My journey

My longest-lasting memories of elementary to my current graduate courses are those that have inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and untap my fullest potential. I took an interest in educators who truly invested in me and who viewed me as more than just another student passing through their classroom. Those who were enthusiastic to teach us more than what was in our textbooks. In those moments, I was unaware of the impact and disruption it was causing within me, but as I began my profession in teaching, I knew I wanted to recreate those similar experiences and feelings for my students. I believe students should be taught beyond the four walls, in order to discover the vast opportunities education provides. All students have the right to an inclusive learning environment. It should not matter which school you step into, all classrooms regardless of student ability, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or zip code should be a place where students grow and succeed. 

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What should learning look like? 

Traditional learning may look like a teacher in the front of the classroom while students are sitting in rows focused on listening to new information, and then regurgitating that information on tests. Although those principles and practices may have worked in the past during the industrial age, the students of today have a vast amount of knowledge at their fingertips with the help of technology and the internet that we can harness into digital learning. As we research digital learning, our classrooms must continue to be pathways to knowledge acquisition. I believe blended learning can offer teachers and students the best of both worlds, personalized learning, and technology. By incorporating this student-centered learning model, we move away from the traditional teacher-centered model of the past. With each new school year, teachers are asked to implement new curricula or standards, and more emphasis is placed on the scores and data. I do believe in accountability and with the assistance of data we can personalize and differentiate lessons, but we must also redefine what SUCCESS can look like. If we are to focus on just test scores and grades we are missing the target which is to prepare our students for real-world learning. If we were to take an in-depth look at servicing students' personalized academic needs, then we can measure progress and not just ability. My goal is to give students back their voice in learning and create an environment where both students and teachers can collaborate to increase student engagement, motivation, and academic growth by giving students choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities. Along with my colleagues, Erika Peña and Ileana Reyna, we began researching and creating a blended learning model in order to increase engagement in the classroom and offer students flexibility and self-paced learning through adaptive programs. We want to give students the best opportunity to thrive at their own pace and to allow them choice and voice on how they share their ideas.  Our goal is to support all learners' unique needs, by providing them with authentic opportunities to invest in their own learning. Blended learning along with choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning opportunities (COVA) (Harapnuik et al., 2018) allows students the freedom to choose their own way of learning and showcase what they have learned. By putting students in charge of their own learning with teacher guidance, we give the power back to the learner while they gain skills to help them grow for the jobs of the future.

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Technology as a learning extension
When implemented correctly, technology can be the catalyst that enhances and transforms the learning experience for our students.  If our goal is to travel beyond our four walls, I believe we must refocus our skills and resources on a blended learning environment in order to meet the educational needs of 21st-century learners. Technology can assist in differentiating instruction for each student allowing them to receive adaptive lessons based on real-time data. This will free up time for teachers to create intentional and personalized lessons to meet each student's unique needs. In time teachers will shift from a teacher-centered model to becoming facilitators in a student-centered classroom. With this model, classrooms will shift to a personalized learning environment where students are offered choice, ownership, and voice, through authentic learning opportunities. 

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Moving forward with lifelong learning
I believe learning should be continuous and not stagnant. Why? Because as educators we must be willing to learn and lead. This is the reason I decided to pursue my Master’s degree. I am committed to professionally growing and developing my skills in order to disrupt the current education model. If our expectations and goals are to grow students to be lifelong learners, teachers have to force themselves out of their comfort zone and be willing to continue learning how to learn. We must model these same expectations to our students by allowing them to witness teachers collaborating, adapting, failing, and problem-solving. Students need to make those connections and then be able to transfer those same learning expectations.

I believe the opportunity to challenge the traditional classroom is now. I must remember the most influential teachers in my path created a different learning experience and challenged my thinking. I am committed to continuing the same for my students because all students have a right to inclusive education that meets their needs. 

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References:

Harapnuik, D. Thibodeaux, T., Cummings,  C. (2018) Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning [ebook]. 

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