Dichotomy

I just woke up crying.  Have you ever done that? I cannot remember a time that I have, and it has left me reeling.  I am sitting in my hotel room at the posh Rosen Shingle Creek Resort

in Orlando, Florida with fresh tears wiped from my face.  Today is the last morning of this six-day trip.  I am not upset about leaving, nor reminising about my beautiful town or husband and sons I left behind (although I will be very happy to see them at the end of the day).

 

I was dreaming about my second-grade classroom, and my colleagues at Lena Whitmore Elementary.

The day before I left for this trip I returned to my former classroom to begin the process of separating my personal belongings.  It was the first time I'd been alone in the room for a year, and it was an experience that I was unprepared for.  I didn't anticipate the intensity of my own emotions.

I was surrounded by the deep blue and green bookcases that I had painted.  The empty branches of the giant oak tree made from crumpled paper bags that I'd stapled to the concrete wall loomed overhead.  My beloved rug with children from around the world smiling up at me beneath my feet. Every drawer that I opened or bookbox that I peered into was intimately familiar, and yet foreign to me.

It was all wrong.  The furniture wasn't where it was supposed to be and the Ikea bookboxes were cracked and broken.  Some of my childhood books that my father had read to me as a child were now ripped.  An unknown child had ripped the preserved green June beetle from its plastic case in the cover of the Beetles of the World book.

Yes, I realize that I chose this path....  Another one-year, once-in-a-lifetime presented itself to me, and I took the leap.  Against multiple odds it worked out.  And now I find myself subconsciously mourning the loss of my second-grade-teaching self. How is it that I can be genuinely excited about my future and all that it holds and at the same time so very sad about what I am leaving behind?  I know that it has to do with all of the time and energy and love that I poured into that time in my life.  A life that I loved and never imagined myself leaving permanently. That's the dichotomy I find myself in at this time.  Sitting in a tropical paradise dreading the act of removing a piece of my heart when I return home.

Transformation of Teaching

I have been extremely fortunate to teach this semester in the University of Idaho's Doceo Center for Innovation and Learning.

The word doceo is Latin and means "I teach, tutor, or instruct". The Doceo ("Doe-CHAY-oh") Center was funded by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation for the purpose of "providing cutting-edge training and technology integration resources to educators, teacher educators, and administrators in Idaho as well as research for larger audiences." I often describe this space to people who have not been here as a room with "technology on steroids". This lab is equipped with six interactive displays, five collaboration stations, an AMX switching system and a variety of devices including document cameras, iPads and laptops. In this environment I have been able to transform my teaching with an infusion of cutting-edge technology. My students are now learning the course content through collaborative presentations and activities that utilize Web 2.0 resources. I am modeling the use of digital hardware and tools that my students will need to know for their future classrooms use including: Smart Boards, iPads, Chromebooks, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. They are also experiencing interactive Google Apps for Education (GAFE) programs: Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms, and digital educator resources on a daily basis. My students are learning how to foster collaboration and cooperation in a 21st century classroom environment. Aesthetically speaking, it leaves something to be desired....specifically a window. After taking a full-day two-week course here this summer I would feel the need walk outside and stare at a tree every chance that I'd get. Granted, this basement location is the center's temporary location while the new College of Education building is under construction. When completed, the Doceo Center will be the highlight of the new building. Teaching in this classroom is an amazing opportunity in itself, but it has already opened up other doors to me. As a result of my course transformation in this technology-rich environment, I have been asked to co-present at the UBTech Conference in Orlando, Florida in June. The title of our presentation is, “Transforming Practice in an Active Learning Environment: Faculty Perspectives.”

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Nomination

I am very honored and humbled to be nominated for the 2015 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at the University of Idaho.  Here is the actual nomination letter from my department head. Part of the nomination process included a letter from a former student and fellow staff member who has observed me in the classroom. Even if I am not selected for the actual award itself, I am so thankful to have gone through this process.  I am going to include the letters (without identifying others) for a little pick-me-up for those times when I am feeling overwhelmed and discouraged with the teaching profession.

From my former student:

To Whom It May Concern,

Looking back throughout my education I have been influenced by many inspirational teachers. Teachers who would spend hours outside of the class helping me, teachers who would impact me the minute I walked into their class, and teachers who would evoke a sense of passion into every lesson they would teach. As a former student of Janice Weesner’s EDCI 201 class at the University of Idaho, I feel that I am justified to say that she is one of those teachers who have impacted and inspired me in many ways.

When I walked into Janice Weesner’s classroom I was swept away by her passion for teaching. Her welcoming personality made it easy to adjust to a college class. She made it a priority to know her students names, which may seem like a minor detail, but it allowed me to see the devotion she had for each student. As a student currently pursuing a degree in elementary education I was instantly drawn to her teaching strategies. She not only puts effort into every student she comes into contact with, but also puts effort into perfecting herself. For example, Mrs. Weesner sent a survey out to all of the students in her EDCI 201 class and asked each of us about her strengths and weaknesses. She wanted us to be brutally honest with our answers, and that was exactly what we did. After the survey, she examined her pros and cons and made a noticeable effort to correct the areas that needed the most improvement. Although this example may seem pointless to some, it inspired me to open myself up for examination in order to better myself.

Janice is a teacher who truly cares for her students, and you can tell by her warm personality. Throughout the semester, Janice made it apparent that she wanted the best for her students by her devotion in and out of the classroom. This aspect of her teaching has inspired me the most. If it was an email late at night or staying after class to ask her questions, Janice Weesner made it obvious that she wanted to help in any way possible. In the classroom, she would engage the class and make it an environment that was easy to learn in.

Janice Weesner is a teacher who I want to imitate when I teach. Her caring personality makes for an ideal learning environment, and her passion for teaching is contagious. Janice puts effort into every student and well as herself. She inspires others and has impacted me in ways that few teacher have. She has evoked a new sense of passion in me for teaching and I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to be one of her students.

From my colleague:

Dear Selection Committee:

Please consider the contents of this letter in support of Janice Weesner for the Outstanding Student Teaching Assistant Award. I have had the privilege of mentoring Janice in both the k-12 environment and here at the University of Idaho and have been truly impressed with her ability to impact the students that she teaches in both roles. Her dedication to her profession shines through every day in her interactions with students, k-12 teachers, and UI faculty members.

When I first met Janice, she was a k-12 teacher who was eager to integrate technology into her classroom. Her interest in exploring these possibilities led her to apply for the NIWP Summer Institute, a collaborative effort of the Northwest Inland Writing Project, the Idaho Common Core Teacher Network, and the Doceo Center for Innovation + Learning. Through this program, Janice has been a wonderful role model for other teachers and college of education students as she applies everything she learns directly to her current teaching experiences. She clearly considers both the limitations and affordances of specific technologies and instructional strategies and how their uses will impact student learning.

Janice’s determination to integrate technology in the classroom has transformed her teaching style. She began teaching in the Doceo Center Lab at the beginning of the semester where I have had the pleasure of observing her sections of EDCI 201. Janice uses every opportunity to engage her students with collaborative activities and model best practices. As a result, I witness the students benefiting from the active learning style where they dig much deeper into the materials and learn from one another. In fact, Janice will be presenting at the 2015 UBTech Conference in Orlando along with myself and two other instructors who will share their perspectives concerning teaching in an active learning classroom.

In my extensive experience in mentoring teachers, it is rare to find an individual with the determination that Janice possesses. Her brave efforts to innovate by trying new approaches in the classroom are paying off for both her and her students. I unconditionally recommend her for the Outstanding Student Teaching Assistant Award.