During 21st Century Teaching and Learning, I learned a lot about how to raise engagement in my classroom. At the beginning of the course I had no idea what a LoTi score was, and now I am coaching other people how to improve it in their lesson plans! I also had never heard of the Engaged Indicators of Learning. I also learned about how to use features of Microsoft Office and other computer software, such as, Co-writer and Brain Pop to help students use technology and meet state standards.
One thing I enjoyed about this course is the presentation of the content. We gradually got practice and experience throughout the course, and the material was scaffolded so we would have optimal chances to succeed. After completing this course, specifically after completing the Engaged Learning Project, I feel a lot more confident in my ability to create and implement projects. I initially struggled with identifying the difference between challenging and difficult. I kept making my project harder for the students, but I was not having the students use the research they were finding to produce new, original thoughts. Additionally, I learned the value of taking extra time on projects to formatively assess along the way. Most of the time, I feel so much stress when I am teaching I just try to finish each standard as fast as I can. Instead, I should slow down and try to be more thorough in what I am covering.
Overall, I feel like I am a better teacher and coach because of my new found familiarity with LoTi and the Engaged Indicators of Learning. Since our class centered around application based discussion and projects, I feel very comfortable creating lesson plans with my colleagues, working with my students, and differentiating to suit the needs of each student.
One thing I enjoyed about this course is the presentation of the content. We gradually got practice and experience throughout the course, and the material was scaffolded so we would have optimal chances to succeed. After completing this course, specifically after completing the Engaged Learning Project, I feel a lot more confident in my ability to create and implement projects. I initially struggled with identifying the difference between challenging and difficult. I kept making my project harder for the students, but I was not having the students use the research they were finding to produce new, original thoughts. Additionally, I learned the value of taking extra time on projects to formatively assess along the way. Most of the time, I feel so much stress when I am teaching I just try to finish each standard as fast as I can. Instead, I should slow down and try to be more thorough in what I am covering.
Overall, I feel like I am a better teacher and coach because of my new found familiarity with LoTi and the Engaged Indicators of Learning. Since our class centered around application based discussion and projects, I feel very comfortable creating lesson plans with my colleagues, working with my students, and differentiating to suit the needs of each student.