Take 5--CIT, a catalyst for change

Swooping in from the cave of curriculum, our CIT team challenges us to use technology, teach reading, rethink grades, and to create students empowered for their own learning. From literary schools of theory to prompt books with Romeo and Juliet to creating authentic, fiction characters, I am having such a wonderful semester; I may not have a cape or wear my underwear over my tights, but I do feel like the semester is flying....soaring.

What is different? If nothing more than figuring out why I'm doing what I'm doing in class and then explaining the purpose to students, I am seeing such growth in my students' writing, engagement in the literature, and interesting outcomes with grades. It's been so interesting since I am doing grades differently; I thought students would bombard me with late work. I don't know if students are so conditioned to getting things in on time, if they value the work they are doing, and/or if they understand why they are doing the work, but the students for the most part are getting their work in. I just had a conversation with my freshmen and my creative writing class that anytime they want to rework their writing to become a stronger writer, they can earn more points if they merit it. The work I received today is so well-done and thoughtful. Students are redoing complete papers as well as little assignments. They are really reading the feedback I've given them, and are turning in quality work. This has been fun and rewarding to see.

How cool that what started as a technology focus for me with CIT has turned into being a catalyst for change in my teaching paradigms.