(Crossing through the tundra of the Arctic Circle, photo above)

There have been so many concrete advantages and learnings from our activities, conferences, technology, regular meetings, travels through the TIIP grant--but underscoring all of this professional development has been the impacts of having a close cohort of colleagues who shared a common goal of helping each develop ourselves professionally, that could offer support and feedback, during times in the classroom where I was struggling.

The video analysis helped me see that I was doing a lot better than I felt like I was, since so many of us teachers just don't ever really think we're doing a good enough job at helping our students find succes, and also helped me see some simple steps I could take to increase my student engagement in classroom instruction.

There are lessons and ideas that came from our San Fransisco teacher's conference that have changed my teaching and offered whole new outlooks on what my class looks like (such as meeting EDMODO and developing cyber classroom space, and a variety of experiements I learned there thanks to BioRad and other presenters).

I think that during our end of the TIIP tenure "Teacher's Retreat", that we were able to pass on a lot of our vigor and enthusiasm, and support, to some of our other colleagues who also faced discouragement and the isolation that many educators facing in the midst of the many factors driving our education system today. We left our retreat with a team of teachers that had some unity in our efforts to reach every student, and some new ideas and directions to take with us back into the upcoming school year.

I also feel like my participation in the TIIP grant helped to think more outside of the box, and to look for what we think within our team and as individuals--may help us do better in the classroom. It was kind of like a "life-line" for getting me to take new steps into uncharted territory of teaching and technology in the classroom.

(photo above, Ms. LeAnce and students in a student-directed 1-day seiminar/ learning event inspired by my new levels of technology and skill set acquired through the TIIP grant)

Also, being able to step out of my own classroom to visit other schools and educators--ranging from East Los Angeles's indigenous IB academy school to educators literally from the North Pole (city of) have all helped to contribute to bringing stronger cultural responsibility and broader world views into my classroom.

(photos above of a Special Assembly held at Garey High during our TIIP Tenure that I organized with the brave and inspiring students of the Mecha Club, spring 2011)

Now I feel like I have a much broader skill set, and a much broader outlook on what I believe can be accomplished as a teacher, in a classroom, now moving towards utilizing cyber classrooms and other forms of "using your own technology device" and more.

Teachers we are sometimes a hard group to teach. Getting anyone to pick up new ways of doing things is not always an easy task. But we jumped at this opportunity to lift our technology skill set to 21st century level, and develop new ways to work with our students on projects and in groups. I have much less "fear" blocking me from picking up the variety of technology devices that our students will be in demand to have mastery of themselves as they enter the world, college, and work force as adults.

I have appreciated every minute of my participation in this amazing opportunity. I appreciate that a small group of very humble teachers from the furthest reaching geographic region (at the time) of selected TIIP participants, were given the confidence to reach for our aspirations and develop our own professional develop.

Below is one of my favorite photos from Alaska, near the semi-frozen ground of the Alaska tundra just after passing the Arctic Circle line and learning about the moss-like Lichen that actually helps to sustain this ecosystem. I was particularly awe struck and excited to share with my students certain vocabulary words (like boreal forest, tundra, lichen, and more) that I have been teaching them for years out of our text that during this trip suddenly got to come to life!

(photo above, the Arctic Tundra, from straight out of our Biology textbook into real life. One of the most beautiful places to be)