On Thursday 24th April 2014, I taught my last Geography International Baccalaureate Diploma Class. It was a bittersweet day. This group of seniors has been particularly challenging and we, as a faculty, have known since their first day in 6th Grade that this day was going to be met with some degree of happiness at their departure and some thoughtful reflection to the characters departing.
Change, it would seem is happening all around. I will no longer teach Geography next year in any capacity – something that has been my bread and butter for my whole teaching career. Next year I will be the Technology Internationalist for our Secondary School – and it’s thanks to this course!
As we race as a school toward one-to-one laptop integration and continue to propagate more synergy with technology in teaching and learning, it would seem that my role (still very undefined and perhaps a little misunderstood by many faculty) will become key to driving our school forward into 21st Century teaching and learning. I like to think of my future as “beyond the mission statement” – as our mission says:
“To meet the challenges and opportunities of our interdependent, fast-changing world as responsible citizens, young people require flexible intellectual competence, self-discipline, and a global outlook. To achieve these goals, they need rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be. To thrive in and contribute to this world, they must have a solid sense of self and respect for others—as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nations, and as members of the global community. Extraordinary individuals will be called upon to shape the 21st century. The mission of Atlanta International School (AIS) is to develop such individuals.” (Click here for full statement).
Through this course, I am strengthened to help create those “extraordinary individuals”. I might not have the solutions to all of the problems that I will encounter – but I have discovered a wealth of “things” that will help us all discuss the best Internet tools for the job. I have also pledged that I will continue to blog – not just professionally as part of my job from August onwards but also personally. Check out https://www.twomugsthattravel.com/ from May 1st onwards. This will be a shared blog with my husband with the premise that both our careers are taking us to places around the world and the one thing that is always packed in our luggage is our coffee mug (slight addition to coffee included!). As I travel this summer to present at conferences in Atlanta, Austin, Vancouver, Bogotá Colombia, Keystone CO and a few other places between, the adventures of this Middle Years Programme Workshop Leader moving into the realms of technology integration combined with my funny accent and ability to always find the humor in life should make for some interesting blogging. I’ll aim to have a professional following – but my biggest fans, my parents, are keen for me to blog again as my father seems to start every phone call these days with “So, where are you today?”
Dr. Seuss said it best –
“Oh the places you will go,
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”
Read the rest of this great poem here http://homepages.ius.edu/HARRISLA/places.htm
Thanks to this course and this program, the adventure is just starting. No longer in the feared waiting place – it’s time to put the bulging brain into action to move mountains.
Change, it would seem is happening all around. I will no longer teach Geography next year in any capacity – something that has been my bread and butter for my whole teaching career. Next year I will be the Technology Internationalist for our Secondary School – and it’s thanks to this course!
As we race as a school toward one-to-one laptop integration and continue to propagate more synergy with technology in teaching and learning, it would seem that my role (still very undefined and perhaps a little misunderstood by many faculty) will become key to driving our school forward into 21st Century teaching and learning. I like to think of my future as “beyond the mission statement” – as our mission says:
“To meet the challenges and opportunities of our interdependent, fast-changing world as responsible citizens, young people require flexible intellectual competence, self-discipline, and a global outlook. To achieve these goals, they need rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be. To thrive in and contribute to this world, they must have a solid sense of self and respect for others—as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nations, and as members of the global community. Extraordinary individuals will be called upon to shape the 21st century. The mission of Atlanta International School (AIS) is to develop such individuals.” (Click here for full statement).
Through this course, I am strengthened to help create those “extraordinary individuals”. I might not have the solutions to all of the problems that I will encounter – but I have discovered a wealth of “things” that will help us all discuss the best Internet tools for the job. I have also pledged that I will continue to blog – not just professionally as part of my job from August onwards but also personally. Check out https://www.twomugsthattravel.com/ from May 1st onwards. This will be a shared blog with my husband with the premise that both our careers are taking us to places around the world and the one thing that is always packed in our luggage is our coffee mug (slight addition to coffee included!). As I travel this summer to present at conferences in Atlanta, Austin, Vancouver, Bogotá Colombia, Keystone CO and a few other places between, the adventures of this Middle Years Programme Workshop Leader moving into the realms of technology integration combined with my funny accent and ability to always find the humor in life should make for some interesting blogging. I’ll aim to have a professional following – but my biggest fans, my parents, are keen for me to blog again as my father seems to start every phone call these days with “So, where are you today?”
Dr. Seuss said it best –
“Oh the places you will go,
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”
Read the rest of this great poem here http://homepages.ius.edu/HARRISLA/places.htm
Thanks to this course and this program, the adventure is just starting. No longer in the feared waiting place – it’s time to put the bulging brain into action to move mountains.