EDU772 Final Reflection
This is not only the final reflection for Coding II but my final post as a Dominican graduate student. Sometimes it feels as if I have been in the technology special endorsement program and MAED program for years and sometimes it feels like I'm just getting started.
What are 1 - 2 things you need to learn next to build upon what you learned in this course? How will you learn these things?
This answer is a no brainer for me. Now that my principal is going to order 25 Edison Robots for my school, I need to improve my understanding of robotics, especially when it comes to coding. I need to find some online and/or hands-on opportunities to learn and practice coding. I still feel like I'm swimming upstream, but I want to walk into my school in August fully prepared to help lead my school when Eddie comes to my school. For now, I need not to have homework for at least until my school lets out for the summer.
I feel that I need to go through the Edison lessons again to build up my confidence. I also feel like I need to get out of my own head when it comes to feeling like I will never get this. Since coding and robotics are new to my school, it is difficult for me to ask anyone for help and guide me. My plan is to start searching out Twitter chats and Facebook groups that can join. Another part of my plan is to find videos and workshops to watch and attend. I don't feel like I'm ready to teach robotics as effectively as I would need to, but my goal is to be ready by August.
What are the 1 - 2 most important things you learned in this course? How will these things be part of your future work as a teacher or librarian?
The most important thing I learned during this course was simple for me to identify. Although there has been a moment here and there where I felt overwhelmed and frustrated throughout the courses I have taken since the fall of 2017, but nothing has compared to the level of which I have felt during this course. Let me be clear, none of the stress I felt had anything to do with classmates or the instructor. In fact, my fellow classmates and instructor went out of their way to help me work my way through this challenging class. I am grateful for the advice and suggestions that I received.
I have a much deeper appreciation for collaboration after this course. Sure, I have worked on group projects and I have my own students work on collaborative projects, but this was different. Robotics truly fits the bill of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.
What I'm walking away with from this course is feeling what it is truly like to struggle as a student. Mr. Kelly clearly knows his way around coding and robotics, but that's not why I enjoyed his class so much. What really struck a chord with me was how patient he was with me. No matter how many times I emailed him or voiced my frustration with my own lack of experience and knowledge about coding/robotics in discussion posts, Mr. Kelly always used words and a calming tone that made me feel safe to make mistakes. Once I got that important message in my head, I relaxed a little and began to appreciate the art of writing code.
At Week 4, I was ready to quit the class, knowing that Coding II was supposed to be my last class. The stress was unbearable and it didn't help that my husband and son often saw me arguing and yelling at a robot. What changed my mind about quitting? Two things, first my parent's voices in my head. Neither of my parents went to college, although my Mom was attending a community college when she died unexpectedly. They raised me to never quit, which I take to mean, to persevere. Second, the willingness of Mr. Kelly to reach out to me to video chat. That 30 minute or so video chat, saved me from giving up. His calming demeanor and willingness to spend that much time to help me gave me hope that I could do this. That single video chat also gave me a student's perspective of what it must feel like when he/she just doesn't get the topic/concept. I'm not saying that I didn't have patience with my students or I didn't care if they were struggling. That evening is now a reminder I keep in the forefront of my mind when that student who is truly floundering is just wanting to feel safe and hear encouraging words.
That is what I'm taking away from this class and I thank you, Mr. Kelly, for one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. I mean that in a good way.
