I enjoyed the two videos and ensuing discussions that started the class.  They both felt energizing.  Then I appreciated a lot of the practical material we were presented with that will help us as teachers and leaders.  The simplicity of the websites and presentations was powerful to me.  I have always struggled with my urge to include too much in a visual, and knowing it ends up not looking pretty.  I am going to repeat that mantra of simplicity in my mind.  The visual element also ties back into the RSAnime videos we watched.  I really like the idea of having an artist capture what the teacher is saying, for example.  This year I will be teaching an 11th grade World History class, and I can almost envision the students at their desks, trying to sketch out the causes of WWI in this sort of fashion.  I think it would appeal to kids who don't always want to write in bullet points and paragraphs.  And, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and transforming words into drawings is a way of repeating the info and therefore learning it.  It would also force me as a teacher to not ramble too much, lest their pictures become unclear.

I also want to share some of these ideas about flipped professional development with my administration.  We were considering last year allocating weekly time for professional learning communities, and some teachers weren't sure what the focus would be or what it would like.  I like the idea of learning teams based on some learning goals that they have in common, and that include technology in the classroom, and are coached by and overseen by someone.  In other words, autonomy with coaching.  Instead of sit and get.  Teachers like to be independent but also many appreciate working with colleagues they trust.  If they can choose their group and their goals, then have that time, I think it could be a good thing.