Monday, August 1, 2016

Don't Lose Sight of the Finish Line

I have heard a lot of comments this week in Education Chats that teachers are burdened with too many restrictions, procedures, requirements, meetings, latest data and trends etc. True. As a teacher it is one of my biggest triggers for anxiety-keeping sight of the finish line.

It is not the goal of any teacher to teach to the test or be too busy to have the A ha! moments in class. But how do we differentiation, scaffold, and remediate all of our lessons while making it interesting and engaging? Well honestly, we can't nor should we expect to be able to. All we can do is our best.

A new school year is upon us and the legions of educators are beginning the new race to the finish line. We need to be endurance runners, sprinters, and obstacle course athletes. We do not need to be marathon runners. Stop for water. Stop to simply breathe, and try not to hit the wall.

My goal is to start small, be smart not overambitious. I tend to jump in and then drown under all of the pressure. I am doing a lot of new things this year and extending or expanding things I have done in the past: a makerspace, podcasting, interactive word wall, flexible seating. I have to focus on those. Create lessons based on these and these alone. Do not reinvent the wheel only turn it on an angle to get more traction.

I will continue to follow great educators on-line and collaborate with my team, and ask questions and network so I feel part of a PLN and not alone in my new ventures. Goal: accept failure and dust myself off and plow ahead. Isn't that what all educators do?

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