Natalia Arias

I have found some of the best ideas throughout my career through professional learning networks. I am a member of several professional learning networks and have learned a great deal from communicating with others through them. Three of the networks that I am most currently active in are   Teaching with Schoology  and  2ndaryELA  on Facebook, and the T EA Blended Learning Grant Program   Channel on Slack. Additionally, I also participate in learning networks for my role as a mother of twins, a mother of 3 children 2 and under, a resident of my neighborhood, and a mom in the town I currently live in.  I have definitely grown as a member of these learning networks over time and I take and give them all in different ways. For example, the Teaching with Schoology Group is a group that I "take" more from than anything as teachers share helpful resources and tools that can aid in ensuring I offer quality support to the teachers I support in my district. Howe...

During my time in the classroom, I often felt torn when it came time to post grades. I struggled when the times came that I had a student failing with whether or not this was a true representation of their progress. I also couldn't help but wonder if I had truly done everything I could to set them up for success. Often times during this time of reflection, the answer was no. I hadn't done everything possible. I could have called home more, given more verbal reminders, scaffolded, and differentiated better. The problem was, as a secondary ELAR teacher in a co-teach class where 40% of my students had IEPS in a Title I district, this seemed impossible. I know that I was working hard. Doing absolutely everything I could possibly think of that was attainable given the cards I was dealt. In my lesson planning and prep, I prioritized student engagement. I worked endlessly to find the best platforms and programs to engage my students and pique their interests. I sought training and PD ...

  A mindset is a powerful tool in the journey towards achievement and success. As educators, we must be committed to a growth mindset in order to truly improve our practice and help redefine and transform the learning experience for students. Virtually every person in the world has combinations of fixed and growth mindsets at various times. It is vital that we design a plan that will help us achieve a growth mindset in whatever path we decide to take on in life.  My personal goal at this time is to grow as an effective instructional leader by defining and improving the blended learning experience for the students of Uvalde CISD. In order to do this, I will follow the four steps defined by Carol Dweck and commit to three additional key action steps. These action steps are relevant to me and my personal goals as they address the issues that I hope to grow the most in, creating a collaborative culture, improved data-driven instruction practices, and helping others as an instructi...