cc licence by Flickr shared by likeablerodent
Opening my school email on Monday I was overwhelmed by four emails about my Expo presentation last week.
To start with I was surprised when Bronwyn Custance requested to use my video about how I use the Language and Literacy Levels in my ESL programming and she also told me how one of her teacher students has used the ideas of my presentation in their own reflection.
How incredibly exciting, as Bronwyn says the ripple effect.
The ripple effect continued as I read 2 more emails about my next presentation at the November EALD Secondary Network meeting (DECD) and how keen they are to have me present innovative teaching ideas for EALD students.
But more…the ripple effect was growing and then on Wednesday Bronwyn emailed about using my video at the National ASFLA Conference in Melbourne in the October holidays.
I wondered how has this all occurred?
It started in February when I attended a two-day course on the L & L Levels. Then, over terms 2 and 3, I completed the six-day course How Language Works on functional grammar.
I also had the opportunity to attend a one-day course on E-portfolios with George Corous which led me tweeting Phil Stubbs and being offered access to Atomic learning where I taught myself iMovie, trailers and advanced PowerPoint skills that enabled me to successfully present at the Expo.
So, when I read about what makes a 21 Century teacher in the Sardine blog, I evaluated my own professional development this year and how learning new technologies and pedagogies, such as Flipping the classroom and functional grammar have both helped me to deepen my program to focus on the language skills EALD students need to achieve the literacy demands at year 11 and 12.
As Terry Heick from Teach Thought wrote
In many ways, technology has made this possible, but more critical in this reality are the creative minds and collective wills of the teachers–as change agents–in every classroom across the planet, making ripples that will hopefully last a lifetime.
Achieving this doesn’t require for you to be any one thing other than acutely attentive to possibility.
A massive thank you to all at Wildy, AISSA and DECD for your support and encouragement of my professional development- the ripples and the possibilities.
Thank you. I would never had thought all this would happen. The most important outcome is the change in my own learning environment and the opportunity to share innovative teaching with other EALD teachers.
Congratulations Ann. That is the most fabulous story.