Final Update - probably forever so let's reflect.

Night one of class I was trying my hardest to figure out HOW to blog. So much had changed since I had last used the platforms and the learning curve was too high for my already-stretched-far-too-thin brain to figure out. The stress of work, attending an in person class for the first time in many years, the noise of my fellow classmates working together, the fears of sharing my writing with a class full of current and future English teachers and of not fitting in. While figuring it all out, I found a previous blog of mine from early in my career and cringed so hard. She really thought she knew what she was doing. She hadn't been in the classroom for more than a year and wrote like she had it all figured out.

It's been seven years since that initial blog and I know for sure I didn't have it figured out then and I don't have it figured out now. I don't believe I'll ever have it all figured out. What I do know now is that the learning and growing never ends. Through writing this new blog, I have witnessed my own growth. I've been honest about my fears and my insecurities. I have burrowed my way into a niche and am thriving in learning more about it from both academia and those around me. Someday I'm sure I'll stumble upon this blog again and I will be able to reflect on how much further I have pushed myself. 

For now, I can reflect on what I have posted here and can confidently say, I am proud of it. Here are a few highlights from my posting this semester:

1. Professionalism 

I'd say this is my most professional post. While not written entirely in academic language, it relies heavily on citations and connections to pedagogy. Additionally, I utilized the information in the text to create an approach to integrate AI use into the classroom as a reflective and iterative tool while providing in depth explanations of usage and strategy. I also really liked the visual I created to demonstrate the steps a student should take to engage with AI tools. This is something I could print out and utilize as a visual poster in my classroom.

2. Multimodal Design

While this post discusses multimodality, I feel that the post itself also includes elements of multimodality and helped me to reflect on how I am already integrating multimodality and feedback into my current classroom. There are so many ways for students to show their learning and it never hurt anyone to have a little fun with it. Same goes for this blog. While I may have been terrified and frustrated sometimes, I did have a lot of fun creating.

3. Creativity

I had quite a time creating my multimodal composition for the Starfish book. I had that rush of learning how to do something new that is meaningful to me. I didn't create the game just for this assignment, I created it as a cathartic method of self therapy. Of reflecting on and speaking on things I prefer to minimize and hide. Everyone knows its there when they look at me, but maybe if I don't acknowledge it, nobody will notice me. But I deserve to be seen.

4. Civic Engagement

I'm posting this to my public TikTok tonight. But I am terrified. Creating this video gave me so much freedom to be myself without fear of others. This was two fold. The obvious reason is to feel comfortable in the body I have and not try and make myself smaller. But a secondary release I did not discuss is that I allowed myself to do something for MYSELF. Initially, I was planning on covering a civic engagement topic I hear my students discuss frequently but I there was this sudden "ah-ha" moment when I peered over at the table of books and saw Starfish that I realized I don't have to do everything for them. I am a person with concerns of my own and I allowed myself to look hard and deep in the mirror. I need to live by this more often.

Now to the fun part:

My nomination for the People's Choice Award goes to...

Jimmaurie!

Jimmaurie is such an engaging writer and has such an intense way with words. The media he included in his blog posts was always super interesting and I would keep the tabs open until I had a moment to engage with them. He provided insight into perspectives I hadn't considered which reminded me to think broadly and remember what each person brings to the room. That I need to shut up sometimes and really listen. Jimmaurie, don't ever stop writing. People need to hear what you have to say.