 As an instructional specialist, I work with teachers daily. I synthesize what I am learning in coursework to use in daily practice, I continually think of my research topic and how I can make my work and course work meld together. I want to tell the story of educators while being educated myself. I choose to research teacher practices when they are teaching vocabulary because of the demographic of students I work with. I am interested in vocabulary instruction because as a classroom teacher even my best students struggled with vocabulary. I honestly believe that what I see the "highly-effective" educators do quite effortlessly when they teach vocabulary can help every teacher. As a result, I am always watching what the highly effective teacher does.
So, I become teacher-researcher-coach as I work with my teachers. I am observed a few “highly Effective educators. I have trained my teachers on research-based best practices in vocabulary instruction and given them a few suggestions on how to incorporate vocabulary instruction in their school day. I presented them with this question: What would happen if you were intentional with your vocabulary instruction? Since that training, they have answered that question with things like:
Thank you for reading,
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 I have not spoken to you this year. Happy New Year to you, lol I have had a lot going on this year and since the last time I updated you. This has been the longest break I have taken since I began this blog in June of 2016. I feel bad about it, but life kinda "got in the way" of my timeline for a bit. Classes got more rigorous as I am getting near the end of my course work. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a long, long, long tunnel, but I see it. I am in two course this semester and have two more to complete which puts me on target to finish summer II which is July. By the end of my coursework, I will have a working draft of chapters 1, 2, & 3 of my dissertation. Then on to comprehensive exams and defending those chapters. Once the "powers that be" (my graduate advisor and a team of professionals from the graduate school) say yes, it's on to my actual research. I then write chapters 4 and 5 and move to where I defend everything (final defense). and finally to the goal, the title Dr. (Ed.D). I am excited and overwhelmed all at the same time- if that is even possible. My goal (which is just that) is completion December 2020.
I have grown and am growing, living, and making connections that will help me with future success. I still feel the inner nudging of the need to make a move and spread my wings career-wise, but have not found that open door, yet. Still I trudge on. I am open and ready once the door is open and am also seeking opportunities for the growth of my leadership skills. I am setting myself up to be the literacy leader I am supposed to be. My words for the next 5 years are "Clear Vision". Stay tuned for an announcement in the near future. I am in love with being an adjunct professor. It is fulfilling and rewarding but is also extra which takes a bit more of my time than just being an instructional specialists and doc student. It is not something I am willing to give up. It is pivotal to my future success. I tell people when they ask me: "If I could quit my job and do this full time, I would." As long as I am afforded the opportunity to do this work, I will. I look forward to future opportunities to come from working with pre-service teachers. Thank you for reading |
AuthorPearl Garden is a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M- Commerce. Follow along as she drops "pearls' of literacy and chronicles her pursuit of her Ed. D in Supervision-Curriculum and Instruction- Elementary Education. Just know that these are the ramblings of a doc student and a lot of what you read is a first draft and will go through some rewrites. Archives
February 2021
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