Five Year Plan
My short-term goal is to continue to enhance, revise, and implement my ImagineIT project next school year. The end of unit multimodal composition projects that students completed this year have left a lasting impression. I have found that student understanding of key processes in earth science has greatly increased through the visual, auditory and physical components of the projects.
Recently, the 6th graders were able to reinforce their learning about the processes in the water cycle by teaching 3rd students. The older students felt like experts, while the younger students were engaged and expressed an interest in coming back soon. I plan to continue to create opportunities at my school to connect with the younger grades and to support what they are learning in science. My hope is to broaden the impact of the STEM program at my school by having students work on collaborative projects and share their work with the school community at large.
My long-term goal is to spread the message of STEM learning to other CPS schools. I plan to start small by creating a partnership between my classroom and a colleague’s 3rd grade classroom from another school. At the end of each unit, students will develop a simple project that highlights a particular process. Students will use Google Hangouts to set up the investigation or to discuss the results. The older students will be able to demonstrate their engagement with the learning of science by sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with the younger grade level. At the end of the year, we could arrange a visit from the 3rd graders. My hope would to coordinate events like the One STEM Chicago 2017 event, created by MSUrban STEM fellow Michael Kosko, to make student learning more public and more relevant.
In her TED talk, Roselinde Torres mentions being able to anticipate change by seeing around corners. She discusses the importance of shaping the future, not just reacting to it. These ideas are very empowering especially in light of today’s political climate! In terms of the diversity measure of my network, through the MSUrban STEM program and social media, I have greatly increased my relationships with people that are different than me. This network of educators has been an incredible source of knowledge, ideas and motivation. Lastly, Ms. Torres discusses being courageous enough to “dare to be different!” This year, I have taken great strides in risk-taking and will continue to take a deep breath and just do it!
My short-term goal is to continue to enhance, revise, and implement my ImagineIT project next school year. The end of unit multimodal composition projects that students completed this year have left a lasting impression. I have found that student understanding of key processes in earth science has greatly increased through the visual, auditory and physical components of the projects.
Recently, the 6th graders were able to reinforce their learning about the processes in the water cycle by teaching 3rd students. The older students felt like experts, while the younger students were engaged and expressed an interest in coming back soon. I plan to continue to create opportunities at my school to connect with the younger grades and to support what they are learning in science. My hope is to broaden the impact of the STEM program at my school by having students work on collaborative projects and share their work with the school community at large.
My long-term goal is to spread the message of STEM learning to other CPS schools. I plan to start small by creating a partnership between my classroom and a colleague’s 3rd grade classroom from another school. At the end of each unit, students will develop a simple project that highlights a particular process. Students will use Google Hangouts to set up the investigation or to discuss the results. The older students will be able to demonstrate their engagement with the learning of science by sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with the younger grade level. At the end of the year, we could arrange a visit from the 3rd graders. My hope would to coordinate events like the One STEM Chicago 2017 event, created by MSUrban STEM fellow Michael Kosko, to make student learning more public and more relevant.
In her TED talk, Roselinde Torres mentions being able to anticipate change by seeing around corners. She discusses the importance of shaping the future, not just reacting to it. These ideas are very empowering especially in light of today’s political climate! In terms of the diversity measure of my network, through the MSUrban STEM program and social media, I have greatly increased my relationships with people that are different than me. This network of educators has been an incredible source of knowledge, ideas and motivation. Lastly, Ms. Torres discusses being courageous enough to “dare to be different!” This year, I have taken great strides in risk-taking and will continue to take a deep breath and just do it!