AAZEEN-NOV 10 REFLECTIVE ESSAY

Reflective Journal

I love the way the faculty focused Adjunct certification program is structured at
Lone Star College. It is full of fresh ideas and innovative strategies for getting an
educator back on track. There is a positive environment which is geared towards
learning.

The discussion boards are dynamic and well- structured. I had a lot of positive
influence of discussion boards. It allows time for in-depth reflection- I have more
time to reflect, research and compose my thoughts before participating in the
discussions on a variety of topics ranging from millennials to disruptive class.
The discussions facilitate learning by allowing to view to respond to the work of
others. It helped me in developing thinking skills. It allows experts to participate in
the course by posting information and responding to questions. I learnt a lot of
practical strategies and from online discussion groups. To conclude discussion
board foster critical thinking skills

The digital connection was mind-blowing – we learnt so many new instructional
technology tools on various presentations and tricks of trade. Amongst the
innumerable my favorite ones are Classtool.net, Khan Academy, Prezi, Ted-Ed,
PowToon and Socrative. I also like the tools Remind and Drop box. It makes
sharing thought process more interesting. Sharing becomes instantaneous when
material is available online. As electronic tools make reflections easy to access for
an individual, they make one’s thought process easy to share.
I used Prezi, Ted-Ed and Drop box for the first time successfully in ACP

I learnt a lot of student engagement activities other than electronic tools. Group
games-My favorite ones include Jigsaw classroom, One minute technique,
Jeopardy, Journal entry, Exit ticket, Thumbs up, Pair/share and five Ws. They are
simple, don’t require expensive equipment yet extremely effective. They keep the
thought process stimulated and there is a positive on going loop. This helps in
making a connection among students and teacher. I am definitely going to start
using them in my class room.

BOPPPS lesson plan and the SMART objective are awesome components of
Adjunct certification Program. Bloom’s taxonomy to build up concise questions
was a new concept to me.

I really appreciate the ten minute BOPPPS teaching presentation of our portfolio
in ACP by Prezi.
For future professional development in ACP, I would strongly recommend that
successful passing of ACP increase your hiring potential from Adjunct to
Full-timers to a great extent.
Another suggestion would be to make ACP more intense and add additional
modules and time.
For example an additional module that covers topics like cover letter writing,
updating a resume interviewing skills strategies and a mock panel type interview
session.

I believe the goals for the certification were successfully met. We had an
atmosphere of free expression and mutual respect. We learned new techniques
and ideas. I have made inter-disciplinary colleague friends. Learnt about Lone Star
College Philosophy and resources

We are very fortunate to have Professor Pruden as our facilitator as she is very
committed and passionate. She provided step-by-step instructions and guidance
on each and every topic. She provided a lot of support and encouragement.

I believe after attending the Adjunct certification program I feel rejuvenated as a
brand new instructor.

All this makes me think what makes a great teacher great?