Taking part in the ITLL PD with George Couros was a very eye-opening experience. One thing that stood out and resonated with me was with regards to various forms of social media. He mentioned how not being familiar with them and how they work could result in me being illiterate in today’s society and falling behind with the times. That was a “wow” moment for me because I never thought about it that way. I viewed social media as a tool for causing more harm than good, but seeing how George utilized it as a tool for learning was really cool and inspired me to join Twitter, something that I never thought I would ever join in my life.

Another moment that stood out was when George said what student has ever uttered the words “That was a great worksheet?” That may be one of the truest statements that I have ever heard. I thought back to when I was a student and the assignments that I remember and enjoyed working on. At no point did one single worksheet come to mind.  I remember the assignments where my teachers allowed me to use my creativity. They empowered me to show my understanding in unconventional ways and in doing so; those assignments have stayed with me to this day. That statement had me thinking about assignments I have done with my students and which ones will they remember in ten to fifteen years?

Since our session ended, I have been thinking about creative assignments to incorporate this year and beyond.  A great idea for me came from an article from the Eyes on Innovation newsletter that was released in February.  A middle years teacher posted an activity entitled “Case Files”.  This is an inquiry project where students research mysterious creatures or happenings around the world and they can present their findings in various forms, not just a word document.  I thought it was such a cool and innovative activity that I am incorporating that as my final unit to end off the year with a memorable note for my students.

This PD I honestly believe has changed my outlook on how I will plan out assignments in the future and I look forward to the next session!

Randy Medeiros

Churchill High School

Cluster 1971