Week 5 Thoughts and Reflections on What I Learned in this Class.

When I first started this course I was not sure what to expect, I have been exposed to a new way of learning that has challenged me and made me aware of all the needs of others and how I might be able to impact education with all that I will be learning this next year with my internship and my action plan. Some things I heard from the lectures or read in the reading were new to me and then just participating in the blogs was a new way to look into other ideas and concepts that might in the end help me in my education endeavors.

The lectures from the professors gave me a good insight into what I was going to be learning each week and sometimes help clarify what I was questioning. I have to remember that I am going to make mistakes but right now is the best time to make these mistakes and learn from them. I liked when in the lectures they told me of some of the challenges I was going to meet while working on my internship and action plan and that I was not going to be alone that everyone will meet different obstacles.

The readings were from two books, Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as the Action Researcher by Nancy Fichtman Dana and Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools by Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson and Julie Combs. I am learning many new things from both books, I enjoy learning about the nine passions of an action research plan the most, as I read about each passion I was able to several of the scenarios and then question my studies in technology. I also loved the eight steps involved in research; I really need this in helping me figure out what and how I was going to approach my action plan. Even when you have to go back and forth between each of the steps. I always thought that it was a series of steps and am glad that I will discover ideas and research and then go back and make changes. I always thought you had to do exactly in a set order nice to know you can deviate from the normal.

The discussion boards have made me think, and then to figure out how to get my point across to everyone. Sometimes it took me more than once to figure out what I was going to say and then to reply to someone without just a one word or sentence answer and to help and encourage them while discussing the weekly topic.

My site mentor has been supportive, although this is a stressful time in schools with STAAR testing they have listened when I emailed or texted or talked to them during school. I have enjoyed the challenges this class has given me but in the end made me a better questioner and to look more in depth at my research and where to look and what questions to ask while working on this action plan.