Monday, May 8, 2017

A Gladiator is in the Arena: How Can We Stay There?

How to be a gladiator this week/ A week of standardized testing. Write a mission statement for my classroom. Set the goals. Be passionate about every goal I want to implement and conquer. Being passionate is not something you keep to yourself, it eludes from every pore, it is visible from a mile away. Teachers need to show this enthusiasm daily for it is contagious and students will get hooked. After testing is over, get students mobile, active and engaged after four hours of silence.

It is not good enough to just write down a mission statement and be passionate. I have to focus on the end result. I have to visualize how I am going to get there. I have to envision only positive thoughts and let them guide me through the week. The steps need to be well thought out because they will be steps that I lead others to follow. I need to leave a well marked path for my students to follow. A path they find on their own, but where I leave the crumbs of discovery. Keep smiling and keep moving forward.

A gladiator teacher know that collaboration is key. To work as a team makes us stronger, I will plan with my team and other subject area teams to make my classroom inclusive of all subjects. As tired as we are, I will make sure to connect with my team and reset our end of the year mission. I want students to see that science is in fact in every subject and vice-versa. I want to be a leader for change, I want other teachers to also see the value in cross-curriculum teaching. I want others to read across the curriculum.

To be a true gladiator, a teacher needs to be in the foreground, exposed as a leader of change. They also need to have a focus on a purpose and take ownership of the action. They must accept defeat, but get back up again shield and sword and continue the fight but in a different way. Teachers are inherently risk takers and gladiators face the risk bravely. Gladiators know when to swing the sword or take a step back from the fight. But they never give up just merely change tactics. As teachers are saying they are "done" I will lead the charge, steer the gladiators into the arean where we will conquer the end of the year doldrums.

In my classroom I am already a risk taker. But where I fail is sharing my ideas and inspiring others to follow. I need to be more passionate and vocal on my ideas. I also need to be more willing to let students take the lead. I have a student-centered classroom, flexible seating and a student lead makerspace which help my students gladiator skills become more proficient. They are the true fighters for change and advancement. Students are going to give me feedback as well as reflect on their learning and test taking strategies.

Finally, teachers are all gladiators, we do take risks, we are leaders, we are the voice of change. We have the skill of patience and staying calm in a crisis. We prepare for every contingency. Then another arises. A true gladiator faces the upheaval and quickly adjusts for the incoming chaos. I admit I am usually good on my feet in a classroom disruption, but I do lose focus. I can lose sight of the end goal. The end goal is student learning. The end of the year goals have not changed. So even with a course change and a speed bump gladiators stay on the path and lead their troops to victory. Even through the exhaustion we will prevail and end the year with a bang not a whimper.

My goals to staying a gladiator: focus, drive, determination, leadership but most importantly to have confidence in myself as a teacher that I can win the daily classroom battles and ultimately the tournament. Positivity is key. Not focusing on myself but on others is my focus and goal for the week. I am going to recognize what others need to help them get motivated and determined for the rest of the year. Students need engagement and teachers need to release stress and this is what I want to be for others a sounding board and someone who can inspire them to stay on the path for these last three weeks. Smile and just be me.

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