In reflecting on my publication writing piece, "Empowering Voices: E-Portfolios and Student Expression in Inner-City Middle Schools," I am excited that it is taking shape and going in the right direction. The writing aims to inspire educators to embrace e-portfolios as transformative tools for fostering student expression and empowerment, and I believe more works need to be done to effectively achieve this goal.

Reflecting on the contribution to my learning community, I want to reuse this famous African proverb, "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." to emphasize the importance of collaboration as I was reflecting on my journey through the second-course rotations, EDLD 5303 and EDLD 5313. This proverb reminded me that if I want to be successful and learn a lot, I need to continue collaborating with my team members and connecting with others in the learning community.  Christy A. is now my only partner remaining in the original group of 5, others have dropped out of the program or have exited the accelerated ADL cohort. 

I’ll be honest, after watching the 2 videos from the previous course and the graphic that compares the Fixed Mindset to the Growth Mindset, I realized that I have a more Fixed Mindset than the Growth Mindset. To some extent, almost all the tendencies listed under the Fixed Mindset were somewhat true for me. Until recently, a few years ago, Growth Mindset became a thing we talked about at my school. But now, the Growth Mindset is even more emphasized and focused on because the student’s mindset was greatly impacted by the pandemic.  As an educator, I have been very successful at what I do. Closing the achievement gap and raising the expectations for all students. However, teaching the Growth Mindset or the “Power of Yet” were neglected. Since the first introduction of Growth Mindset at my school, I have been a learner, steadily becoming more like having a Growth Mindset. Fully having a Growth Mindset? No. But realized the importance of having a Growth Mindset to reach my full potential. Yes. 

I think in order to prepare learners to have curiosity and a questioning disposition, the classroom environment has to value curiosity and questioning. Some of what students learn can be from the textbook, however, it has to encompass real-world examples and applications. It must provide opportunities for exploration and inquiry. 

BHAG is an excellent way to establish a clear and defining purpose for any course or program. Especially when you are building something on a larger scale as a school-wide initiative. It provides a guiding vision that goes beyond dull tasks and encourages everyone to see the bigger picture. 

Reflection and Self-Assessment: E-portfolios provide a structured platform for students to reflect on their learning experiences, identify their strengths and areas for improvement, and engage in self-assessment. This process encourages metacognition, which is a critical skill for lifelong learning.