End of the Semester

The semester is coming to an end and with it comes the flurry of exams, final projects and term papers.  And although this has been one of the most challenging semesters, it has been a very informative one as well.  Nine hours (3 courses) may have been too many, but I've plowed through and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

In my Child and Family Relations class - Infant and Toddler Curriculum I have spent one morning a week in an infant/toddler classroom at Dartmouth Hitchcock Child Care Center.  Even though I have my own son, the challenges and rewards of working with nine growing children has been profound.  They have reminded me why I am embarking on this educational adventure.  They are full of life, in the moment and extraordinarily curious.  Its too bad we lose that as adults, if we could all take more time with what is actually happening NOW maybe we wouldn't be so stressed!

My Cultural Diversity class has been an interesting journey.  Cultural Diversity is so interconnected with current events, human rights, politics and education that the discussions and explorations have led to Human Trafficking, Civil Rights, Diverse Workplaces and Multicultural society - and how all these things impact our interactions and relationships with students and co-workers.  And no matter how angry or frustrated I got with the subject matter, it is reassuring to know that it will be my job to impress on young people that the color of our skin, the gods we pray (or don't pray) to or the foods we eat are just part of what makes us special and important.  The only way to rid our world of prejudice is to model an accepting and curious example for them.  We need to see what we have in common and what we can learn from each other and stop being afraid of what's different.

And finally my Technology in the Classroom course - what a wild ride.  Much of the technology itself; Google Docs, Powerpoint, Databases among others were not new to me.  I have used many of these things in my working life for many different reasons.  But now I am learning how to use these everyday tools to teach students how to think out side the box, collaborate, problem solve and use new tools to their own advantage.
And this blog... I would never have started a blog without it being assigned.  And I got a slow start, not knowing what to say, worrying about if I had any followers, wondering if it was "right" but I actually learned that it can be a personal tool regardless of its audience.  I can read back and see what I was learning, what topics interested me and what has changed and grown over time.  I think I'm going to keep it up even after the semester ends.

So here I go, to finish my very first lesson plan.
on a SmartBoard none the less :)