Reflection Submission Instructions
"How did the learning experience impact you and your practice?"
Posting a reflection after your professional development experience is an important component of professional collaboration. Please share a reflection and include any links or attachments that are helpful for others as well. Categorizing your post will help others find similar topics and please email Fran if you have other suggestions for categories that would be useful. Scroll to the bottom of this page if you need ideas or what to include in your reflection.
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Reflections
- 11
Education for Sustainability
What went well in the unit design process and implementation of your unit? What changes do you want to make and why?
1Lower School Curriculum
PD related to Lower School curriculum design and effective classroom practices that support engaged student learning.
21Upper School Curriculum
PD related to Upper School curriculum design and effective classroom practices that support engaged student learning.
16SEL
Posts related to social-emotional learning and mental well-being in the school environment.
18DEIB
Post related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and creating a sense of belonging for all.
12Leadership
Posts related to leadership skills and how to bring out the best in yourselves and others in our learning environment.
17- 8
Differentiation
Workshop or other PD reflection that is related to differentiation and meeting the needs of all learners.
3Advancement
Professional development related to the Advancement Office.
3Assessment
PD reflection that is related to assessment of student learning and progress.
12023 Summer Collaborative Work
Include deliverables in your reflection for any 2023 Summer Grant/Idea Lab days. Submissions due Aug 18th for stipends.
382022 Summer Collaborative Work
Summer Grant and Summer Idea Lab Reflections
32
- Technology/InnovationYour role at Burke's 1. When did this opportunity take place? April 6-10 in Reno, Nevada 2. Summary of workshop/​opportunity What a fantastic experience it's been attending this tailored conference for tech leaders! This marks my second year, and I must say, it just keeps getting better. From the insightful workshops to the vibrant vendor interactions, it's been a whirlwind of learning and connection-building. The workshops were perfectly aligned with the latest tech trends, catering to the diverse needs of tech teams like ours. AI stole the spotlight this year, and it was exhilarating to delve into its myriad applications through various engaging sessions. From discussions on AI's role in education to real-life implementation examples, every workshop was a goldmine of knowledge and inspiration. Engaging with vendors was equally rewarding. It provided a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the products we use in our school, address any queries or issues we had, and even explore alternative solutions that could better suit our needs. Discovering new software and innovative products tailored specifically for educational settings was a highlight, offering promising avenues for enhancing our school's technology infrastructure. Overall, this conference has been an enriching journey, brimming with valuable insights, meaningful connections, and exciting possibilities for the future of our school's tech landscape. 3. Goals & Collaborations: Workshop on Blackbaud partners ecosystem: Extended your Software Capabilities • What were your big takeaways from your workshop or project? The extensive network of partners within BB presents an opportunity for us to harness its full potential more effectively, offering a wealth of resources to enhance our operations • How does what you learned connect to your goals this year? My goal for this year revolves around deepening my proficiency with BB and maximizing its benefits for our teams. I aim to continually advance my skills and explore innovative ways to leverage its features • How might this opportunity lead to collaboration with other faculty?  Certain functionalities within BB could be shared or integrated with other teams, fostering a collaborative environment where different departments can streamline their processes through a unified platform • How does this PD learning or experience impact your work? Continuously engaging in professional development like this ensures that I maintain a versatile skill set in technology, enabling me to navigate any scenario with confidence and proficiency   4. Would you recommend this opportunity? Why or why not? I wholeheartedly endorse this opportunity for not just our tech team but also anyone keen on delving deeper into technology's role in education or seeking ways to enhance their tech utilization. It's an enriching experience that promises valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating the ever-evolving landscape of technology in schools. ​ Here is the link to the conference site: https://theatlis.org/page/annual-conference-2024 Here is a presentation from one of the workshops attended:Like
- Education for SustainabilitySummary: Students will come across problems and solutions throughout their lives, both on an individual and collective level. Students have a responsibility to create a more sustainable community for future generations. From big to small, students need to have the skills to work collaboratively and think "outside of the box" to develop innovative solutions to real world problems without shifting the burden or undermining their intended purpose. During the planning phase, we had hoped students would research and issue and develop some sustainable solution. Students learned about how to (1) identify a problem, (2) identify the root causes of a problem and (3) list the effects. We used the problem tree graphic organizer, which was very helpful. Students chose an issue to focus on. They were asked to focus on a local issue. Students learned APA citation strategies. They would be asked to include a references and annotated bibliography with their paper. Takeaways: • We did not have enough time for students to design/ implement a solution; • Students struggled picking a sustainability issue that was specific enough; • Expectations for the body paragraphs (causes, impacts, solutions, considerations) asked too much of students to cover with enough depth; informative essay began to drift into an argumentative piece; • Students were successful in learning about and applying APA citation rules to their writing (in-text citations); • Students were successful in identifying reliable sources; • Students were relatively successful in using myBib -- however need more guidance on checking the information pulled from the source; • Students were relatively successful in choosing which information to cite/ paraphrase/ or summarize; • Students need more explicit instruction in paraphrasing information from sources; Action Steps: • Provide students with a curated list of topics to choose from • Body paragraphs should center around elaborating on details • Explicit instruction in synthesizing information from multiple sources • Scaffolding for paraphrasing information (digital or hard copy/ index cards) • Time for students to share learning with others (i.e. video; podcast)
- Mindfulness at Burke's 2024After today's morning experience and the afternoon cross division discussion time, I had the following idea: Issue: In Lower School, two 4th graders each week, write their own prompt with Alice Moore's assistance. This seems well received by the rest of LS - they get quiet and seem to listen and follow the prompt as best they can. It sounded to me like this is the same procedure used in US assemblies but with less of a positive reception (more talking and general unsettledness, or a sense of it being rote and students not really getting mindful). My Idea: Building from the student -inspired prompts in LS (which could stay the same under Margot's direction); perhaps US could choose a mindfulness theme to focus on for the week or the month - then the mindfulness activities in assembly could relate to that theme - i.e. gratitude, body scanning/appreciation/acceptance; breath work with a variety of different techniques (or building on one technique), mindful eating, positive memories, positive affirmations, etc. I think it could be helpful to find the workbooks that were used in our first deep dive into mindfulness back in 2010 - they had a lot of different mindfulness strategies, approaches and prompts that could be useful - there was a LS workbook and and US one. Also, Jimmy has the book "Teaching Mindfulness to Children" from Thich Naht Hahn. Perhaps we could fins some summer reading books aligned with this topic as well.
Instructions:
Above hit create new post, select the category type. Now you can begin to write your reflection.
You may want to simply copy and paste questions below to post in your reflection.
Your role at Burke's
When did this opportunity take place?
Summary of workshop/​opportunity
Goals & Collaborations:
What were your big takeaways from your workshop or project?
How does what you learned connect to your goals this year?
How might this opportunity lead to collaboration with other faculty?
How does this PD learning or experience impact your work?
6. Would you recommend this opportunity? Why or why not?
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7. Attach/add the URL/Website to the post