Today, I'm linking up with Erika, Andrea and Narci and sharing a few of my favorites in terms of teaching and learning...
I just got back from the 2016 MEGA Conference, put on annually by the Alabama State Department of Education. I've participated in many education-related workshops, seminars, and conferences over the years, but MEGA is always, by far my favorite!
They offer an amazing variety of workshops for teachers, administrators, and other education professionals to choose from in order to aid them in bettering themselves and their teaching (leading, etc.).
The first workshop I attended was on language planning for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. While planning for which workshops I'd attend, I remember thinking that this session would be my one of my favorites. This is an area of education I'm not the most knowledgable in. So I was looking forward to learning as much as I could from this speaker. I was looking forward to gaining some new ideas and tips and strategies and just general knowledge I could take back with me to Dakar. Y'all, this workshop definitely did not disappoint. And yes, it was most definitely one of my favorites of the week.
P.S. A somewhat related item to this... The speaker is Deaf. I knew this going in. So I made it my mission to practice an introduction for myself in ASL, ahead of time, so if the opportunity arose, I could at some point introduce myself. And later in that day, I got the chance to go introduce myself and apologize for being a few minutes late (thanks to a wreck/traffic on the interstate) to her workshop. Anywho - I introduced myself, told her I'm from Alabama, but working in Senegal now, and told her why I loved her meeting so much. And I answered her questions and I did it all in ASL and I only needed a little interpretation help here or there from a friend.
Another favorite workshop was the one on Leading Literacy in a K-5 Setting. I have always loved to read. Reading is most definitely one of my most favorite things to do. And knowing that reading is also a favorite of my current group of students, I thought that choosing any workshops having to do with reading/literacy would be a smart choice for me to make. I learned so many tips to take back and use with my favorite kiddos when school starts back next month. I can't wait!
Another favorite workshop was one on Managing Stress in the Workplace. Did you know that people in Education jobs (teachers, principals, nurses, office managers, etc.) are often some of the most stressed people? Stress is definitely not my most favorite thing to do. Nor has it ever been. But the Lord knows I've chosen to feel stressed far too much in my life. So, knowing that, I made the choice to attend this workshop. And honestly, going into it, I didn't really have high hopes for it. But y'all... This lady spoke from a personal and Christian perspective. She incorporated her faith and the Word in her teaching. And if I'm being honest, I'd have to say that this workshop ranked very high on my list of sessions attended. God knew what He was doing when He led me to choose to attend this workshop. What a blessing it was!
Another workshop that made my list of favorites was the one on Embracing the Culture of English Language Learners in Classroom Settings. The speaker in this workshop gave us so many strategies for taking stock of, and then incorporating into our classrooms, all the gifts (yes, gifts) of our students and their families, as a result of each of their unique cultural/familial characteristics. I've always said that one of my most favorite parts of teaching at Dakar Academy is the diversity of our staff/student body. I love working with students from so many different countries. I love learning about their backgrounds, their families, their home countries, their religions, their languages, their cultures, and on and on. I love having the opportunity to be surrounded by people different from myself.
I feel totally and completely blessed by the calling our Heavenly Father has placed on my life.
P.S. A somewhat related item to this... The speaker is Deaf. I knew this going in. So I made it my mission to practice an introduction for myself in ASL, ahead of time, so if the opportunity arose, I could at some point introduce myself. And later in that day, I got the chance to go introduce myself and apologize for being a few minutes late (thanks to a wreck/traffic on the interstate) to her workshop. Anywho - I introduced myself, told her I'm from Alabama, but working in Senegal now, and told her why I loved her meeting so much. And I answered her questions and I did it all in ASL and I only needed a little interpretation help here or there from a friend.
Another favorite workshop was the one on Leading Literacy in a K-5 Setting. I have always loved to read. Reading is most definitely one of my most favorite things to do. And knowing that reading is also a favorite of my current group of students, I thought that choosing any workshops having to do with reading/literacy would be a smart choice for me to make. I learned so many tips to take back and use with my favorite kiddos when school starts back next month. I can't wait!
Another favorite workshop was one on Managing Stress in the Workplace. Did you know that people in Education jobs (teachers, principals, nurses, office managers, etc.) are often some of the most stressed people? Stress is definitely not my most favorite thing to do. Nor has it ever been. But the Lord knows I've chosen to feel stressed far too much in my life. So, knowing that, I made the choice to attend this workshop. And honestly, going into it, I didn't really have high hopes for it. But y'all... This lady spoke from a personal and Christian perspective. She incorporated her faith and the Word in her teaching. And if I'm being honest, I'd have to say that this workshop ranked very high on my list of sessions attended. God knew what He was doing when He led me to choose to attend this workshop. What a blessing it was!
Another workshop that made my list of favorites was the one on Embracing the Culture of English Language Learners in Classroom Settings. The speaker in this workshop gave us so many strategies for taking stock of, and then incorporating into our classrooms, all the gifts (yes, gifts) of our students and their families, as a result of each of their unique cultural/familial characteristics. I've always said that one of my most favorite parts of teaching at Dakar Academy is the diversity of our staff/student body. I love working with students from so many different countries. I love learning about their backgrounds, their families, their home countries, their religions, their languages, their cultures, and on and on. I love having the opportunity to be surrounded by people different from myself.
I feel totally and completely blessed by the calling our Heavenly Father has placed on my life.
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