Weekly Pro D

For 2 years now I have had Photoshop Elements sitting on my home computer.  Each time I turned on my computer I would look at it and tell myself that as soon as I got a chance I would sit down and learn how to use it. 

This year in Connected Classrooms Photoshop Elements was added to the student computers for them to learn and use in the weekly lessons with Errin.  Each week the students spend time exploring the different functions within the program while editing their photos.  Listening to the Errin's lessons and exploring the program with the students  has created a great learning opportunity for me, as well as the students.  I am now getting that time and instruction in learning the program that I had always planned for. 

This is the great thing about Connected Classrooms.  It not only provides the opportunity for students to learn from teachers with different strengths and from each other, it also provides the opportunity for us as teachers to learn from each other and the students.  During a meeting it was said that as teachers in Connected Classrooms we are experiencing Pro D every week with the lessons each teacher does.  This is something I truly believe.  Each week we are sharing our knowledge and passions with each other as well as the students.  While others have to plan for a single day of collaboration, we are incorporating this into our regular classroom schedules.

So often we look at the benefits for students when deciding to try something new in a classroom, and not at the effects and benefits for teachers.  The Connected Classroom project has provided a unique learning opportunity for the students and the teacher, something that I am very thankful for.