Finding My Voice as a Teacher, Writer, and Innovator

Introduction

When I first began this eight-week course, I felt a mix of excitement and doubt. The word publication sounded intimidating and tense. I’ve always loved writing and teaching, but the idea of publishing my own article felt like something reserved for scholars. But as the weeks went on, I realized that teachers are researchers every day; we test ideas, analyze what works, and refine our lessons constantly.

From the start, I knew I wanted to write about something close to my heart: helping my Spanish students find their voices. I’ve seen how easily they can memorize vocabulary or grammar rules, but they freeze at the moment they need to speak. My goal became clear, to create learning experiences that turn quiet classrooms into places filled with real, confident conversations. This course helped me organize that vision into something real and ready to share with other educators. 

Evaluation of Successes

One of my biggest successes was learning to translate my classroom experiences into academic language without losing my motivation. I discovered how theory connects directly to practice, more specifically, how Vygotsky’s ideas on collaboration, Swain’s output hypothesis, and Bruner’s scaffolding theory are all active in my classroom whenever students work together to create a dialogue or record a video. 

Another success was learning the publication process itself. I found three open access journals that align with my perspective, and I now see myself not just as a teacher using technology, but as an educator contributing to the larger conversation about how we can make learning more authentic. Seeing how my innovation plan, using tools like Kahoot, Loom, Blooket, and AI conversation partners, could help students grow from nervous to confident speakers reminded me that meaningful change begins with simple actions.

Areas for Growth

If I could grow on one thing, it would be how I managed my time. Balancing teaching, mentoring, and writing wasn’t easy. There were nights when I stared at my screen trying to make a paragraph flow or double checking citations while planning a school lesson for the next day. Next time, I want to give myself more space to breathe,  to write, reflect, and revise without rushing.

I also want to keep learning about the responsible use of AI in education. I’ve seen how tools like ChatGPT and Claude can open new doors for authentic conversation practice, but I also recognize the importance of using them ethically, with clear boundaries and transparency for students.

Assignment Reflections

Publication OutlineThe publication outline helped me focus my vision on designing activities that move students beyond grammar into meaningful conversations. It was the first time I saw my teaching philosophy take a professional tone, connecting practice with purpose. I did struggle with deciding where to publish my article since there were so many great options, but I chose to focus on an open-access journal so my work could reach a wider audience of educators.

Publication Rough DraftWriting my publication draft, “Beyond Grammar: Using Technology and Authentic Conversations to Transform World Language Classrooms”, helped me find my academic voice. I loved combining together the theories of Dewey, Vygotsky, and Bruner with real examples from my Spanish classes such as students recording cultural interviews on Loom or practicing restaurant dialogues in pairs.One of my biggest struggles during this stage was organizing my ideas in a clear, concise way. I had so much I wanted to share about my students, technology, and research that it became difficult to narrow my focus. 

Media Project (Podcast)The podcast was a turning point. Hearing myself talk about my students’ growth and the role of technology reminded me why I love this work. I wanted listeners to feel the excitement of students finally saying, “¡Puedo hablar español sin miedo!”. At first, I was afraid of recording myself. Speaking into a microphone felt uncomfortable, but once I began sharing real classroom stories, that fear started to fade. I realized that when I speak from the heart about something I truly enjoy, it doesn’t feel terrifying. 

Publication Final Draft

By the time I reached the final draft, I wasn’t just completing an assignment but a journey. My ideas were clearer and my voice more confident. My professor’s feedback encouraged me to connect each digital tool more directly to learning outcomes such as fluency, cultural competence, and student confidence, which helped me see new ways to strengthen my writing and teaching practice. One of my biggest challenges was narrowing down my ideas and keeping the structure focused, but that process taught me that both writing and teaching require clarity, balance, and purpose.

Group Reflection

My discussion group was such an encouraging part of this experience. We shared drafts, offered feedback, and celebrated small victories together. I contributed insights on classroom applications and technology integration, while my peers helped me polish my arguments and refine my tone. Through those exchanges, I learned that collaboration isn’t just about sharing ideas, but about being open to growth. I also realized that I could improve by being more open and less shy during discussions. At times, I held back from sharing my thoughts, but seeing how much I learned from others reminded me that confidence grows through participation. Next time, I plan to take a more active role in conversations and trust that my ideas can also help others grow.

Conclusion

This course reminded me that true innovation begins with purposeWhen students feel safe, supported, and genuinely engaged, real transformation takes place. I also learned that publishing isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being brave enough to share what works so others can grow too. Moving forward, I plan to keep refining my article and expanding my innovation plan so my Spanish classroom continues to be a space filled with confidence, creativity, and culture, where every student feels proud to speak. As I often tell my students, “Cada conversación es una oportunidad para crecer”. 

References

Bruner, J. S. (1960). The process of education. Harvard University Press.

Gibbons, P. (2015). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: Teaching English language learners in the mainstream classroom (2nd ed.). Heinemann.

Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274

Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. Basic Books.

Schank, R. C. (2011). Teaching minds: How cognitive science can save our schools. Teachers College Press.

Tharby, A. (2020, March 23). Creating simple teaching videos with Loom. Class Teaching. https://classteaching.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/creating-simple-teaching-videos-with-loom/

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.