Reflective Essay On My Mentor Experience

As my students stood in a giant group hug in support of a distressed classmate, I knew I had been successful in transforming my practice!

Six years ago, I left a teacher centered class, and was challenged by a mentor to develop my vision of student directed learning and student voice. Upon returning to the classroom, my new class was rich in collaboration and curriculum that embraced a forward thinking pedagogy and included Google Classroom, collaboration, NGSS, coding, 3D printing, hands on science, 1:1 chromebooks, and projects. Students were developing skills to move to a self directed model of learning. Most importantly, I was open to new ideas in order to advance my students.

My experiences of the last 6 years have forever transformed my practice, and in my current position (as of

November) at the Fresno County Office of Education as a technology coordinator I will be able to help other teachers develop their vision of student directed learning and embrace a new pedagogy.

I find a wealth of ideas and inspiration from the classrooms I visit and from learning about the needs and struggles of teachers as I am always looking for ways to use technology and Google apps to make workflows more meaningful.

Conferences serve to grow my knowledge base of trending topics and tools. Then edcamps and discussion groups help to expand and spark ideas. Sometimes, I just think of ideas when I am alone and reflecting on a problem or new idea.

I also seek ideas from Twitter and several Voxer PLNs. For example, Tweeting with @mathkeveli, one evening I developed the idea for a reflection activity for students modeled after an old edcamp game called “Things That Suck” by Bill Selak. The best ideas come from brainstorming! (Yes, AND...)

FInally, I run my best ideas by a good friend or two for feedback from a different point of view.

Not all ideas are good the first time around. Iterations help to refine ideas, making them better and better with each passing round.

If I could have coffee with one person who would be my mentor, I would choose Ken Robinson. Creativity and the ability to solve problems is not just about art and it isn’t just a job skill, it is a life skill that everyone needs to survive in today’s fast paced world.

I would like to ask Sir Robinson about his experiences as a child and why he has become such an advocate for creativity. I would also like to learn more ways to support teachers on limited budgets and resources in how the they can support their student’s creativity in all curriculum areas. How does student choice play into developing creativity? Where can teachers connect to learn more about fostering creativity? And what kind of feedback could he give my project to allow for more student creativity?

I want to make sure that my project embodies creativity in children and I believe that Sir Ken Robinson would be the person to provide insights in how capture that creative

spirit.