My development as a reader, writer, storyteller, and user of technology in this class has increased my confidence in myself and in my culture.

I've started to realize just how many different kinds of communication there are, and how being unfamiliar and inexperienced with any of them can lead to all kinds of miscommunication. Speaking for myself, I am most familiar with a small group or one on one setting with regard to communication. For this reason I feel best in a small group situation or working with a partner. So while lit. circles and activities like pair share are perfect for me, I am not prepared to communicate on a grander scale. So what happens when I need to perform in front of a group of people or give a speech? Other than panic, I don't think a lot gets through to the audience. Given the fact that I'm headed toward teacherhood, I think that this is a major hurdle. However, as nervous as I am, I need to be able to use my unique experience of being a wuss to relate to similar feelings students might have. But ultimately it's no good if I'm not finding successful ways to overcome my own anxieties.

I've also been thinking more about the unique ways people communicate and what factors contribute to different styles of communication. Previously, i've neglected to think about some of the cultural values that might effect the way a person communicates. It's easy to write someone's behavior off as a good or bad trait without thinking about where that person is coming from.

The importance of reflection is something I've been thinking a lot about this semester. As a younger lad, I found myself wanting to experience a thing simply because I wanted to go to a place or do something. More recently than I would like to admit, I've only just begun to focus on those few quiet moments after a lesson or project. As exhuasted as I often feel in these moments, I also see what can be gained from thinking and talking about failures and successes, or reflecting.

I'm talking about reflecting on this research heading because I think without reflection there's not much purpose to research. The reflection I did while researching about my Great-great-grandfather led me to see things in my ancestry that give me a lot of pride.

So far this class has presented me with some challenging technolgy situations. I've never taken part in publishing anything on the internet, let alone several of my own web pages. But amazingly enough it's not impossible, and throughout this process I've been thinking about how to use a tool like this in my own classroom one day.

As we begin our work with the students in Charlotte Bradshaw's class I feel like the true collaborative work will begin. I look forward to sharing my knowledge of my Chautauqua experience with the students in my group, as well as learn from them as we go through the process together.