FAMILY GENOGRAM

This assignment has been so awesome! I love my family and always love to hear stories about my grandparents and parents. Both sides of my family came to America from Italy, and built our history in Houston/Dickinson area.

The most shocking thing I think I learned from this was that my Nana Bua only went to the 8th grade. I had no idea! I loved her so much and miss her greatly. My mother said she was born of very poor Italian immigrants and had to work young. She even told me they would hide from the school bus because they had to go to the cotton fields and work. My dad’s side also had strawberry fields in the Hitchcock area.

I also learned that my Pa Napoli didn’t graduate high school either. I found all of this so interesting because I teach at a drop-out recovery/prevention campus! How ironic that I serve this population when two of my grandparents were this population. I know it was very different back in the day… but I still think it’s interesting.
My other two grandparents graduated high school. Both of my grandfathers owned businesses. One owned a gas station and the other owned a grocery store. I was shocked to learn that the grocery store was open in Houston for over thirty years. I had no idea. I knew he owned a grocery store, but I had no idea it was for that long!
I have a huge Italian family with many aunts and uncles. All graduated high school. After that, they all took different paths. They all love or loved their jobs (some are retired now) but they all have remained in the same jobs forever. There are firemen, a teacher, an accountant, a banker, and nurses in my family.
My father graduated high school and entered the workforce. He was actually laid off from his factory job when I was born. He gained employment at his current job and has worked there my entire life. He’s moved up in the ranks over time, but he always says he’d rather be fishing.
My mother went to beauty school right after high school. She has been a hair stylist my whole life as well. She loves her job. (It’s nice to have a hair dresser in the family too!)
My only brother joined the U.S. Navy right after high school. I am very proud of him. He is recently made Chief and will retire from the Navy. He’s a hard worker and I’m proud of my sailor!
I’m the baby in the family- well- I was for many years until my aunt started having kids. I remember when they were born I would say, “When they are this age, I’ll be this age…” Time flies, because now I AM THAT AGE!
Not to toot my own horn, but I am pretty proud that I’m the only person in my family with a Master’s. I’m a lifelong student that wants to do it all. I hope to instill in my students that they can do whatever they want and to never let anything hold them back. I never stop dreaming and I encourage my student’s to do the same.

I loved this assignment and I loved learning about my family. It’s so cool to hear about my Italian roots. I will continue to talk to my mom about my heritage long after this week one assignment. I want my future children to know how much their history is worth.

MY GENOGRAM

I know this is tiny, but I have had so much trouble posting this Genogram. I loved this assignment though, I have learned so much about my family!

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 8

Reflection 8-
Collaboration and communication among colleagues has finally reached the 21st century. In lieu of meetings and the ever wasteful ‘paper trail’, campus stakeholders can now technologically communicate more effectively and efficiently by means of blogs.
By integrating and implementing a district or campus blog, all stakeholders can participate and personalize their specific role in the various situations at hand. Administration can facilitate, teachers can suggest, even the community can provide their recommendations and concerns regarding policy and ideas.
By taking information to the next level of online availability, campus leaders are providing innovative and efficient methods of interaction between all stakeholders involved. Providing an online assembly for messages, announcements, and various current events, leaders are producing a positive environment for a constructive partnership between administration, staff, and community.
When a district creates a strong bond between all members involved, all stakeholders become part of a team. When team members are allowed to voice their feedback and ideas, leaders can make huge strides and breakthroughs that create a successful academic and social environment for all involved.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 7

Reflection 7-
When you open up the classroom to an online community, you also open up your classroom to various situations that can cause concern. Just as students can find themselves in compromising online situations in the outside world, they can just as easily find these compromising situations inside the school classroom. As a campus leader, I am responsible for protecting my students from these situations occurring and preventing any unacceptable computer use within the classroom.
Social networking sites have allowed 21st century kids to connect to people like never before. Unfortunately, there are people in this world who prey on kids to be uneducated and careless when online.
If an educator introduces blogs and blogging into the classroom, they must be vigilant and cautious to the different issues that could arise. Proactive precautions should be taken in order to prevent the possibility of predators, misinformation, and improper and inappropriate uses of blogs.
As a campus leader I always instruct my colleagues to be proactive and prepared. Although there will always be concerns when integrating and implementing new technology into the classroom and classroom curriculum, it is important to remember the benefits will outweigh any concerns when all stakeholders are knowledgeable, proactive, and prepared.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 6

Reflection 6-
Since the beginning of time, society has expressed itself through music, fashion, likes and dislikes. No different than the past, kids in the 21st century do the same; however, much of their expression is now displayed online. Social networking, the Internet, and blogs are just a few means of technology that students utilize to communicate their personal expression.
Bringing this media and expression into the classroom is the next logical step in advancing our schools into the 21st century. There are numerous benefits of implementing and incorporating technology such as blogs into the classroom and content curriculum.
For one, it creates a collaborative online learning community. Students can bounce ideas back and forth, keep each other posted on news and current events, and discuss and conduct various assignments and projects. Not only can blogs create a collaborative online learning community within a classroom or campus, it can create cross-curricular learning opportunities in the school and beyond the school walls. This new and unprecedented phenomenon is opening up a new learning world across the country and across the globe. Our 21st century learners can now be exposed to the surrounding world and collaborate with others in ways like never before.
The inside of the classroom has finally caught up with the outside world that is rich in new and ever-changing technologies and equipments that will allow students worldwide to experience and interact in their own personal learning and academic success.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 5

Reflection 5-
I have a secret… I am a procrastinator, and in the past I was quick to give up on complicated matters of business. It has definitely been a pattern in my life. Even in my first years of teaching, I would go home and think, “Is this what I am supposed to be doing or is this where I am supposed to be?” Even during this program, I stopped mid-way because I found myself confused over my journey in life. Analyzing even further, just in Week 2 of this program I questioned my purpose, meaning, and path in a leadership position. My attitude was to give up because I got discouraged. Sometimes I find myself full of doubt. Doubt in myself, doubt in my meaning, but I am also full of big dreams, big dreams and big hopes. And as I said, this is my secret, because I would never reveal what I believe to be my biggest weakness. Leaders do not do that.
You are probably thinking, ‘what is this woman thinking?!’ For many, my journeys have been a waste of time, money, and even hard work. For me, it has been a rollercoaster of learning experiences and lessons that have given me a strong motivation and a solid foundation- two qualities I believe a campus leader must possess to be a success and inspiration to others.
Throughout this year I found a newfound fulfillment in being an educator and a leader. I resumed my position in the program and now with four classes left to go, I feel I have found exactly where I need to be. I have finally realized that no matter how down I get about my skills or success, I am my own worst critic. Ultimately, I have found that I do what I do for my students, and they only make my motivation and foundation stronger and stronger. When they succeed, I am successful, and not to brag, I am extremely successful.
So, although my many years of discouragement, complacency, and self-doubt seemed to be a waste of time to others around me, it has truly revealed to me that I am not a quitter. If I was, I would have left the field years ago. What my rollercoaster ride has given me is the skills and power as a leader to transfer that feeling of having and keeping big dreams and big hopes to my students. I am their teacher. I guide, instruct, encourage, and support and those are matters of business that I will never give up on.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 4

Reflection 4-
From week to week, a great amount of time and discipline was needed to complete the course assignments. Looking at the assignments as a whole, and looking at the assignments individually was two different stories. One could look at the assignments and think, ‘no problem’. However, when critically reading the steps and procedures, at times it did seem overwhelming, especially in Weeks 1 and 2, when both were allowed to be submitted together. Waiting into Week 2 to start those assignments was the worst idea possible. Since I allowed myself to get behind from the get-go, I really set my self up for what seemed to be difficulty.
Each assignment required several steps that were extremely in-depth with specific instructions on how to complete each part. At times, it was difficult to find the right mind set needed to tackle each section of the assignments because it seemed so overwhelming at first glance. Eventually, I found that ‘chunking’ the parts and completing small portions at a time was the smoothest way to get the quality end results I wanted.
I finally realized in the end, it was not the detailed assignments that slowed me down and discouraged my entire outlook on this course; it was me that slowed me down. Improving the lack of time management skills I displayed in the beginning was quite a challenge; however, what was most encouraging about the past five weeks was being able to improve my time management skills overall. As a leader and educator in the classroom, I can share my personal lessons as a student with my own students, and teach them time management tips and tricks that provide them the skills for academic success, which is exactly what I achieved during this course.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 3

Reflection 3-
Have you ever had a project in front of you that you would just stare at for hours or even days? Over time you would say, ‘after I do this, I will start that’. For example, that ‘this’ could be the laundry, the dishes, or even when you get back from the grocery store. And on the flip side, that ‘that’ could be the Week One or Week Two assignment.
Looking back, this is where I fell short during the course. I would definitely have to say this course kept me on my toes. The assignments were very in depth and detailed, and I produced creations I never thought I would- subject matter like blogs or Action Plans. I was exposed to new information and material I had heard of before, but never dreamed of creating on my own. Assuming I could take on the weekly assignments with the same time frame and approach as other aspects in life and work, I assumed my method and plan of attack would be adequate enough to complete anything thrown my way. Because I was inexperienced to the production aspect of this new material, I did not realize I would need the extra time to refine and develop my new material.
Although in the beginning I got off to a rough and bumpy start, I worked out the kinks and got on track. Although my time management skills and self motivation was lackluster in the beginning, I drastically improved all of my poor habits and unsatisfactory routines. By the end of the course I learned the most important lesson ever that will stay with me throughout the remainder of my home and work life- stop doing ‘this’ when I need to do ‘that’, which is a invaluable concept to me as a campus leader.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 2

Reflection 2-
Everyday I instruct other educators in my district. I give instructions regarding technology, I conduct trainings concerning equipment- it is my job, and it is what I do best. As a campus and technology leader in my district, I am responsible for technologically preparing educators to enter the classroom, so they can in turn technologically prepare students to enter the 21st century with the proper and appropriate knowledge and skills. These skills will prepare students for society, university, jobs, and life.
I am responsible for integrating and implementing new technologies into the secondary campuses and just since this course, technology integration and implementation has grown tremendously. From Internet safety to blogs, classrooms are changing and increasing the amount of technology, media, and equipment now more than ever.
Due to the implementations and integrations of these 21st century technologies, I refer back to this course quite often. I frequently look back to my notebook with all my notes, readings, and assignments for new ideas and solutions to the challenges I face. The suggested websites, the collaboration and suggestions from others in the course, the articles, and any other material that was made available throughout this course has assisted me often during my decision making process. One thing in particular that has helped me tremendously is the literature on copyright laws. I find it crucial to keep my information regarding copyright up to date, and I find it crucial to share this information with other educators in the district.
Other aspects from the course that we covered- such as Internet safety, technology standards, and proper and appropriate professional developments and trainings for staff, are just a few areas that arise in my daily duties as a campus leader. It is very beneficial and comforting to know that I can refer back to my literature and notes from this course when I need any kind of clarification, solutions, or ideas to provide the skills needed for my students to be prepared to successfully enter the 21st century in which we live.

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT REFLECTION 1

Reflection 1-
Prior to taking this course, I assumed that the format would be the same as always, meaning similar to my other courses- readings, lecture, discussion, assignment, mid-term, readings, lecture, discussion, assignment, final. During this course, I realized the age old lesson, ‘that’s what you get for assuming’. Although many aspects of this course were similar to previous classes, this was and will be probably the most memorable. Upon completing the Pre-Course Self-Evaluation, I felt pretty confident about what I would be exposed to during the duration of this course. I knew I was good with technology, and I knew my track record of previous courses. I realized as time passed, I did not know as much as I thought and then came the frenzy and wave of panic…
It all started Week Two. I really started off strong during this course, and then came Thanksgiving break. I never believed or wanted to get behind, it just all caught up with me at once. Then comes the rude awakening of my first and most important failed outcome: to stay on task and manage my time wisely. I was the person who prepared everything to the ‘T’ and made everything look neat and organized, and then hit a standstill. Granted, until taking on a leadership position, this was a major problem I could not seem to shake, but I just could not break through the shell of procrastination that surrounded me constantly. I still have some issues today, but because others rely on me and depend on me for various situations, I have improved my skills and worked towards perfection for the benefit of my campus.
So, Thanksgiving break came and I was off for the week. Some may think- ‘hey, a whole week, I will have plenty of time to get everything done! I might even begin the next week of work!’ Yes, I thought this, but no such luck. Days went by, nights went by, and Sunday night came before I even knew what happened.
At this point I was at a crossroad, which lead me to my second outcome which was achieved: to keep my track record of A’s going, to make an A in this course, and to keep my 4.0 average…
I pulled it together, got back on track, and set out to do what I knew I was capable of accomplishing. All the assumptions disappeared, and I finally realized to work for the day, not the week. I made new outcomes for myself. I made a schedule for myself. I took things in chunks, and completed things with much more ease. To think in Week Three I wanted to quit, and now I am conducting time management professional development trainings to other educators in my district. I have had an incredible journey since this course, but it gave me a whole new vision and a whole new ability not only to accomplish my goals, but to guide and instruct others how to do the same.
Although this course was not really about time management, and more so technology, the detailed assignments are what really demanded the discipline. Like I said, I have the technology skills- there was never a doubt about that. During the five weeks of this course, (the first three being bumpy), I thought my outcomes were easily achievable. I learned otherwise through this course, and whether I failed or exceeded at my original outcomes, I’ve gained so much more in the long run. I finished the course, did not give up, and succeeded. And, by the way, Pre-Course Self-Evaluation=26, Post-Course Self-Evaluation=48. That increase alone proves, ‘that’s what you get for assuming’.