Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Confession: This is not my original reflection letter that was included when I
sent my portfolio to Dawn. As I was driving home after our time together
signing each others yearbooks and enjoying lunch at The State Room, I
had the opportunity to
truly
reflect on the past four weeks -- free of
deadlines, free of distractions. So, here I am, rewriting my letter a bit,
because I want to better express how significantly SI has impacted me. And,
in true RCWP fashion, my original draft is available upon request. ;)
I am an ENFP according to the Meyers-Briggs scale, which means I am
creative, not great with deadlines (ha!), optimistic, and a dreamer who often
struggles with the detail-oriented planning aspect of putting dreams into
action. However, thanks to the summer institute, Ive had the opportunity to
be creative, to tackle bigger issues in education and our society
optimistically, to
dream
of new ideas for my classroom and my career,
but
Ive also received great models and resources I will need to put those dreams
into action
. That, my friends, is so, so crucial.
One of the most significant resources Ive gained is nine passionate,
experienced, creative colleagues I have the privilege to also call friends. We
have laughed, cried, cheered, vented, and everything in between, and Ive
witness the power of writing to bring people together. I know that if Im
ever stuck in a rut in either my teaching or writing, I can call any of these
women, and I will leave that conversation feeling rejuvenated and ready to
tackle the world! ; )
Another resource Ive gained is the reassurance that yes, I
am
a writer, and
no, saying I dont have time is
not
a good excuse to not write. At the
beginning of SI, I was struggling getting back into the flow of writing. It
felt like a current I was constantly pushing against, struggling to keep
moving but falling in the process. With the persistence of Sacred Writing
Time, the models of some fabulous writers, and the encouragement of my
writing group, I finally was able to turn around in the right direction. The
writing waters are warm now, and Im not getting back out into the cold,
writing-less life from before. One of my dreams has always been to write a
book. I dont even know what kind of book yet, but I have faith now that that
dream could actually become a reality.
actions and words, as is necessary when you are living and working so closely
with the same group of women for 6 hours a day, 4 days a week, for 4 weeks!
Words have the power to build up or tear down, and I strived to use my words
-- written and aural -- to edify my colleagues and friends. Finally, I
practiced metacognition
daily
in the summer institute through our log
reports, my reflection on the drives to and from campus, and our group and
individual discussions. After this month, I feel I have grown stronger in
these habits of mind, and I hope I will always continue to grow!
One of my favorite quotes by aviator and author Anne Lindbergh states,
Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to
sleep after.
That
is how I would describe RCWP Summer Institute 2016. Our
conversations were stimulating. I left each day feeling that rush of
excitement and motivation and ideas, much like a caffeine buzz. And now,
after our time together, it will be near impossible to go back to sleep, to go
back to the old mindset and methods of teaching writing. I have been forever
impacted and changed by this summer institute, and Im excited to see how I
can then impact my students and my field in the future.
Its not goodbye; its talk to you later! : )
Much love,
Alecia