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I am very glad I had the opportunity to participate in and grow through this program. Best, most worthwhile PD I’ve had in years.
Another fantastic aspect was doing this with my site team of science teachers. We’ve become an even more cohesive group through this experience.

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OK Excel has shown me the importance of having an equity lens on every aspect of what happens inside my classroom.

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OK Excel gave me tools to incorporate in her classroom.

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I have greatly improved at leading productive discussions in class where students are sharing and learning from each other.

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Being a teacher is being a life long learner. This NIC has stretched me in ways to ensure equity in the classroom, effective strategies to increase sense-making of phenomenon, and shift instruction from teacher to student driven.

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OK Excel has pushed to me to think about equity in the classroom and to see how important equity is to sense making in the science classroom. Also, it has made me more prepared for productive talk in my classroom. I plan for my discussions now and I hope that someday I will feel more comfortable with questioning during discussions. It has been a great learning experience for me.

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Being part of OK EXCEL has given me the opportunity to talk with other science teachers and use their experiences to help guide me in teaching. It has also encouraged me to concentrate more on how discussions take place in the classroom.  They don't need to hear me just give them a bunch of facts, but that they learn more when they make sense of a topic by doing and discussing and then can explain/help each other understand. 

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Being part of OK EXCEL has given me the opportunity to talk with other science teachers and use their experiences to help guide me in teaching. It has also encouraged me to concentrate more on how discussions take place in the classroom.  They don't need to hear me just give them a bunch of facts, but that they learn more when they make sense of a topic by doing and discussing and then can explain/help each other understand. 

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OK EXCEL has allowed me to collaborate with other amazing science teachers and utilize the knowledge that we've shared. I've really begun to concentrate on how to implement change ideas and utilize classroom discussions, and that has made a huge difference!

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Teaching this way allows me to do all the things we know are best for our kids. I am getting around reading difficulties with discussion and my favorite, I am talking significantly less but they are learning more. They teach each other and learn from each other. This feels like teaching should feel. It absolutely was challenging this year and did not go as smoothly as last year (for a number of reasons) but I have continuing hope that Excel will help me be the teacher I wish to be.

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Ok Excel pushed me to think differently about my classroom and how students are learning. I loved having the data about how STUDENTS feel about their learning. This is information I have not had before, and it is so important!
I've learned so much from my NIC, and we love our meetings and collaborating together. This has been a wonderful process!!

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I no longer think "how am I going to teach this concept". Instead, I'm constantly thinking "how can I help my students to think about this concept".

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The coaching and feedback as well as "forced" self reflection were essential to adjusting in the moment and not just being happy with the status quo. The training was phenomenal.

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So thankful for the NIC and the consistent time to collaborate and learn with other teachers. Grateful to learn from OK Excel Team and NIC members.

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The accountability of the NIC has been a huge benefit in my journey with Excel for the past school year. I have been able to reach out to my team for support and ideas critical to my teaching.

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Oklahoma Excel was a light during year with many storms. The change ideas have allowed a way for my students to shine and surprise themselves with they can do!

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I have enjoyed solidifying the change ideas that we learned last year. I feel that I am a better teacher and my students are definitely better writers. I have loved the bonding that has taken place within my team.

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I have really enjoyed having the ELA change ideas in my wheelhouse, especially in this crazy year. The change ideas and being part of the NIC have helped me become a better teacher for my students.

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OKExcel has made me way more confident than I have ever been in teaching. This year was the craziest year I could have jumped  into this program but I am so glad I did!

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OK Excel strategies work if you put in the time to use them! You will see great thinking and discussions in your class no matter the subject

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I have grown as an educator as the disjointed ideas I knew I should be using to help students understand science have now been presented to me in a way that is practicable and measurable.

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I have grown as an educator in my abilities to guide students in their writing endeavors. I have Excel, CFS, and conferring to thank for that.

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This year was challenging, but I am thankful for Excel and for keeping a somewhat normal year. I feel I have grown a lot as a teacher over the years and I feel as Excel has played a part.

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I have grown in my abilities as a teacher.  Thanks to Oklahoma Excel, I have new tools in my toolbox to help each student succeed.

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I have grown in my ability to teach writing and expect students to achieve great writing.

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OK Excel gave me a clear path to teaching writing. I'm actually more confident now. If it's not a mystery to me, it's not to them either :)

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This past year has been challenging to say the least, but with the help of Okalhoma Excel, I have grown more than I could have hoped for. I love using change ideas in my classroom and they help me be a better teacher for my students. Every aspect of this program has helped me grow as an educator.

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I've grown so much as a result of being part of the 2020-21 Oklahoma Excel NIC!  Part of the growth I experienced was because of trying new things! The change ideas have become part of my classroom culture, and I plan to continue using them.  I've seen growth in my students, too, as a result of that, especially the CFS.

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I have learned out to use the change ideas to improve my students' writing skills. I have seen the difference in what my students are turning in to me and feel that it has been a worthwhile experience.

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This was a great opportunity to collaborate with my team in whole new ways in how we approach and think about teaching writing in our school setting, and how we can scaffold those ideas up through the different years consistently.

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I grew

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Being introduced to all the different type of puzzle problems has brought new life to my classroom.  Learning from others has been inspirational in such a trying year!

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I have grown so much in my ability to facilitate learners' thinking, reasoning, and justification...and mine, too! I have also LOVED the team aspect of Excel...both at my district level and within the state.

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Being able to get these teachers together from across the district and see the amazing things that they were able to implement into their classrooms, throughout a pandemic and while battling between traditional and virtual settings, was incredibly motivating. I couldn't be prouder of the team and thankful that I was able to be apart of it as their admin.

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After 14 years of teaching, I feel I have grown in so many ways!  I have learned how to incorporate new things into my teaching--puzzle problems, more discussing about Math, more justification in my classroom, and so many new ways to reach my kids.

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I have gotten better at presenting Phenomenon, leading discussions, and classroom management. The camaraderie with our Science Department is awesome. I saw students come in not caring much about Science to becoming my main go to students in moving our conversations forward. It's been awesome to see the transition.

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This year I have learned how to teach my students how to be confident writers. I have seen so much growth in them and that makes me feel like I have made an impact.

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I have enjoyed learning new ideas and techniques to share with my teachers. Everytime I learn new things, I grow as an administrator because I have the opportunity to help my teachers. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my teaches grow as a result of the professional development and to see the improvement in our students' writing!

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My outlook has expanded on what students are capable of at a very young age.