Narrative

In this artifact I reflected deeply using the four-fold process while centering 3S pedagogy; the subject, the self, and the social. The process was enlightening for my practice as a teacher and teacher leader. It helped me understand my own educational journey, my own transformation as a teacher, and how I can use this experience and knowledge to make positive differences in my learning community (CPED principle 2) This artifact also evidences the generation, transformation and use of professional knowledge and practice (CPED principle 6)  

Having critically reflected on how I embody and apply theory from Dewey and Garison throughout my teaching practice and how this reflection impacts the learning community I influence and the students I teach, I understand the power of this tool. Feedback is an important part of this process for me. I explain in the artifact how I utilize quantitative and qualitative student feedback to enhance instructional techniques and student engagement. I also discuss how I have brought my reflection practice to teacher groups and how this can be such a powerful tool where the impact reaches beyond my own classroom. The use of the fourfold process in this artifact has helped me to see my role as teacher and teacher leader in new ways, to quote Henderson, “it has inspired my educational imagination” (2018, p. xiii) 

Reflection

I embarked on this reflection process during my third year of the program. I had originally dropped this class in the Spring of my second year. During that time, I was feeling vocationally lost. I mentioned in this artifact how I had moved away from teaching and took a job adjacent to teaching in Michigan that did not end up working out. I came back to Ohio after three months and tried to embark on this journey of reflection but was not in the headspace. The creation of this artifact after some time back in the classroom enlivened my teaching practice and it is my reminder of who I am, how I became who I am vocationally, and why I do what I do.  

I included this artifact as it was pivotal in my career and commitment to my educational practice: teaching and learning. As I move forward the reflective practice continues to inform my teaching and learning. This work inspires me every day to be a better version of the teacher I was yesterday. I am continuing this reflection process but have changed it slightly to include ChatGPT and Gemini (AI tools). This practice with AI is a combination of brainstorming and reflection that continually improves my instructional practices by helping me formulate project-based learning prompts that include various differentiation and assessment techniques. This, I hope, continues to improve engagement and achievement in my classroom.