As a child, I was a follower. I looked for ways to blend into the crowd and be helpful. I was also the team player, never the team captain. I never saw myself as anyone of importance. What did I have to say that others would want to listen to? As I got older, I realized I had a lot to say. I just had to find the right audience.

These last few months of various readings, podcasts, and video clips of TED talks revolving around the introductions to the ADL program have led me to find that voice I hid away from the world for so long. I discovered I had ideas and goals relevant to more than just me. I had inspiration from the research and experiences of others which reignited a dwindling passion for teaching and learning. The opportunity to share this reignition comes through my creation of this ePortfolio.

Exploring the ins and outs of WordPress has been a challenge in the development of my ePortfolio, but a welcome one. I have learned through those obstacles. Problem-solving is a favorite hobby of mine. My opinions of writing have also shifted. As an educator, the value of the written word is not lost on me. I embrace the importance of written expression. I view myself as a novice, even as a college graduate. The ePortfolio provides for growth in that area of my learning. Through my learning communities and their feedforward, I can improve my skills.

Collaboration and feedforward are the foundation of my coursework in the ADL program. It will be my success that will result from these experiences of collaboration and feedforward. The reputation of anything related to group work has quite a bruised reputation amongst high schoolers. I aim to change those feelings in my own classroom. By witnessing to my learners through my own acquaintance with collaboration, they will see the part it can play in their own learning. It might even offer a glimpse of autonomy that I also strive to expose them to.

These authentic learning opportunities supplied by the evolution of my ePortfolio will lead to a deeper understanding (Harapnuik, 2021). This will not only benefit my learning but ultimately that of my learners as well. I must travel this journey for my learners, not just myself.

References

Harapnuik, D. (2021, May). Why Use an ePortfolio. It’s About Learning. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6063