Reflect, Reset, Restart

During winter break, many educators feel a sense of tension.  This tension occurs as they are heading into the second half of the academic year.  It emerges because there is a realization of the various tasks that must be accomplished before the end of the year.  It is possible to feel anxious and distraught that many of the items on the To –Do list from the first semester have not been addressed.  Instead of focusing on what hasn’t been done, during this break, it’s necessary to look at what has been accomplished and press RESET.

Reset allows you to begin again.  Similar to the small button on your phone or iPad that gives your device a surge of energy, educators need a similar button.  The winter break serves as that button.  It’s an opportunity to reflect on the first part of the year, but also look at what changes need to be made as you walk into the second half of the school year.

Reset isn’t a do over, and it shouldn’t be addressed as such.  You aren’t starting over, but you are learning from the mistakes made during the first half of the school year. 

As you are resting over the break, take a few hours and look at where enhancements can be made to your schedule, time management, or lesson planning.  These enhancements are specifically for the benefit of instruction and improvement.  During this necessary break, take a few moments to reflect, reset and restart.  

You choose, you lose! Or Do You?

I was listening to a pod cast recently and the presenter suggested that “choosing your battles does not mean ignoring the problem.”  I identified with this quote on so many levels.  As a classroom teacher, many people will give you oodles of advice and the most prolific statement that a veteran teacher will say is “choose your battles.”  I struggle with what this means on so many levels because it is such a weighted statement.  When we, as educators, see students misbehaving or acting out of character, we are compelled to say something.  Many times, we weigh what “saying something” means to the overall situation. 

You ask yourself, “Will the student react poorly? Will he/she get upset?  Is this situation related to something other than the classroom?” 

All of these scenarios cloud your judgement, and many times your solution is to leave it alone.  This becomes a staple for many teachers because it’s easier to just note the issue than to actually address the issue.  However, what’s easiest is not always best. 

Once this situation mushrooms into a larger problem, our parents or administrators ask pivotal questions.  One of those questions is “How long has this issue been going on?”

As you think back on the student, you realize that it’s been a constant issue for some time.  And you also note that ignoring the behavior the first, second or third time didn’t correct the problem, it actually enhanced it. 

The phrase, “choosing your battles,” means much more to me after becoming a teacher.  I realize that in making a choice to “fight” the battles that students present, it doesn’t mean choose to fight some and ignore the others.  What it truly means is weigh the outcome and then make your decisions accordingly. 

As a veteran teacher, I am learning daily as well.  I realize that more battles are won when they are addressed.  So in essence, address the problem in the most professional way, but when working with children ignoring it doesn’t usually make it go away!  

No Longer a Novelty, but the Norm…

Once upon a time, working with students in leveled groups and using differentiated instruction set one teacher apart from another.  This skill was not practiced by all teachers, and those that did engage in this type of instruction became the “model” classrooms, having teachers from far and wide stop in to see what the practice entailed.  As times have changed and students and 21^st Century classrooms have evolved, these practices are considered best practices and they are no longer novelties, but normal classroom procedures.  Ask yourself, is differentiated instruction the norm in my classroom?  I encourage you to step back and observe your best practices.  Are you updating your skills?  

Final Destination… Success!

Failure is just a resting place.  It is an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.  Henry Ford

What we teach our students about failure is what we believe about failure.  In pursuing a goal, there are many certainties and one of them is that we will fail at least once along the way.  When we begin the process of working with our students on new concepts, do we teach them that failures are necessary for success? Many times, failures help you appreciate the success that is sure to follow.

This lesson is learned the hard way by many students because they don’t realize that in order to appreciate any success, they must respect the process.  One essential aspect of that process is the emphasis placed on continuing when failure ensues.

When a student fails at a math problem, it simply means that he or she has missed a step along the way.  When a student is not successful on a test, it doesn’t mean that the student will never be successful at anything, it simply means the student needs more opportunities to succeed.

Henry Ford asks that you allow failure to be a stop on the road, a “resting place,” but not a destination.  Failure is never a destination that we want for our students, but if we don’t teach them how to continue moving towards success, they will surely make failure their home.

What we teach our students about failure is just as important as what we teach them about success.  These two experiences are one in the same. As we begin to cultivate learners, let us remember that many of our best stops along the road, our most important “resting places” were failures.  However, those were only “resting places”, not our final destinations.  

Help, Not Hurt

“It is our job as educators to help children.  In all that we do, if we cannot help a child grow, then we should certainly not hurt them in their exploration of growth.”

This school year begins the journey of nurturing another group of students!  When we consider all of the responsibilities of education, one of the greatest of these is our ability to help and protect the students that we encounter.

When I began teaching, I worked with a seasoned educator that would ask students often, “was that to help or to hurt?”  This resonated with me on so many levels because I don’t think we begin the process of internalizing our impact on children as much as we should.  Or, I should say, maybe I don’t!

When we ask children to learn a new concept or challenge their views on a subject, we are asking them to step outside of their comfort zone and trust that our way is “stronger” or “more effective”.  However, many times we don’t realize the amount of trust that a student has to have in order to take our “word for it”.

As educators, we help our children so much when we open our minds to their need to see our investment in their development.  This certainly provides a level of interest that is beyond simply saying, “I believe in you.”  It involves the action of actually believing!

When we teach with passion, we help our students grow and trust in our actions.  When we help them grow and trust the learning process, we become a participant in their overall growth process.  If we can’t do anything but involve students in the process of growth this year, let’s do that!  In all that we do, let’s encourage our children to explore their ability to grow beyond their imagined potential.

Rough Waters Ahead…

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors- African Proverb

As we begin the journey of welcoming another group of students into our hearts, we must be reminded that our task is not an easy one, but rewarding nonetheless.  Many people will say that you should not begin the year thinking about the end, but I disagree.  You must begin the year with an end goal in mind.  You cannot expect to walk into the year without a plan of action and that plan of action has both an execution and end date.  This African Proverb suggests that, “smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” It echoes my thoughts about the school year perfectly.  Nothing is easy about education or being an educator.  Many times our expectations do not match our efforts.  Reality is a harsh pill to swallow, but it is a manageable one.  Our goal is to strengthen the students that we have.  Throughout this process, one certainty exists:  each school year creates another opportunity for us to enhance our skills as educators.

Summer time, Summer mind!

During the summer months, teachers are reminded of the certainty that school begins in sixty days or less by endless advertisements, emails and premature visits to the school.  In some cases, summer days are filled with teaching summer school, finishing off last minute details from the previous year or simply gearing up for the upcoming year.  Very seldom are teachers left with nothing to do over the break.  For this reason, I often wonder what type of professional development is expected of teachers over the summer. 

In other industries, rarely are employees asked to use their break as a time to work on new concepts or read up on the most up-to-date skills, but this is frequently the charge given to educators. Most colleagues spend their summers finding alternative strategies, buying supplies, or simply lurking on the internet for classroom ideas.  These activities should also be earmarked as professional development. 

In many instances, professional development describes classes, webinars or book talks.  However, the amount of time educators spend gathering, learning, meeting and preparing should count as well.  This summer I reflected, taught summer school, lurked for new ideas and simply read about teaching.  This summer I focused on recommitting myself to the actual practice of teaching so that my development remains in a way that is not stagnant.  This summer has not been like past summers because this summer I realized that teaching changes you more that you change it and thus summer time is an opportunity to develop my summer mind.  This summer take the opportunity to develop professionally by changing up your summer professional development.    

Teaching Without Boundaries…

We are headed into the fourth quarter of the year.  Once we return from Spring Break, it’s “game time”.  The students, prepared or not, will take the state and district assessments and begin the journey of discovery with their teachers.  This journey begins as the last test booklet or laptop is returned. 

As a public school teacher, I’ve come to realize that the most fun and educational part of the classroom journey is the last quarter of the year.  The students and teachers are relaxed.  Most pacing guides have run out, the curriculum is in review and the time to experiment and expose students is much greater.  This is the time of the year that you have the opportunity to teach students, I mean really teach students. 

Teaching occurs all during the instructional year, but during this time, innovation without boundaries occurs.  The students have the benefit of the curriculum under their belt and the teachers have satisfied the content expected for the grade level.  In layman’s terms, this portion of the year is termed “getting ready for _____ grade.”  I realized as a veteran teacher that this is when I recognize the Aha moments and the students begin to experience the levels of confidence that they need. 

I encourage you to take a day during this quarter and teach without boundaries.  You will be surprised how incredible the day will feel for both you and your students.  

Are You Paralyzed when Plans go Awry?

“If Plan A didn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters.  Stay cool!”  - Unknown

When we plan for our students, class, an assessment or the day, we seldom build in ideas for those times when things will not work out.  The rule of thumb suggests that you must plan in order to succeed, but when your plan leads you to failure, what is your next option?  It’s to make another plan!  Educators are tasked with having the week planned out and then taking the opportunity to go through the plans and visualize what may go right or wrong.  I encourage you to really look at your history of planning and interrogate how many times you anticipated this question.  “What could go wrong?”

I am reminded of my first year as a teacher when many things went wrong.  Lesson plans didn’t last for the amount of time I planned.  Mini lessons went awry in a split second and a small conversation with a student turned into an off track opportunity.  Many times we look at a few of these instances as either a lesson in flexibility or a teachable moment, but we must consider the alternative.  Was an alternate plan in place? 

I like the idea of being able to morph into a different plan if the first, second, third, or fourth plan doesn’t pan out, but wouldn’t it be great to have those plans in place already?  If you plan for all the possibilities, you have scenarios that outlast Plan A.  Let’s continue to have a solid plan in place, but that solid plan doesn’t have to be the only plan. 

Imagine the possibilities of life when you have a backup for the backup.  My goal for the last quarter of this year is to begin creating built in parachute plans.  I want to be prepared for possibilities, not paralyzed by them.  

Success and Progress are Not Synonymous!

Progress exists when hard work is exhibited.  This is a notion that many feel sums up school and education as a whole.  When we encounter students working hard, we assume that they are making progress.  There are many factors that are not considered in this equation.  Progress is not merely experienced by doing, it is experienced by making mistakes when doing. 

When you learn a new concept and you practice it, you achieve the desired goal, familiarity.  Although familiarity is comforting as a student, it doesn’t create a space for learning more.  It enhances a sense of security in knowing that you are content with maintaining.  If you begin to step outside of your comfort zone and try new experiences, make mistakes and keep trying, you will eventually make progress.  I didn’t say you will eventually succeed.  Many educators equate success and progress.  They are not synonymous and cannot be considered as such. 

Success is the act of getting it right, but progress is the act of getting better.   Our students may not succeed in every endeavor that they accomplish, but their ability to continue working at it relies on our consistent encouragement and reassurance that their mistakes will create opportunities for more progress. 

When we teach our students that they will succeed always, we teach them that their failures are fatal flaws.  This is simply not true.  Our students must be encouraged to continue trying.  This attitude fosters an atmosphere of continued progress and inspires the ability to learn in a “risk” free environment.  

If We Feed them Fear, It will Grow…

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” – Nelson Mandela

When we encourage our students, we encourage them to try.  We do this because we understand that the only thing holding them back is fear.  As we approach the last quarter of the year, we have some established fears as well.  As educators we walk into the beginning of the year full of possibilities about what our students will become and how much they will grow.  As we approach the end, our fears or insecurities establish roots because we realize that the power shifts.  The responsibility is now on the students to show what they have learned and as the facilitators, we must pull back and allow them to demonstrate that knowledge. 

Our choices as educators really take root in our students.  If we elected to give them wings and let them fly, it is now that they will fly.  If we have clipped their wings in an effort to keep them close to home, they will wait for our cues. 

Although each method is flawed, there are opportunities to create a well-rounded student and those opportunities are still present.  There is time to allow your choices as an educator to reflect a sense of hope in protecting the process of learning.  Do not rely on a spirit of fear that the alternative is possible.  Whatever we feed will grow in abundance.  Feed your students hopes and encourage them to experience all aspects of learning.  Allow them to grow!  It’s their time…

Create an Atmosphere of Hope!

When you give people an education, you give them hope.  This is not an adage, but a fact.  You may impart many things on your students, but the most important aspect of your calling as an educator is to instill in your students the love of learning.  This love of learning will eventually blossom into an appreciation for the acquisition of knowledge. When students acquire knowledge or the ability to solve problems, they emerge as a new being, one that has hope.  This hope affords students the opportunity to walk into any situation understanding that the difference between their past and their future is the ability to figure out how to change their circumstances. 

Once hope enters any situation, there is a renewed opportunity to excel.  When we teach our students…really teach our students how to think, we put them in a situation to break cycles and see opportunities with a different perspective.  I am not sure how often teachers realize that the only thing that separates students from opportunities is their ability to confront and conquer their fears.  When we teach without ceasing, we allow our students to understand that their fears can be eliminated. 

As we walk into the fourth quarter of this school year, it is imperative to understand that we are giving our students an immeasurable tool…hope!  When you educate a child you give them more than skills and problem solving abilities, you create an atmosphere of hope in their minds.  Teach to create human beings that possess the ability to change situations.  Teach with the intent to create an atmosphere of hope each day!

When Did You Fall In Love With Teaching?

This week is a very special one.  Not only does it house Valentine’s Day, but it also creates dialogue among educators on what makes them enjoy their jobs.  It’s the beginning of the #Loveteachingcampaign.  I wanted to kick off the week with a blog about what makes teaching special to me.  I really enjoy working with students on a day to day basis because it allows me to see what life looks like through their eyes.

I love teaching because it’s the only profession that makes all of the other professions in the world possible.  I didn’t realize how powerful a teacher could be until I had an influential teacher and then all bets were off.  It really created an opportunity for me to understand why you have to give so much of yourself to the career in order to receive any rewards.  Teaching is not thankless, but it can be tiresome.  You spend hours and in some cases days designing experiences for students and once that moment passes, it’s time to design another experience.  That creates fatigue, but it also encourages possibilities of what comes the next day.

I love teaching because each student that you impact remembers the moment that their life was changed.  They will remember when they learned how to read, add or write in cursive and that memory will be attached to an incredible teacher.  That’s why I love teaching.  Consider all of the moments that you spend working within the walls of your classroom and ask yourself what teaching means to you.  Take this week as an opportunity to reflect on why you love teaching.  You can start by asking yourself one very important question:  When did you fall in love with teaching?

Exception or the Rule?

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.- Nelson Mandela

I am a product of the public school system.  There, I said it.  I don’t think it's such a shame or that I should wear a scarlet letter because I attended the local school in my town.  Many students don’t realize that there are options in terms of schooling.  They board the bus day in and day out, attending the school just miles from their home.  This is normal in many ways, yet in many ways this will soon become the exception and not the rule.

Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to listen to scholars, correspondents and various educators speak about the differences in public school and school choice.  I am unsure of many things, but one thing that I am sure of is whether my life would have turned out better if I had gone to private school.  Would I have chosen a different path?  I ask this because I was able to attend prestigious universities for both undergraduate and graduate school.  I am content with my educational coffer.  However, there are many that believe the opposite.  Public school isn’t perfect, but is any educational institution?  How did so many products of the public school system become its biggest critics?

This question looms over every debate.  I believe that education is the only weapon that we have against so many injustices and obstacles, but does it matter where that education is offered?  This is a topic that I will focus on and revisit for the next few posts on this blog.  I hope you will enjoy this journey with me.