If I could turn myself into a recipe, it would definitely be a pizza.
There are INFINITE possibilities, combinations, and there are no wrong ways to make one.
You want corn on your pizza? Then corn there shall be!
Jalapeños? Okay!
(Anton, n.d.)
If we break down a pizza into its individual layers, it's clear to see how much care and consideration was taken into account while combining each base, flavor, component, sauce, and topping. A tomato on its own tastes nothing like a whole pizza! The same goes for cheese or dough.
Humans are the same way. We are a combination of MANY thoughts, ideas, feelings, situations, memories, and bodies. I could break down the essence of who I am just like a pizza. What a neat thought.
Throughout this post, I will be breaking down the "ingredients" or components of the work I have recently completed. My contributions have been numerous, so I will explain, support, and provide some evidence as I reflect and elaborate in further detail.
Reflection on what is working and what you can do better.
Just like any chef, I have been "tasting" along the way to make sure everything has been finalized correctly. Instead of completing the WHOLE recipe and serving it to the customer before realizing you used sugar instead of salt, I made sure to check step by step.
Something I have always known to be a weakness of mine is to work on pacing myself. Instead of jumping right in to trying a brand new DIFFICULT recipe, maybe a starter recipe or a smaller portion might be better for a first try. Then later I can grow more bold and flavorful!
Contributed to, helped build, and provided feedback to your core collaboration group.
As I completed assignments, I made sure to ask for feedback from my working peer group! Did this meal taste good? What spices were missing? They have been extremely helpful by reviewing and answering questions I have along the way. Of course I returned the favor by helping them with feedback on their own assignments! We use GroupMe to communicate. It’s great due to its instantaneous nature and our phones these days are always within arm’s reach.
Revised all assignments and reflected on revisions in this contribution to a learning activity.
Sometimes the bread in the pantry needs to be thrown out and made again, fresh! There was one specific assignment in which I spent the most time revising and editing. After a week of sickness, I knew that the ePortfolio post I finished describing the research behind my Literature Review for EDLD 5315 was not created as well as I could have done. My brain was foggy and the medicine I took to feel better was not conducive to long bouts of concentration. I knew it should be my priority to fix this and make it better. The grade I received was still allowing for an A overall in the course, but I reflected, regrouped, and completed the assignment again anyway. It’s a great feeling to know you’ve finally done your best!
Completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources.
To skip a step in a recipe is always a potential disaster! Each reading provided in these courses was helpful for guiding our learning. Specifically the Sage Edge Action Research reading and website was particularly helpful for EDLD5315. For our capstone 5320 course there wasn’t much reading, instead there were many ADL webpages to review and videos to watch which definitely assisted with guiding our reflection process in consideration of all the classes we have taken through this Lamar University program. I make sure I watch, listen, and read carefully for full understanding.
Met the various course activity deadlines indicated in the calendar.
Timing is crucial when it comes to preparing and serving food, especially now with take-out and delivery restaurant services! So I, too, made sure to prepare accordingly. Our peer group support was helpful with reminders for assignment completion and deadlines. I made sure to remind others as much as they were assisting with reminding me. It was like we had learned how to implement CSLE and COVA into our own learning, not just our classrooms. We make a great team for sure. They will be missed as we enter into our final days before final classwork deadlines and graduation. We have mentioned wanting to keep in touch!
Accelerated ADL reflection.
Macaroni is good. Cheddar cheese is good too. But together, the combination of macaroni and cheese is the greatest. While taking two classes at a time, there have definitely been times when the workload seemed overwhelming or two big project due dates fell simultaneously. Despite the course offerings it’s been great, however, to be able to cross reference learning from one class to the next! The parallel structure of taking both classes has allowed for additional connections and realizations that turned out to be super helpful! The variety of professors allows for new perspectives and the variety of learning really shakes up the way we think about the course content.
Taking EDLD 5315 and 5320 together was exciting due to the fact that all of my learning was starting to feel real and applicable! I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know how, why, and where to connect my learning with real-life teaching and coaching.
Took leadership responsibility in your base group and the course.
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen! It’s always nice to remind stressed out peers that they ARE allowed to take a moment to breathe, reflect, and celebrate all they have accomplished! Every now and again through these last courses, teammates in GroupMe would mention that they were worried and confused about assignments. I can recall a peer requesting assistance, so I asked them for the link to what they have finished so far… Turns out they did the assignment correctly! I reached back out in the messaging app and explained they were on the right track and not to worry. I explained a minor adjustment and one optional suggestion. They were so grateful for the quick response and clarity.
Contributed to your learning and the learning of your colleagues by participating in ALL activities.
When everyone in the restaurant works together, much more can be accomplished! When the waiters, the servers, the dish washers, the valet drivers, and the cooks all work together the symbiosis creates a great smooth sailing environment for all guests. If I were to only complete part of one section from my study and learning assignments, the impact and understanding would fall short. During these final two courses, I tried to do my best by being timely and organized. I must say this is something I could have improved. My cold definitely slowed me down and I rushed to catch back up! I made sure everything was turned in on time and completed correctly. Knowing that the end was near definitely helped me relax and enjoy my final weeks of learning with these course activities.
Active contributions in the various course forums.
If I could re-do part of this semester, it would be the comment replies during group discussion prompts. I felt as if many peers did not reply to the questions I posted on their posts so I struggled to connect deeper with their thoughts and research understandings.
I did, however, ensure the videos, readings, and articles were utilized in my thoughts and feelings expressed throughout my discussion posts and inquiries. Maybe there’s a different way I could have engaged deeper online discussions? In previous classes, it seemed as if peers were more willing to comment, reply, and talk about our class topics in more depth. I made sure to go above and beyond with extra ePortfolio posts, reflections, corrections, and creativity. I am proud of all I have accomplished and excited to continue this momentum I have created through the ADL program.
All in all, if I were to "grade" myself from the work I've done this semester in the Lamar "kitchen," I would give myself a 91/100 points. Not enough yet for a Michelin star, but nearly there. I know I have some room yet for growth! I want to continue learning more about the right spices for my teaching.
To the rest of my fellow peers about to graduate, I wanted to shout out a GOOD LUCK to you. Remember how strong you have become and all of the knowledge you have gained. I know sometimes it’s hard to congratulate yourself, but remember to be proud! I am excited to see where this knowledge takes you next.
To my professors and university assistants, (especially Dr. Sue) I want to say a big THANK YOU. Without your guidance and wisdom I would not be where I am today. This smile on my face and fire in my heart proves that your work has been worthwhile! What an honor it has been to work and learn with you. I am very grateful to have been your student.
Sincerely, your little chef,
~Hannah
References
Anton. (n.d.). Download pizza menu hand drawn. Vecteezy; lemonworkshop.
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/2655179-pizza-menu-hand-drawn-sketch-set-
pizza-preparation-design-template-with-cheese-olives-salami-mushrooms-tomatoes-
flour-and-other-ingredients-vector-illustration-isolated-on-white-background
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to
designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.
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