much more aggressive. What I wanted was for the students to believe in themselves and grow. It worked. It was the wrong way to get the message across, but it worked. Fast forward almost 15 years and you’ll find that same teacher learning how to teach the same message the right way. What I didn’t understand then was the “Growth Mindset”. The Growth Mindset is one that teaches concepts of continual growth in a particular field compared to a fixed mindset where one has accepted the current situation as one that will be permanent. I believe that everyone will have a fixed mindset at some point. How long we have that mindset will be different for each person. We should strive to be better than we were in the past, but actually implementing change is rather difficult if we don’t welcome change. My plan is to embrace the growth concept as I teach my students high school English 1. My campus has not experienced the necessary success in this subject the district deems valuable, yet. The demographics on my campus include a large population of students that are relatively new to the English language, yet are still expected to pass the state exams. As teachers, we are still expected to produce the same results as other campuses. Although it is ludicrous, I’ve found that I need to implement the growth mindset in order to help get my students and campus to reach expectations. The process won’t be easy, but using the “COVA” concept, I feel that I will be able to instill the necessary methods in order to help the students reach the districts goals. COVA is a concept that states giving Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic lessons will help the students take more responsibility in their education. My plan is to create daily, weekly, and semester lessons that institute the COVA model. Eventually I will present this idea to my colleagues and have them eventually incorporate the same ideas into their classrooms. I am anticipating backlash from both groups, but that is the point in which I will institute the power of “yet”. The growth mindset has a vital component that we know as “yet”. This idea means that if it hasn’t happened already, don’t give up on it, it will happen soon. Many people believe that if they haven’t reached a particular goal, they will never reach it. That mindset is one that is fixed. There is a lack of growth in that frame of mind. My students and colleagues need to be exposed to the idea that growth happens over time and it is not immediate. We all need to have the understanding that we should continue to pursue our goals even if it didn’t happen in the timeframe that we wished. When I begin to incorporate the COVA strategy, along with the power of “yet”, I will be able to help my students grow in areas that were once deemed unimaginable. It may not happen immediately, but I am patient enough to understand that growth does not happen overnight.

The Growth Mindset is an easy concept to understand, but it is a difficult principal to actually implement.  It is easy to talk about and to imagine, but when it is time to actually grow and change, not so much. Physically growing as a child is often unnoticed unless you haven't seen that same child in a period of time.  The child does not realize that they have grown and the adults don't either. My own son has grown 4 or 5 inches in 6 months and he didn't even recognize that he grew.  I only recognized it when he stood next to me one day for longer than a few seconds.  He grew a lot in a small amount of time.  It was actually weird.  The 5 foot 7th grade kiddo now stands about 5'5" as an eighth grade student.  This growth is part of life, it is natural.  Changing the way we think, the way we work, and the way we communicate can be more than weird; it can be painful. The Growth mindset discusses the power of "YET".  "We have not completed our goal." vs "We have not completed our goal, yet." are two completely different statements simply because of "yet". That word implies that there is more to do.  Success or accomplishment is still looming and the plan is to obtain it soon.  Well,  I believe that the having the growth mindset is very beneficial for me and how I choose to live my life.  I'm not good at implementing the growth mindset all the time.  Having this mindset is asking a person to change something or even supplement something that they could have been satisfied with.  A less abstract example and more concrete example would be when a person gives another person feedback.  Having the growth mindset would eliminate many of the personal feelings and have a person take the feedback for what it is worth.  That is easier said than done. There are times when I have worked relentlessly on a project and gave my very best effort only to have someone tell me "Eeehhh, well, it's not bad, but..." and then proceed to let me know how the project was useless.  I would be fuming, irrate, and of course, hurt.  I would probably avoid that same person for a few days in fear of saying something I would regret. I would eventually edit or fix the issues, but the feedback sat with me for far too long. I needed the growth mindset. One of the first things I understood when taking EDLD 5305 was how to accept feedback or feedforward. That was good information that has helped me grow as a person. Since then, I have welcomed feedback because I want to publish quality work compared to subpar assignments.  I have learned that it is important to absorb the content of the feedback compared to take it personally.  If my best was given, and it isn't good enough, then I need to find a way to produce a better product.  I need to look at more examples, ask more questions, reach out to my peers and then try again.  That process takes more time, but it is worth it. When I was immersed in my first two classes, I learned how to be a better student due to the growth mindset when it comes to feedback. My wife and my family turned to me one Sunday and noted how much I've grown as a student.  So I've grown a little bit (or a lot bit) also since the Summer, but it wasn't awkward.   I know I still have a long way to go and I'm not finished, yet.

When I first began teaching I was open to any and every idea that would help me to sustain my career.  I was often afraid that I would get fired for ineptitude.  Well, I was close a few times in those early years. As the first year turned into the second, and second turned into the fifth, I soon realized that I was pretty comfortable with my routine.  My preps stopped changing and I then knew all the answers. The system that I had worked very well.  The test scores were always very high, the students appeared to be happy, and parents didn't really complain (to my face at least). I was too comfortable. I eventually moved to a different school and tried teaching the same way.  That was a mental car crash on a daily basis.  The students were not interested, the resources were lacking, the administration was apathetic, and the parents were not very involved, at all.  I found myself starting all over.  I was worried about my ineptitude once again because I was not very successful. I was stuck in a fixed mindset. Looking at the image for the Universal Design for Learning, it appears that I was good at teaching the "what", and sometimes the "how", but I was definitely not good with the "why".  I only lasted a year before I moved to a new school.  I found that same comfort zone in teaching that I had before.  I was much better with the "how" at this point.  I started to grow as a teacher, but then I plateaued as soon as I had an opportunity.  I didn't know any better.  Again, the scores were great, the students appeared interested and laughed at my "dad jokes" throughout the year, and the parents were very happy. My real changes actually began when the students AND my colleagues challenged me.  When the students don't care at all about my subject, I find myself stepping out of the fixed mindset and moving toward the growth mindset.  Once I moved to my current school district,  I was surrounded by colleagues that were insanely intelligent and worked relentlessly to find creative ways to educate our students.  I had to grow just to keep up. One of my goals was to win the teacher of the year award.  It took 7 years to do so in a school with almost 3000 students, but it happened.  My new goal is to change the administration's format relating to technology integration in the classroom.  My plan is to have a blended campus in the next 3 years.  That will take a lot of growth from the students, teachers, and administration.  I don't think it will be as difficult a process as it appears.  I think that my school needs to adopt the mantra "If it isn't broke, STILL FIX IT."

One of my all time favorite quotes came from a Disney movie. I’m not talking about the cutesy cartoons that millions of people have entertained over the years, but instead “Remember the Titans.” This football based movie was in fact about how these young men from different backgrounds, guided by their leader, their coach, learned to quell their desire for segregation in order to reach a common goal. While there was much pressure from their parents and friends to remain segregated, the young men finally had a mini-argument that ended up being the turning point in their racial tensions. The shortened version goes as follows. Julius - ... I’m supposed to wear myself out for the team? What team?! No, No. What I’m gonna do is, I’m gonna look out for myself, and I’m gonna get mine. Gerry: See, man? That’s the worst attitude I ever heard. Julius: Attitude reflects leadership, Captain. (Remember the Titans) I have thought about that final line many times. If I am viewed as a leader in my school and community, my responsibility is to get my students to grow. How can I get them to grow if I am stagnate myself? I want to get my Master’s degree in Digital Leading and Learning so I can continue to help grow all of those around me. I know that it will not be easy trying to balance family, work, and extracurricular activities while completing this degree, but I believe a person’s true character is revealed in the most stressful situations. I am willing to grow. Attitude reflects leadership. While learning to master the teaching techniques involving COVA and CSLE, Blended Learning and Disruptive Innovations, my future goal is to become a principal. If I am in a position to lead other teachers in the field of digital learning and innovation, I have an opportunity to change lives for the better. I want teachers to be innovative. I want teachers to have the freedom and flexibility to teach their students how to solve real world problems. I want to make teaching fun again. I was always told that a goal of mine should be to win the prestigious Teacher of the Year award. Last school year, before the Covid 19 situation, I was voted by my peers as the Teacher of the Year. It was a proud moment because we are a large school with some amazing teachers/educators. I believe that some of my innovative practices were starting to circulate around the school and it potentially inspired other teachers. Some of the projects that I’ve created in the past were designed to teach my 10th grade students about English Language Arts in a nontraditional format. I applied for and won a mini-grant that would supply me with 2 Ipads. I began using the Ipads to have days where my students would use the APP called Periscope. This app allowed us to communicate with people all over the world during our class period in real time. Students were able to speak to people in France, the Middle East, and other countries. I also borrowed an idea from a national award winning teacher named Raif Esquith. He gave me the idea about teaching economics, leadership, and work ethic in the classroom through a classroom economy system. I modified his idea to fit my campus, but the general idea was that students treated the classroom like a career. There were 2 classroom supervisors, 4 team leads, and the rest were regular workers. The students were virtually paid to do their classwork every day and received bonuses based on their performance. The supervisors would communicate with me a week in advance and use their technology to study the material and get ahead. They then would communicate with their respective team leads the information that they learned so the leads could in turn teach the regular workers/students. Team leads had groups that they taught, and if they received an A or a B on an assignment, they received a bonus that day. The students were allowed to save their digital money and use it to buy real prizes that I either purchased or allowed. The problem is trying to grow once I have become comfortable. I did reach a major goal in becoming teacher of the year, but now I have to set new goals. I can’t allow my methods, my passion or my own learning become stagnant because I would be settling and no longer striving for excellence. With an ever changing wave of technological advancements infiltrating our school systems, I feel it is my responsibility to learn how to best utilize what we are given in order to maximize the students’ potential. If I am viewed as a leader, I have to have the attitude that I will do whatever it takes to be better in my career. My attitude should reflect my leadership. Sources Yakin, B., Rousselot, P., Stenson, M., Flynn, M., Bruckheimer, J., Oman, C., Howard, G. A., ... Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Firm),. (2001). Remember the Titans.