Reflection and Discussion: UNITE!

When we host and provide professional development projects like Project Pi r-squared, we often hear from teachers how valuable it is to be able to collaborate and converse with their colleagues. It helps you feel connected to each other and gives you an opportunity to learn about the things that are happening in each others' classrooms. In a project like this one, discussion also allows you to engage in collective problem solving. Once a great idea is shared by one teacher, another teacher might comment about how that idea can be modified to work in her classroom. Another teacher might have tried the idea, and posts some "warnings" to help other teachers avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that he encountered. In short, participating in discussion enriches your experiences and provides you with a support system for the implementation of new ideas.

Reflection is something else that we commonly include in professional development. In your past professional development endeavors, I'm sure that many of you have gotten too caught up in the "requirements" of a project to think about the changes that have occurred in you, your classroom, and your students as a result of the professional development. But these thoughts are so important! Reflecting on your experience allows you to see where you've been and where you're going. It allows you to step back and see how what you're doing fits into your personal universe. Most importantly, it allows you to identify the meaning and significance of what you're are doing and helps you to figure out what still needs to be done.

This blog combines the best of both reflection and discussion to create a environment where you can reflect "out loud" and be answered by your support system (a.k.a. your fellow Pi r-squared teachers).  You can write a lot or a little about anything related to Project Pi r-squared. You can write about your outreach sessions, your thoughts about the professional development, the trouble your students are having with a particular science concept - whatever is on your mind, you can blog about it! Other teachers can then read and respond to your blog postings, and you can read and respond to their blog postings. This blog will create a sense of community, where we can help each other to make the most of our Pi r-squared experiences!