https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx Collection of course responses and resources, as well as helpful materials en-us 2017-02-12 19:52:00 UTC 2017-05-04 01:03:28 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Apple.png jtanzi https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/153298662 While I do not currently work in a classroom setting, there are definitely skills that I have learned and developed from my current job in finance that I believe will translate very well to the classroom:

1. Collaboration- working at my current firm has most definitely taught me the value in working together as a team, as well as the value of being open to diverse thoughts and opinions. I plan to leverage the experiences, ideas, and skills of fellow teachers to enhance my own growth as an educator. In the end, we are all working towards to same goal: to educate our students as best we can. I believe that it is important to collaborate, and to learn as much as possible from each other, in order to reach our full potential as teachers. Furthermore, I hope to also instill a collaborative mindset within my students, so that they too can realize the benefits and successes that can be achieved through working and learning from each other.
2. Positive attitude and high energy- the current job that I have right now has not been the easiest, considering all that has gone on in the financial markets these last few years. One piece of advice that I got from a mentor was to be sure that I always approached every single day with a positive mindset, and with a high level of energy, or else my days would seem so much longer, and so much more stressful. I believe that a positive attitude can sometimes be the difference between success and failure. As a teacher, I hope that my positive attitude reflects directly on my classroom, and empowers my students to approach my lessons and their work with the same positive outlook. This positivity  would hopefully lead directly to an increased feeling of energy and will to learn, and ultimately a more motivated and driven classroom of students.

One area of my learning that I most definitely hope to develop throughout this course is the formation of successful and detailed lesson plans (which I have never done before). I hope to be able to utilize differentiation and modification to the students' greatest benefit.]]> 2017-02-12 19:57:35 UTC https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/153298662 jtanzi https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/161029720 As a teacher, the importance of reflection cannot be understated. The first step in realizing the importance of reflection is coming to grips with the fact that there is always room to improve. We, as teachers, should hold ourselves to the same expectations that we set for our students every single day they enter the classroom- to approach ever day with an open mind and a willingness to learn. It is our job to teach our students, but we should be learning just as much about ourselves during the process. Given how busy and tiring a day of instruction can be, it is difficult at times to take a step back and look at ourselves through a critical lens. This is why reflection is so important. It is definitely easier for us to become set in our ways and get through each day on cruise control, but this mindset of just "going through the motions" does not serve anyone well- our students, or us, as teachers. The most successful people in the world are those that are able to recognize their faults and make them their strengths. This growth is impossible without reflection.]]> 2017-03-19 21:22:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/161029720 jtanzi https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/169820755 You will be very happy that you took Dr. Gurski's class. I have learned so much over the course of this semester. Having just started out on my graduate school degree, I am still relatively new to teaching, and do not have very much classroom experience to date- I just started substitute teaching in April 2017! This course contains a wealth of knowledge that will most definitely prepare you for many situations that you will encounter over the course of your career. The use of technology in the classroom is a huge sticking point in this class- you will definitely learn a lot about how technology can benefit you as a professional, as well as the students that you will teach. We also learned about the importance of self reflection. I think my previous Padlet says it best: the first step in realizing the importance of reflection is realizing that there is always room to improve. Every day, as a teacher, you should spend some time in thought to benefit you. It is a given that if you are in this profession, you are always looking for ways to benefit your students- but thinking about yourself is just as integral. You should always strive to be a better teacher tomorrow than you were today- something that I definitely took away from this course. Lastly, as mentioned, this course contains a wealth of information. It is important to stay organized, and to stay on top of the work and the syllabus. It can be quite easy to fall behind! If you find yourself stuck, Dr. Gurski is extremely accessible, and willing to help! I hope you learn as much from this course as I did! Best of luck going forward!]]> 2017-05-04 00:54:16 UTC https://padlet.com/jtanzi/qzihkljkqdjx/wish/169820755