Newbie Teacher Leader

The noblest victor is he who conquers himself. -Dhammapada:103

As a Filipina teacher who participated in the summer institute only last year, who is just completing her second year of teaching, who is new in the country of America and the American Educational system, I was nervous as I was preparing the hand-outs for the workshop I was conducting that afternoon during the DCAWP quarterly meeting which was held at Eastern Senior Highschool, Washington DC.

Within minutes after I entered the classroom of DCAWP Teacher Consultant Sandra B. (journalism teacher who hosted the meeting), I was already talking with the true-blue professional teachers of DCPS from different schools in the district. We all came together easily because we all are advocates of writing. Judith K., Ardell T. , Pauline B. , and Liz D. did their very important announcements about the NWP Spring Meeting and The Summer Institute Recognition before I was asked to do a workshop about "Doing the Blog".

I was so nervous because these people infront of me who were going to listen to my first presentation in my whole life are all veteran teacher consultants who are used to giving presentations to novice teachers like me. Here I was about to give a piece of what I think is important to me, weblogging.

The Eastern Senior High School Computer Lab educational technoligist happens to be the husband of my co-teacher at Jefferson Junior High School. I was thinking what my co-teacher would think of me..."a trying hard neophyte teacher embarrasing herself infront of these teacher consultants"... She will surely be surprised.

When I started out introducing myself as the new DCAWP Technology Liaison, words just flowed out easily. I was eagerly sharing with them how I got hooked with blogging and how blogging changed my life as a writer and as a teacher of writing. They were in total awe! They couldn't believe how powerful this new technology is when it comes to writing, student-teacher-collaboration, publishing, everything!!! I walked them through the DCAWP blog after a brief blog introduction.

The DCAWP blog is our official blog which I created and maintained since I was appointed as the DCAWP Technology Liaison. Yes I was being paid for doing this! Not only that, DCAWP sends me to various educational technologist trainings in various states in the country all expenses paid (plane tickets, hotel accomodation and food). This year I am going to National Conventions in Nebraska, Virginia, and Pittsburg.

THE SUN will shine brighter in summer, that's a promise!