Category: Personal Blogs
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Wrapping up the Year
12/29/2025 – Reflections this time of year are normal as we move into a new one on the calendar. This also happens when one is older and has a birthday. Thus, my personal reflections always coincide near the new year. Initially, I spent a portion of the day going back through my year. January had…
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Thanksgiving Thoughts
11/28/2025 – The holiday season is when memories come to mind that are bittersweet especially if it is the first one since you have lost one close to your heart. This season has me fondly remembering my dad and how he loved a good homecooked meal of turkey with all of the traditional sides. There…
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Memories on Memorial Day
5/26/25 – This holiday means so much to so many. While I have not lost someone in a war, I have had family members who have served ready to do so i.e. my dad, my father-in-law, and my husband. I am thankful for their service and for those who sacrificed it all. I also reflect…
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EdTech Tools and Trends
08/27/2023 – Current trends encompass providing tools in educational technology to impact learning; however, technology needs to be a tool to enhance – not the end all and be all for instruction. Currently, educators need guidance and support, or technology tends to be misused or used and dropped because of the learning pit without the…
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Contributions to My Learning and the Learning Community
7/22/23 – Here is my rationale for scores of a 98 in 5313 and 5389 as I reflect on my participation in the learning communities as a part of these courses. First, I was able to share my learning in both courses’ through in-person discussions and online discussions. The work I was doing in 5313…
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Wings and a Wand Creation
7/19/23 – “Wings and a Wand” became the title for my ePortfolio website due to my campus nickname – Fairy Godmother. I received this nickname while I was supporting a teacher as an instructional coach. It seemed that when she needed something I would show up with it in her room, or if she had…
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Brain Plasticity
7/13/2023 – The science of brain plasticity and the creating of new neuron pathways that is a part of the research with Growth Mindset is fascinating to me. This is something that you can concretely teach to students and help them understand that getting the wrong answer triggers brain activity that getting the right answer…
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The Risks in Collaborative Discussion
7/12/2023 -In order to take risks in life and in learning, one has to be willing to move out of “the comfort zone,” and thus, willing to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. It is a part of growth mindset and the risk-taking that goes along with it (Dweck, 2006). If we want to be catalysts…
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Transition in Instruction
7/9/23 – The transition from 20th century to 21st century instruction seems to be the hardest (or the most uncomfortable) for the veteran teacher (career starting in the 80’s and 90’s) who has not received or sought out strong professional learning to build the technology skills needed for the 21st century work force. Going from the…
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“Connecting the Dots” in Learning
06/2/23 – As an EB educator, I have a strong belief in “connecting the dots” with learning, because it is key for EB learners to make connections to prior learning and build background to incorporate new learning into their schema. This is not only good practice for EB learners but for every learner (Harapnuik, 2015). Initially,…
Wings and a Wand 