Powtoon and The Gifted Brain

One of the many hats I wear is that of student.  And, I'm not just talking in the metaphorical sense of "life long learner" but actually a real student in a real class.  I'm taking classes through Grand Canyon University and working on a Master's Degree in Gifted Education.  While I'm excited about my learning journey, I am also often exhausted.  Balancing work, family and school can be tricky, but it's also awesome.  

That pretty much describes my past week:  exciting, exhausted, tricky and awesome.  

This week, my assignment was to create a video about the gifted brain.  What was exciting about this is that at the beginning of the school year, I had asked my students to create a project/presentation on the brain.  It was fun to share with them the my assignment details and they got a kick out of their teacher having to do a project that was similar to theirs.

However, it also ended up being one of those weeks when there was just too many things going on. I was exhausted. I had several IEPS to write and present at meetings.  Our school is also getting ready for registration for next year, I had to get that paperwork ready.  My other job duties include being Special Education department chair, so there is always something going on that needs to be taken care of, and this week was no different.  And, as a Girl Scout leader and cookie mom, well, "Thin Mints, anyone?".

And then the tricky part came. I wrote a script, but it seemed to be not quite just right, so I had to edit and tweak it several times. Then I needed to record the voice over. This was the most difficult part.  From odd background noises, to a headset/mic that didn't seem to pick up the sound, to a malfunctioning mic on the desktop computer that I may or may not have erased from the computer, to finally getting a recording that was mostly decent before I had a stress breakdown.  Sometimes things aren't as easy as they seem.

However, it ended up awesome.  I was able to complete the assignment and turn in it on time.  That in and of itself is awesome, glitches and all.

This also helps me remember.  Sometimes our students have exciting, exhausting, tricky and awesome lives.  We never know at what point our exciting, exhausting, tricky, awesome lives will intersect.  If they intersect at the exciting or awesome moments, then it could be magical.  But if our exhausting and/or tricky meet, then....

So, would you like to see my video?  I was hoping you would ask.  Enjoy....

Until next time....