Obstacles and Opportunities

As far as setbacks go, I was met with a pretty solid one this week. Last Saturday, while enjoying some outside activities with friends - badminton, to be exact - I ruptured my Achilles tendon. Not fun. Sometimes the universe is very aggressive in delivering simple messages like "hey, you're getting older."

Looking ahead to surgery in a few days followed by physical therapy and recovery, I know there will be plenty of smaller obstacles to work through that lie ahead.

With this situation comes opportunity. Personally, it's a chance to become more intentional establishing daily habits like stretching, being mindful, focusing on what my body is telling me and focusing on my body as a whole. There is every reason to think and believe I can emerge from this process better and stronger in many ways. 

The other opportunity for me is to be an example to my own kids and my students. In education we tend to talk a lot about mindset, grit, positivity, goal-setting, etc. This is my chance to show the people around me - in real time - what this might look like when working through very real setbacks. 

There will be tough days, good days, and bad days. Days where it will be very hard to put on a good face and power through. It'll be important for me to remember that it's okay to be honest with my students --> tell them when I'm struggling and why. Demonstrating thoughtfulness, reflection, vulnerability and - yes - toughness and grit, will hopefully be an example they can draw from in their own lives. 

Here's hoping... (also hoping that eventually that leg will get back to where it was - even though it might take almost a year!)

Essentials

Been thinking quite a bit lately about what's important - especially when it comes to learning and teaching. Typically you'll find that phrase written the other way around: Teaching and Learning. However, I am striving to be much more intentional in reversing the order. 

Why?

Because everything starts and ends with Learning.

In my mind, the number 1 goal as an educator has always been to promote, foster, and help create a love and natural curiosity for learning. 

With that said, here are some of the things I find are essential when it comes to tools, skills, strategies and resources students need to feel and become successful.

-A consistent time and place to study and/or work on homework. This can be tricky with busy lives and activities, but if students have a place in their home they mentally designate as the "work/study" place, they'll have a better mindset for that time. Some consistency around the "when" can also help in establishing and maintaining positive work habits. 

-An organizational method or system. Our school is a binder school (much evidence and research around to support this!) and this works pretty well. For some, it might be the use of folders and notebooks; others it might be an accordion file. Either way, a consistent, clearly labeled system will pay dividends. On that note...

-Planner use and/or direct instruction on Time Management! I've found that most students under the age of 14 or 15 really benefit from using a paper planner. Much can be said of the cognitive benefits of writing things down and being able to go back to check. Most schools and districts have LMS with calendar features. Teaching and training kids on how to effectively utilized these as well goes a long way.

-A school filled with caring adults that kids feel they can trust and lean on. Enough said. This is most definitely #1 and can't be overstated.

-The opportunity for students to build and use their voices consistently and creatively is huge! 

-The chance to READ and WRITE. Every. Single. Day.

-The space to take chances boldly, fail safely, and reflect thoughtfully. 

-An environment with high expectations around LISTENING to and RESPECTING different voices, viewpoints, and experiences. 

-Consistency from me as their teacher; with high expectations, support, and follow-through. 

Thoughts? Anything you'd add? Agree or disagree?

image: clipart-library.com

Takeaways and Truths

 

After a couple of weeks getting into a new school year, it seemed like a good time to reflect on some observations and takeaways of what is going on and what I have seen. Additionally, reminding myself of some of the more universal truths that seem to reintroduce themselves every fall. 

Two weeks in, here's what has resonated:

1. It is so unbelievably fantastic having all of the students back in class and together! They're engaged, love working together and collaborating, and feed off of each others' energy and creativity. 

2. Many students have not been in a classroom consistently - and some not at all - for a year and a half...and in many ways it shows! There are a lot of details around the rhythms of a school day that some are a little rusty on. That's more than okay! All in due time...and some of this stuff is always in need of updating/modifying/adapting anyways. 

3. Kids have become so much more knowledgeable and proficient with their use of technology skills over the past couple of years. A lot of this is due to necessity; some is a byproduct of their lives fully lived digitally.

4. Middle School students - especially but not limited to 6th grade - definitely need recess or some sort of built-in time for physical activity! Ideally, gym class (and frankly ALL the allied arts classes) would get just as much time as others. **if you've read much of what I've written previously, you would know I'm a huge believer in the whole child, well-rounded approach**  It would be so nice if the kids were able to have a daily chance to get movement, be active, clear their minds, and release some of their energy in a positive way!

5. Students love creating. Even when they don't realize it, they seem to feed off of and get energy from creating. The more I can put opportunities in front of them to create, share, give/get feedback, and reflect - the better! 

6. It's vital to have balance in tech/computer use and doing things "analog" as well :)  The students need it, I need it, and everyone benefits from finding that balance after so much time needing to rely on technology. It goes back to those guiding principals around tech use --> is it useful? transformative? enhancing to the experience?

Beyond those thoughts, here are some seemingly universal truths around what students need to do - and what I can need to help with and foster - for successful learning:

a. all kids love learning and are curious. it's a matter of supporting them and building an environment & culture to foster that excitement.

b. every kid deserves an environment at school where they feel safe, respected, and valued. what I've found in 20+ years of teaching is that when kids feel this need is met - no matter what "type" of kid they are - they will flourish and grow.

c. so much of life - and learning - is just about giving it a shot and throwing yourself out there! for some this comes naturally. for many others, it does not. it's incumbent upon me to be their cheerleader when necessary.

d. effort goes a long way and makes up for so much!! 

e. when students know I'm invested in them they will almost always reciprocate. while I understand this doesn't always check out and you'll never get that from 100% of students, that's not a reason to NOT engage with kids!

f. kids need organizational skills and they need to be explicitly taught these skills!

g. at the start of the school year --> start SLOW to go FAST!! 

image: istockphoto.com