What is the Yule Blog Challenge? Over Winter Break, I'm going to attempt to blog 12 times, sharing reflections of 2020 and what I'm looking forward to in 2021. I would love for you to join in the blogging fun - read more about the challenge by clicking here!
My Favorite Memories of 2020
Yesterday I mentioned that my word of this year was COURAGE...
This was definitely a year where we had to step out of our comfort zones, whether we wanted to or not!
2020 was a year of many firsts - but for me, the biggest first came in February when I travelled internationally for the first time! My dear friend, Kelly - a teacher that I originally met on Twitter years ago, then in person at TMC14 and then again at the AP Reading - was involved in putting together a conference on Math Teacher Collaboration in Lisbon, Portugal.
To say this event was a turning point for me professionally is an understatement. I met so many amazing researchers involved in math teacher training around the world. I read their papers and talked about their research - I met new friends - I explored this most gorgeous city - and I came back just absolutely pumped about the future of teacher collaboration in my district. Little did I know that in a few weeks from then, lives would again be drastically altered by COVID and that the 20-21 school year would not look like I had imagined it!
As a result of the work in Lisbon, I have been able to grow professionally and mathematically. On the way home from Lisbon, I had a great conversation with two of the researchers there about a program called MIST - Mathematical Immersion for Secondary Teachers - based off the work of PCMI.
This conversation turned into an 18 hour PD program that ran twice a month from August through December where a group of teachers met via Zoom just to do math together. I really enjoyed the productive struggle and discourse that came from our sessions!
Whatever the future brings, I truly hope that I am able to take the memories of this year, the struggles, the triumphs, the challenges, and the successes, and realize that even in the midst of pandemic, you can grow, you can find new pathways, you can show COURAGE in all things...
1 comment:
Well, it makes sense that your favorite memories of 2020 would be from January/February, considering what happened the rest of the year!
I'm glad you were able to enjoy your European trip, even if many of the things you learned at the conference are tricky to implement during the pandemic!
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