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 Teachers are required to fill out paperwork on students of concern while sometimes the paperwork is ignored or out of date.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.

#LastBell – Alicia Mehraban

I would like to honor Alicia Mehraban, a science teacher in Dublin City Schools. She began teaching in 1971 but over the years took eight years off to be mommy. She has taught science in grades six through nine but it currently teaching seventh grade. She says, “My greatest pleasure (in teaching) is interacting with young people and learning from them. They keep me humble and current. I have fun! I laugh out loud with my students everyday. Even though I can have the same schedule, every day and every class is different and never boring.” 

I have the opportunity to be with Mrs. Mehraban twice a week when I support one of my ELL students in her classroom. I have been witness to the professionalism and respect she exudes with her students. What I love most about Mrs. Mehraban is that she puts the students in charge of their own learning. They have an agenda, which she reviews at the beginning of the period then off they go to work. She is actively monitoring the class and available for help always. 

One day a student asked her a question during a test. They didn’t remember what something meant and instead of her saying, just guess or try your best; she said they could look at their notes then come back the next day to answer the question. She wants them to learn not be penalized for not knowing. This is a powerful message that would be great to hear from other teachers…let’s learn not penalize. 

Mrs. Mehraban has seen education change over the years. She said, “when I started teaching, assessment was for evaluating students; now it is for evaluating student understanding so teachers can adjust instruction. The focus has moved from the student’s grade to the student’s level of understanding.”

We can all learn from Mrs. Mehraban – we need to put our students first in learning!