I was not sure what to expect when I volunteered for the ITLL initiative. Spending the day with George Couros was a very interesting experience. I must say that the session with George was very different from any Professional Development initiative I have ever been to. In the past we have been given a bunch of things that we have to do but not this time. This time we were given an invitation to embrace change and learning. I like the quote, “To be a master teacher you must be a master learner.” gcouros

After years of being told to stay away from “Social Media” and being filled with fear of how dangerous it is, we were invited to connect with other teachers and educators through “Social Media.” Now that is innovation!

I had started using a Twitter account a short time before our first session with George Couros but I really didn’t understand what Twitter was all about. During the professional development day, I learned more about what Twitter was. It is like a ‘professional development’ account. I have spent some time building up my professional connections. Over the past month, I have been exploring what it means to be an educator in a global setting. Now that is really cool!

As fascinating as Twitter is, I believe that innovation is much bigger that ‘Social Media.’ As an early years’ teacher I have learned to embrace change over the years. I have observed the struggles faced by adults and children both personally and professionally who are inflexible and find change difficult.  In order to lead by example, I bring change into my classroom regularly to help my students become flexible learners.

As I reflect on what I learned during the session with George Couros, I find myself once again evaluating both my classroom and my teaching. I have taken a step further into new territory. I have embraced the concept of “Learning Zones.” I made a few changes in the structure of my classroom. My students now have opportunities to choose learning zones that best meet their learning needs. It has been wonderful to see my students reflect on their own learning needs and choose a learning zone based on their own needs without me having to tell them what I think they need.

I look forward to continually changing and growing with a fabulous group of educators.

Tina Funk-Lawson

Clifton School

Cluster 2010