Professional Development Experience: TLT Symposium 2018

Big things have been happening to #psuaged19! Last weekend we were afforded the amazing opportunity to attend the Teaching and Learning with Technology Symposium held at the Penn Stater Hotel. The day started off with an amazing breakfast followed by the fascinating key note speaker, Stephen Dubner. His speech was filled with so many interesting stories and reflections which brought about my own reflections of his powerful speech. From there I attended a workshop on info graphics and learned how to incorporate them into the classroom as a potential project. I also attended a workshop on the Moral Moments Project that is currently under production by Penn State. In this workshop, we took a bigger look at reflection and communication and how both of these skills are vital for students to participate in. Overall it was a great day filled with laughs, good food, and knowledge about how to incorporate technology into the classroom!

Advice from past Cohorts

This week I had the pleasure of contacting past and current PSU AgEd student teachers to hear their advice to the question "What should you look for in a cooperating teacher and center?". I received valuble advice from Karlie Wright, Matt Snyder, and Megan Keller that all fit together to have different perspectives. Karlie said to "Choose a cooperating teacher that can be "real" with you". Whenever a lesson doesn't go as planned they will give constructive feedback and not "fluffy" words. Karlie also said to consider the location of the school and if it "Is feasible to live there? Can you afford the cost of living?" which I felt was very wise advice to consider. Matt responded with "Selecting someone you are comfortable with and can talk to easily with". This may seem obvious to some but is a very good piece of advice that could be easily overlooked. Finally, Megan commented that "You need someone that can give you constructive feedback, without expecting you to teach exactly like them". This is something that I had not previously considered however I feel that this will be a crucial attribute I consider when selecting my own cooperating teacher and center. I truly appreciated everyone taking time out of their busy schedules to give me advice as I embark on my adventure of selecting a cooperating teacher and center!