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05/11/24 – Handprints of your child as a Mother’s Day gift evokes all kinds of sweet emotions for young moms. I received my share over the years and tried to save every one. My overflowing keepsake boxes tell the tale. Next, are the early handwritten notes that start in PreK or Kindergarten that warm the
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04/18/24 – Sometimes it’s a time that you helped a teacher that you remember the most as a child. Helping me move the baby chicks to the lab this morning and touch one for the first time brought joy today. We need these bits of joy in life! Do have one of those memories as
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3/24/24 – When people ask me how I am this time of year, I explain that it’s not Spring – it’s Testing Season for those of us in Education. As soon as I completed my Master’s of Education Degree in December, I rested over the holidays and dove into training for the upcoming rounds of
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Wings and a Wand 12/01/23 – When I began my “expedition” in the ADL program, I expected what a traditional Master’s Degree program was with the typical textbooks, lectures, tests and essays along with a Master’s Thesis. Instead, I quickly came to realize that this was going to be a different learning environment and opportunity.
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Wings and a Wand 11/24/23 – Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day when we think about all that we are thankful for throughout the year. This time last year I was just finalizing the decision to start my Master’s degree. It was at my first class with Dr. H. that I met Kacie through chat. It was
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Wings and a Wand 11/18/23 – I think one of the best ways we can show leadership daily is leaving imprint on our students’ and our colleague’s hearts through service. It’s the servant leader that makes a difference because those acts evoke emotions in others. They realize that they matter. This week before Thanksgiving break
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Wings and a Wand 11/09/23 – It was exciting to see my Action Research Project underway today with students in the hallways recording their Science responses! Students showed engagement in the new LMS and the ability to record their response vs. answer questions on a worksheet in class. I’m working on ways to support the
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Wings and a Wand 10/29/23 – I am thrilled to share that I received permission for a district-wide course in our district’s new LMS that is Canvas by request! I am excited that my passion for Blended/Personalized Learning for EB Learners and their educators is supported. I look forward to building this course as a
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Wings and a Wand 10/22/23 – I started my journey in the ADL program prepared for what I encountered while working on my BBA, and afterward, my teaching certification that included textbook exams and formal essays along with a master’s thesis. I had rarely experienced a project-based learning environment except for a graphic design course
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from Wings & a Wand 10/08/23- Here is my Action Research Design page that supports other educators in their work with Emergent Bilinguals in a Blended Learning Environment. My design plan began with an outline: Action Research Outline. Then, I compiled various pieces of literature into a comprehensive Literature Review of books, periodicals, journals, websites,
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from Wings and a Wand 10/7/23 – Here is my rationale for scores of a 98 in 5315 as I reflect on my participation in the learning communities as a part of this course. First, I was able to share my learning through in-person discussions, and I was able to make all live Zoom meetings.
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from Wings and a Wand 10/1/23 – Here is my rationale for scores of a 98 in 5317 as I reflect on my participation in the learning communities as a part of this course. First, I was able to share my learning through in-person discussions, and I was able to make all live Zoom meetings.
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9/20/23 – My collaboration group and I looked through and shared various resources that pertain to Action Research and ones that pertain to our innovation plans. Some of my peers are using surveys as a part of their measurement like mine. I placed the following links to my resources on our group collaboration Google document and
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9/18/23 – Wagner’s discussion on his 7 skills and in particular this younger generation’s inability to write with detail, voice, and persuasion using analytical thinking addresses the need behind my Action Research Plan. This need is also comparable to Galinsky’s 7 Life skills where one needs the ability communicate well. On my campus and throughout the
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09/05/23 – I have loved using Canva to create audio and video in my master’s program. One of my collaborative group partners shared in a Zoom session how to use it for an assignment last spring. I have continued to use the program for other pieces in my ePortfolio. Before Canva, I used Microsoft Streaming
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8/31/23 – Thinking about lag and lead measures in my other coursework for my innovation plan has helped me think more about gathering data that supports and improves my plan. If I can’t show success through data, my plan will not have the buy-in for my participants and my administration that I require (McChesney, et al,,
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8/30/23 – In developing my Action Research Plan, I think Implementing and Collecting the data may be the most difficult to carry out since I will be utilizing other teachers’ classrooms and their students (Mertler, 2022). With this situation, I need to have buy-in from the participants – especially the teachers, as well as, the administrators
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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,
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6/13/23 – The Five Rules for Presentations from Duarte along with Sinek’s thoughts on how to have a great presentation are excellent guidance on what things will set your presentation apart from others (Duarte, 2010; Sinek, 2018). One needs to take the time to add these details and put these directions into practice. Freytag’s Dramatic
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6/12/23 – An active learning article stated, “Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning” because “constructivist theory argues that we can expect students to retain serious misconceptions if instruction is not specifically
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6/8/23 – Sir Robinson shares that we need to look at a revolution in education and not a reformation because the education model widely used today is broken. Thus, we cannot “remodel it” or “reform it” but need to “transform it” (Robinson, 2010). That philosophy resonates with me. When I think of fixing something, I do not usually think
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6/4/23 – It is not surprising that “research tells us that teachers learn much the same way that students do,” because I felt that as a teacher and realized it early as an Instructional Coach (Gulamhussein, 2013). If anything, teachers may need more time and support to learn new practices than their students since adults tend
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6/3/23 – After being an educator for over two decades, it is refreshing to view the work from a different perspective with these assignments and discussions. Reflectively, I can see in many instances over the years where I was reactive in creating a learning environment versus being proactive for my students. I appreciate how we need to
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06/01/2023 – Well, even the “Fairy Godmother” faces illness… There is nothing like starting off your summer and your coursework with a fever and a visit to the doctor. After wrapping up the school year by packing up every thing inside a 57 year-old school to have it renovated, my body took me out of
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5/13/23 – Working on my Master’s degree as a mom follows how my mom accomplished hers. Hopefully, I am modeling for my son similarly how she modeled for me the hard work and dedication to the learning along with balancing family needs. Education has always been a priority for my family, but life-long learning is
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4/29/2023 – As a learner, I want to embrace new information and methodology with an open mind that is willing to listen to understand. Thus, I want to model a Growth Mindset in my learning in the Applied Digital Learning (ADL) program. As I have shared with my students and colleagues, your brain neuroplasticity grows
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4-26-23 – This is my rationale for scores of a 98 in 5302 and 5304 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’ in-person discussions and online discussions. The work I was doing in 5304 correlated
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4/25/23 – It is interesting to note that differentiated leaders resist being triangled with others in an organization by anxiety and issues. These leaders are able to “tolerate” anxiety to allow for change and instill carrying responsibility. Resisting the anxiety of others in a group allows for differentiated leaders to thrive in a toxic organization.
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4/24/23 – At this point, my learning experience in this program has continued to narrow my focus on the specific points that need support along with detail in my Innovative Plan and bolstered my “Why.” I am excited that this program has reinforced where my district is going in Blended Learning and supported my deeper
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4/20/23 – I have recently joined these professional learning networks in order to grow my pedagogy: Classroom 20 – https://classroom20.com/ EDweb – https://home.edweb.net/ Google Educator’s Group of TEXAS – https://sites.google.com/view/geg-texas/home?pli=1 I am also a member of a Lamar learning community of fellow students in Applied Digital Learning in which we collaborate in the work of
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4/19/23 – The Whirlwind of our daily urgent and important tasks compete every day as we try to focus on our work goals and even our personal goals. When trying to focus on change, these day-to-day tasks on the job can easily get in the way. They can keep our strategy of execution for our identified
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04/18/23 – There is a lot to ponder with this ground breaking technology and digital learning. How it can expand a writer’s creativity vs. plagiarism is a controversial point among many that are being bounced around right now.
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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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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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9/7/2025 – Grandparents shape our education as we grow up – especially if they live close by. They may even help our parents with daily care just like my parents were able to do for their grandchildren. Nathan was “God’s gift” at just the right time in all our lives. My parents were nearby and
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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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5/1/2025 – I read recently where Bill Gates said that AI would take over the role of the teacher 10 years from now. While I agree that AI has the ability to provide personalized instruction and feedback (or feedforward as Dr. H would say), there still needs to be the Blended Learning piece of human
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4/21/25 – Losing a loved one during the Easter holiday brings a deeper meaning to what we celebrate on this special weekend. My dad made such an impact on my life from the moment I was born to my last kiss upon his brow with his last heartbeat and breath on Saturday. Today, I want
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7/4/24 – Family time is precious especially lately with expected hand surgery but unexpected hospital visits since my last blog entry. I have found joy holding a parent’s hand in their bed even while one of mine is healing because several of my friends have already lost their parents. Now, I sit in my lawn
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