Let the fun begin...

Fall 2016 & Spring 2017

5th grade at Westwood Elementary had piloted Summit Learning program, better known as Quest during the school year of 2016-2017.  I saw (from the outside) Quest teachers launch this instructional model throughout the school year and witnessed the ups and downs.  But just by observing I could see how cool and personalize this model is.  Saw some students engaged in their learning and loving every minute of it. While others struggled and had to do summer school to finish their learning.  I had so many questions and was curious to learn more about the program.  My curious mind did talk to 5th grade colleagues, but just by looking it wasn't enough for me to fully understand what the heck they had launched at our campus.  🙌🙆

Beginning of Spring 2017: 

Before I applied to Vanguard,  I wanted to endeavor into personalize learning and was ready for a change but didn't know how.  I didn't make the Vanguard Cohort 2 (sad news, I know) due to capacity at my campus, but I was still curious to know how they were exploring and implementing personalize or blended learning.  I learned a lot just by looking from the outside and simply asking questions from my fellow 3rd and 4th grade Vanguard teammates who were implementing personalize learning in their classroom.  I gained so much insight, that I wanted to attempt this in my classroom, however I was scared.  It's was like I was ready for thrill of jumping off the plane, not ready to let go, and forgetting that I have a parachute to help me land!   That's how I felt about personalize learning.  In the middle of March an opportunity opened ...   "Ms. Meza are you ready to explore personalize learning and teach 5th grade Math?" 😲

Summer 2017:

How the heck did I take in all the information in one week about Summit?!?   I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision of moving up to 5th grade, getting certified, learning an instructional model completely different from my norm and shifting my teaching style all in one summer.  Well I did and I was exhausted and overwhelmed!!!  BUT... I was ready to take on this new challenge I had embarked in!  I was positive the rewards would be amazing!

Fall 2017: 

Where do I begin?  With the craziness of the Solar Eclipse? Hurricane Harvey?  New to 5th grade?  Well... all of the above!  But I was ready to take on this CHALLENGE.  I will admit I was a little lost but my team fully supported me as I understood this new model.  At first, QUEST was intimidating, but as I learned along with my students, I felt at ease.  My students felt so comfortable that I was learning with them. Making mistakes and correcting them as we learned together, helped them understand and see me as human and not a teacher.  Throughout the semester, the most challenging thing was understanding the curriculum and platform.  Common Core does not equal TEKS! So that was the challenge I was facing as I looked at curriculum, editing work from the year before. But the biggest ONE--NOT BEING IN CONTROL OF MY STUDENTS LEARNING!  They were becoming independent learners and being held accountable for their learning.  Their is more to that, but I had to learn to LET GO!!! I will have to blog about my fall 2017 adventure separately... talk about emotional roller coaster.   

Highlights of Fall 2017- 

1. Teaching 5th Math- Quest
2. Diving into personalize learning-- Summit Learning 
3. Solar Eclipe/Harvey
4. ....
5. Made Vanguard Cohort III. 

Spring 2017:  

Wait for my next post as I explore this new journey as a Vanguard Cohort.