Contribution to My Learning and the Learning Community
Leading by Learning: My Contribution to Professional Growth
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Self-Assessment Score: 95/100
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Looking back on this course, I can honestly say I gave it my all, not just in completing the assignments, but in being an active learner and collaborator. I’m giving myself a 95 because while I feel like I contributed in meaningful ways, there’s always room to grow, especially when it comes to perfecting APA and balancing everything that comes with being in a leadership role at a high school.
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Working full-time in a fast-paced school like Crosby High School while balancing this course hasn’t been easy, but it’s taught me so much about discipline, self-reflection, and the importance of building a strong learning community. I consistently collaborated with Katharina Claxton, Destiny Schindler, NKima Browning, Stephanie Scaletta, and Tytiauna Goode, and we didn’t just check boxes, we supported each other. Whether we were bouncing around ideas in GroupMe or reviewing each other’s portfolios, we stayed connected and encouraged each other to push our thinking. Because some of my classmates are in a different program, I also gained new perspectives that helped me improve my work.
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One of the most valuable parts of this course was revisiting and revising our assignments based on peer and professor feedback. Sometimes feedback is hard to hear, especially when you're proud of something, but I’ve learned that growth happens in those uncomfortable moments (Dweck, 2006). Whether it was refining my Call to Action plan, polishing my PL strategy, or modifying my ideas, I took the suggestions seriously, made revisions, and saw my work evolve because of it.
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I also kept up with the course readings and videos. I won’t lie, some of them were more meaningful than others. For example, McCammon’s (2015) flipped professional development approach connected with me. It connected directly to the kind of teacher-led PL I want to see on my campus. I found myself rewatching his video multiple times because it gave me ideas for how to create shorter, self-paced PD videos for my co-workers. Not every reading had that same level of relevance, but I still worked through them and took what I could from each one.
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In terms of deadlines, I stayed ahead. I made it a personal goal to submit all discussion boards and assignments 2–3 days early. Not only did this give me breathing room, but it also gave my peers time to read and respond. I participated in every required discussion board and responded to at least 3–4 classmates each week. I also appreciated when my peers took the time to respond to my posts; it created a sense of community, even in an online environment.
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When it comes to APA formatting… well, I’m not perfect. But I did go back, revise, and make improvements when I saw something was off. I double-checked sources, refined my citations, and made sure everything I used was backed by reliable research, even if I had to correct a few commas or italics along the way (thanks to my group members for this!).
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Beyond the coursework, I tried to show up as a leader within my group. I’m someone who takes initiative and doesn’t wait around for direction. That part of my leadership style, being proactive and collaborative, showed up in this course just like it does in my role as the new 504/ESL Coordinator at my high school. I’m all about finding solutions, supporting others, and keeping things moving forward even when things get messy or are difficult. I am all about "let's get it done".
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This course also helped me grow in my innovation plan around reimagining professional learning through e-portfolios. I took what I was learning about backward design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) and significant learning (Fink, 2003) and directly applied it to the fundamental change I’m trying to lead on my campus. I realized how important it is to create systems that allow teachers to reflect, own their growth, and share their voice, something I’m now modeling through my PL strategy. This course pushed me to step back and ask: “Am I designing with purpose?” and “Does this serve both teachers and students?” Those questions helped me refine both my goals and my delivery.
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Lastly, I appreciate the opportunity to learn from my group. Everyone brought something different to the table. I’m walking away from this course more confident, not only in my own learning, but in how I support the learning of others. Whether it’s through flipped PD, e-portfolios, or simply cheering on a classmate during a tough assignment. I’ve learned that growth is a community effort.
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References
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Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses (Updated ed.). Jossey-Bass.
McCammon, L. (2015). Modeling-Based (Flipped) Professional Development at Rutgers University [TEDx].
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​Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed.). ASCD.
