I started this year with an idea, an idea that learning was going to be fun. Even bigger, learning MATH was going to be fun. We built towers and houses, even a website and a game. Students asked questions, worked together, shared ideas, laughed, and learned math. We used math vocabulary to describe what we were doing, and my students had fun. It was first semester.
Second semester came, and with it, major changes. I had to let go of some content and embrace a different paradigm for DAEP school. I now supervise independent learning for some students, while teaching others. I may have less content, but I have more record keeping (have I mentioned that I am not very good at record keeping?) My days seem longer and I have noticed that I have fallen into the trap of "direct teaching" for an entire class period. This new group of students gives an appearance of not wanting to fall behind, but grades for the previous semester suggest many already have. I have caved (for a moment) to their worries, and have tried to push through curriculum ... sometimes. I am tired. I am doing to much for my students and not enough with my students. While I feel like my first semester was a success, I was feeling like my second semester was headed toward failure.
Thank goodness I caught myself.
I know how students learn. They learn having fun, in conversations, sharing and laughing. I know how to make time fly: having fun, conversing, sharing, laughing. Wow, a trend! I am not sure why I caved in to the worries of my students, just wanting to give them my best, I suppose. But, I am the teacher, and I have some ideas of what works.
And there are books! I am a reader. I write because I have read books - many, many books. I am currently reading 3 books: DITCH THAT HOMEWORK (Alice Keeler and Matt Miller), CODE BREAKER (Brian Aspinall), and HACKING PROJECT BASED LEARNING (Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy). I just finished TEACH LIKE A PIRATE (Dave Burgess) and rereading EXPLORE LIKE A PIRATE (Michael Mater). Yes, I am shamelessly plugging these books because they are changing the way I want my classroom to look and feel, they are changing the way I want to BE in the classroom.
I am also a district Quantum Learning facilitator (www.quantumlearning.com/). Everything in these books backs up what I have come to experience as a facilitator. I know the WHY, my books help with the HOW ... Now, I just have to BE more of who I am and take that leap of faith to DO.
What's in it for me? Joy, a sense of accomplishment. What's in it for my students? Joy, a sense of accomplishment, belonging, success. What's in it for us? Joy, teamwork, novelty, and learning together.
Together.
We do not live in isolation. We do not flourish alone. We have social and emotional needs that must be met. Yes, WE ... Teacher and Students. And we do it, together.
So, here are my steps
1. Know WHAT I want.
2. Know WHY it is important
3. Read to be inspired with some HOW to do it.
4. Breathe, tell an accountability partner, and just DO it ... again!
I did it for a semester. I just need to return to what works. And since "failure leads to success", it will work again.
Second semester came, and with it, major changes. I had to let go of some content and embrace a different paradigm for DAEP school. I now supervise independent learning for some students, while teaching others. I may have less content, but I have more record keeping (have I mentioned that I am not very good at record keeping?) My days seem longer and I have noticed that I have fallen into the trap of "direct teaching" for an entire class period. This new group of students gives an appearance of not wanting to fall behind, but grades for the previous semester suggest many already have. I have caved (for a moment) to their worries, and have tried to push through curriculum ... sometimes. I am tired. I am doing to much for my students and not enough with my students. While I feel like my first semester was a success, I was feeling like my second semester was headed toward failure.
Thank goodness I caught myself.
I know how students learn. They learn having fun, in conversations, sharing and laughing. I know how to make time fly: having fun, conversing, sharing, laughing. Wow, a trend! I am not sure why I caved in to the worries of my students, just wanting to give them my best, I suppose. But, I am the teacher, and I have some ideas of what works.
And there are books! I am a reader. I write because I have read books - many, many books. I am currently reading 3 books: DITCH THAT HOMEWORK (Alice Keeler and Matt Miller), CODE BREAKER (Brian Aspinall), and HACKING PROJECT BASED LEARNING (Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy). I just finished TEACH LIKE A PIRATE (Dave Burgess) and rereading EXPLORE LIKE A PIRATE (Michael Mater). Yes, I am shamelessly plugging these books because they are changing the way I want my classroom to look and feel, they are changing the way I want to BE in the classroom.
I am also a district Quantum Learning facilitator (www.quantumlearning.com/). Everything in these books backs up what I have come to experience as a facilitator. I know the WHY, my books help with the HOW ... Now, I just have to BE more of who I am and take that leap of faith to DO.
What's in it for me? Joy, a sense of accomplishment. What's in it for my students? Joy, a sense of accomplishment, belonging, success. What's in it for us? Joy, teamwork, novelty, and learning together.
Together.
We do not live in isolation. We do not flourish alone. We have social and emotional needs that must be met. Yes, WE ... Teacher and Students. And we do it, together.
So, here are my steps
1. Know WHAT I want.
2. Know WHY it is important
3. Read to be inspired with some HOW to do it.
4. Breathe, tell an accountability partner, and just DO it ... again!
I did it for a semester. I just need to return to what works. And since "failure leads to success", it will work again.
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