Unsure of…

The longer I am in the world of education, the more I realize that some educators are unsure…unsure of many things.

Unsure of Change: Change can be tough…for example, some teachers are moved to different buildings and are forced to pack up a classroom they have “lived in” for years to do it all again at another building. Teachers are required to fill out paperwork on students of concern while sometimes the paperwork is ignored or out of date.

Change can be needed…for example, a teacher may be moved to another building to help build foundations in programs where they may have been damaged. We learn new Learning Management Systems (LMS) so we can better communicate with our families and with each other. Change is inevitable in education if you stay long enough.

Unsure of Power: Power is a tricky word for teachers. I have power in my classroom to help facilitate learning and to inspire students to continually bring their best but some believe they have power over other teachers. Do titles given automatically create power-hungry teachers?

Power can be shown in a passive aggressive email, the ignoring of people in meetings, the simple statement of standing at the entrance door when the students arrive (every day!). On the contrary, power can been seen as including everyone in meetings, keeping your fellow employees informed through emails and by being outside of your own classroom encouraging and welcoming students.

How do we encourage others to embrace change? How do we encourage others to release power and allow others to have it as well? I’d like to hear what you think…throw a comment down below with your ideas…Thank you in advance.

Ideal school…

I have been around education long enough to see that some aspects need to be changed…some faster than others…but there needs to be a change. If you could open your ideal school, what would it look like? smell like? taste like? feel like? sound like?

My ideal school would…

Look like: bright colors, open spaces, non-traditional seating, technology (1-1), different aged students learning together

Smell like: fresh air, fresh flowers, sneakers, a little BO

Taste like: fresh lunches, fresh breakfasts, fresh water, fresh snacks, eclectic foods made with locally grown products

Feel like: soft furniture, soft floors, soft writing surfaces, hard computers or other technology devices, the lack of textbooks

Sound like: students talking, not too much teacher talk, music in selected areas, teachers guiding

I have hopes that one day there will be a school just like the one I previously describe…I want to have the opportunity to work there in some capacity. I want to be a change agent leading the overhaul of schools…I want to be a light for others to understand the need for change…I want to be involved in change!

And We’re Back…

Today I began my 16th year of teaching…today was a work day – aka meeting day. This new school year brings a lot of newness to me. A new school, a new schedule and a new car…the latter doesn’t really matter but I thought I’d mention it since I love my new car so much!

A new school…I will be working in a middle school and possibly two elementaries (to be determined later due to enrollment changes). Over my 16 years of teaching, I have only taught one year of middle school with the rest being in elementary. I am excited for this change and know I will love middle school (obviously I say this before the kids arrive). I get to share a room with the former ELL teacher so I have built in support of her. I will make it a great year!

A new schedule…I will be required to arrive at school much earlier than in previous years. I now have to arrive to school at 7:40am when in previous years I needed to be at school by 8:20am. That’s a big difference to my internal alarm clock. Today was easy to wake up but as the year goes on, it will become a bit more difficult for me but I know I can do it!

New things and change can be tough for people but I have come realize that I can’t get all worked up over things that I cannot control. It has saved me from a lot of anxiety over the years.

Tomorrowland…

As my family and I looked for a movie safe for the whole family, we landed on Tomorrowland. Going into it we didn’t know much about the premise of the movie but I was pleasantly surprised. 

Tomorrowland is about a faraway land that only certain people can access. You have to have a certain pin which is given to you and the only people who are given these pins are people who are dreamers. Dreamers are needed and recruited. In the movie, people see glimpses of the future but choose to do nothing to change it.

As educators, we touch the future each day…we see glimpses into the future every second of our day. What are we doing to change their futures? Are we helping to create dreamers? Are we dreamers? Are we creating change in our classrooms? Are we creating change in our schools? Are we creating change in our districts? What are we doing in order to create a better “tomorrowland”?

Change…

Change…it’s that time of year. Teachers are growing weary from a long school year…students are ready for the summer as the temperatures heat up…It is also the time of year where teachers are moved to different buildings.

I am one of those teachers this year…I will be leaving the comfort of the elementary school to teach ELL in a middle school (but will still have a little elementary as I will travel between the two). I am excited about the move and am looking forward to learning an entirely different way of teaching/life in the middle school.

You may be wondering…did I have a say in my move? The answer is no but I feel there was much though put into the decision made by my supervisor and principal. I trust her thoughts and know she feels that it will be a great fit for me as an educator. Does it make it feel better? Yes…I am excited about the change and know that I will make the most of it because that’s how I am. I will rise to the occasion and will go in with the attitude of leadership and collaboration…I will create an environment in my classroom where mistakes are welcomed, where we learn together and where students have choice.

I will make the most of the last days I have at my current school and will begin next year with an open heart and mind. Stay with me to watch the journey through my eyes.