My First Blog!
I finally did it! Here's my first blog and I'm sure I will make mistakes along the way. But I am committed to being daring, adventurous and fearless this year! After 24 years in education, I feel the need to share, connect, and gain from the experiences of like minded educators in the field. So here I go! I already feel encouraged and inspired!
I've always wanted to be a writer. As a young child, I especially loved writing poetry. As I got older, it seemed as though writing became more of a task to complete. I didn't enjoy feeling the pressure to write something creative as an adult. I guess many people experience losing touch with their passions in life. But it's really where we, as educators, need to draw from in our professional careers. It's what makes you special to students and your co-workers! Our students need to see what we are passionate about.
I've been reading three professional books this summer that have really drove this point home for me, Kids Deserve It, Teach Like A Pirate, and Lead Like A Pirate. These books have sparked a new fire in me as a teacher leader in our school. I started looking at my role as an instructional coach and reexamining my impact on teachers and students! "These Four Walls" is actually a phrase that I often used when I felt the frustrations as a teacher who was trying to do it all. In education, many things are out of your control (system mandates, new initiatives, testing, testing, and did I say testing). One thing you can control is "your four walls". Every teacher starts the new year with the excitement of transforming his or her "four walls" into a learning environment that will impact the lives of students for an ENTIRE school year! What do your "four walls" provide for your students? Is it an environment that students want to be in or trudge into each morning? I realized as an instructional coach, I had to support teachers who felt overwhelmed to do it all and reconnect to the joy and excitement of their "four walls". After all, teachers are my clients. When they succeed, students succeed! But first, I had to reconnect myself!
I wanted to expand my connections in education, get off my island! First, I connected with others on Twitter. HUGE!! If you haven't joined Twitter, do it NOW! It will change your life as an educator. Reach out to your favorite authors, educational leaders, and just other people who share your thoughts. It truly is a network of resources! I had many geek moments this summer, when authors of the books I was reading would reply to my tweets. Such encouragement!
Step two for me was to make a plan! I LOVE to plan. I get so much joy out of the little details that make an experience special and unforgettable. I wanted to start this school year with something different- PD with a purpose! I wanted to create an uncommon experience for our teachers DAY ONE, to set the tone for the entire year. I'm always sad to see teachers come in so excited at the beginning of the year and quickly get overwhelmed and tired from the day to day demands. Teaching is hard work, folks. I understand how the FUN can get exhausting. My goal is to find a way to make it worth it. I will be planning my instructional support differently this year to make sure I never forget how amazing and selfless teachers are!
Dave Burgess, or I like to refer to him as Pirate Dave, is just brilliant! He's my educational hero at the moment. His book, Teach Like A Pirate, is right up my alley. I love the whole theme of being a pirate. The spirit of a pirate is indeed what is needed in education today. This book is so inspiring and practical and I can't believe I am just now discovering it. It was just the right fit for my PD with a purpose! Book studies, challenges, and celebrations will lead to a transformed school climate! I can't wait to see the impact on student engagement, creativity and student centered learning!
We have determined the course and set sail in a few short weeks!
Arr ye ready for an adventure?
I've always wanted to be a writer. As a young child, I especially loved writing poetry. As I got older, it seemed as though writing became more of a task to complete. I didn't enjoy feeling the pressure to write something creative as an adult. I guess many people experience losing touch with their passions in life. But it's really where we, as educators, need to draw from in our professional careers. It's what makes you special to students and your co-workers! Our students need to see what we are passionate about.
I've been reading three professional books this summer that have really drove this point home for me, Kids Deserve It, Teach Like A Pirate, and Lead Like A Pirate. These books have sparked a new fire in me as a teacher leader in our school. I started looking at my role as an instructional coach and reexamining my impact on teachers and students! "These Four Walls" is actually a phrase that I often used when I felt the frustrations as a teacher who was trying to do it all. In education, many things are out of your control (system mandates, new initiatives, testing, testing, and did I say testing). One thing you can control is "your four walls". Every teacher starts the new year with the excitement of transforming his or her "four walls" into a learning environment that will impact the lives of students for an ENTIRE school year! What do your "four walls" provide for your students? Is it an environment that students want to be in or trudge into each morning? I realized as an instructional coach, I had to support teachers who felt overwhelmed to do it all and reconnect to the joy and excitement of their "four walls". After all, teachers are my clients. When they succeed, students succeed! But first, I had to reconnect myself!
I wanted to expand my connections in education, get off my island! First, I connected with others on Twitter. HUGE!! If you haven't joined Twitter, do it NOW! It will change your life as an educator. Reach out to your favorite authors, educational leaders, and just other people who share your thoughts. It truly is a network of resources! I had many geek moments this summer, when authors of the books I was reading would reply to my tweets. Such encouragement!
Step two for me was to make a plan! I LOVE to plan. I get so much joy out of the little details that make an experience special and unforgettable. I wanted to start this school year with something different- PD with a purpose! I wanted to create an uncommon experience for our teachers DAY ONE, to set the tone for the entire year. I'm always sad to see teachers come in so excited at the beginning of the year and quickly get overwhelmed and tired from the day to day demands. Teaching is hard work, folks. I understand how the FUN can get exhausting. My goal is to find a way to make it worth it. I will be planning my instructional support differently this year to make sure I never forget how amazing and selfless teachers are!
Dave Burgess, or I like to refer to him as Pirate Dave, is just brilliant! He's my educational hero at the moment. His book, Teach Like A Pirate, is right up my alley. I love the whole theme of being a pirate. The spirit of a pirate is indeed what is needed in education today. This book is so inspiring and practical and I can't believe I am just now discovering it. It was just the right fit for my PD with a purpose! Book studies, challenges, and celebrations will lead to a transformed school climate! I can't wait to see the impact on student engagement, creativity and student centered learning!
We have determined the course and set sail in a few short weeks!
Arr ye ready for an adventure?
Enjoyed your post! Give us your "lessons learned" after your FUN PD on day 1. Here is a PD session I did on icebreakers/brainstarters last lear: https://flipgrid.com/wakeupyourbrain
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