My Summer Learning Journey

This post is week 7 of 8 in the 8 Weeks of Summer Blog Challenge for educators.

Well, this is a timely post! It’s bringing me back to my first 8 Weeks of Summer blog post where I shared my summer PD goals:

  1. I will finish my TESOL Advanced Certificate Program.

  2. I will do some work on my year plan and related resources for my grade 5 English learner class.

  3. I will read 8 children and young adult books, which is nourishment for my soul as a reading teacher.

  4. I will blog about my learning (and whatever else is in store for the #8WeeksofSummer challenge) at least 8 times.

Now, we are in week 7. It’s a good time to review what I planned and see how I’m doing.

First, my plan to finish my TESOL certificate has failed. I had believed that certificate would serve as credit for my teacher license re-certification credit, but, alas, it didn’t.  When I went to renew my license, I saw that it would not count for the credit I needed. Instead I signed up for two other courses–Six Traits of Writing and Fierce Teaching. These are great classes, which will help me in my teaching and get me re-certified.  By the way, my TESOL certificate will still be completed, but I’ll wait until the fall.

Second, I am continuing my work on my year plan for grade 5. Not as much as I want, but I will work more in August.

My suitcase full of books.

Third, regarding the nourishment for my soul, I am reading! In fact, I sometimes have to slap my hand and put the book down. I’ve read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and I have almost finished The Reckoning by John Grisham.  In addition, my suitcase has 220 children’s books to take back to Bahrain. I’m enjoying reading many of them too.

Fourth, I have managed to keep up blogging for the #8WeeksofSummer challenge. Thank you, Penny!

In addition, Gallit and I are enthusiastically working on the second edition of The Genius Hour Handbook.

I’m definitely learning, growing, and so busy this summer. I’m also having a wonderful time visiting my family. In August, when I travel back to Bahrain, I’ll get even more busy with my many professional development goals.

 

4 thoughts on “My Summer Learning Journey

  1. So glad you got family time in there to disrupt your work! 😉 And just how did you get 220 books to bring back?! Thanks for sharing, Denise – we don’t always get done what we planned, yet it works out and we keep plugging along!

  2. Hi Joy,
    Yes, the family time has been the best! I have learned to let the parts go that don’t get done. It’s necessary in our field, isn’t it? I bought many of the books from a website run by teachers…https://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/ The rest are from thrift stores. Looking forward to using them with our children!

    Thanks,
    Denise

  3. Hi Denise,

    Love how your reflection shows how we often need to adapt our plans to meet current and future needs and bypass obstacles that interfere with our overall goals. But most importantly is what you have done: read for yourself to refresh your mind and connect with family, which is the most important.

    You’ve created an awesome summer experience for yourself that will also affect others — your sharing of your reading, the books for your class, and the memories shared and created with your family.

    Enjoy your last few moments before you return to your last year in Bahrain and all the best for your #GeniusHour second edition!

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