Objects Growing Clearer: A Little Focus

I keep sticky notes across my room, writing them throughout the day. Each day I gather them up and put them in a jar- well an old Cheese Ball container anyway. Each week I pull one out when I need inspiration or insight during doubt. Objects growing clearer, lessons becoming more student-led, classroom design becoming more and more mindful and flexible throughout the year as I pull a quick anecdote out to help reset my mind. I have also gotten some notes from different students, either thank you notes or reflection notes from Teen leadership assignments. I put them in the container too. This weekend is my weekend to read them and reflect. I love to see where my mind was at the beginning of the year- how my ideas have altered and my strategies have shifted to meet the needs of my students. The thing I appreciate most about this yearly endeavor is to see how much I have grown as a teacher.

With a little focus, objects grow clearer. I am already seeing the redesign for next year. More reflection will come as I make my way through the brightly colored sticky notes. For now simply reading them is enlightening.

Yellow, green, pink
simple words
meaningful phrases
oldest is eight months ago
newest a week
ideas and reflection
personal feedback
student insight
all appearing, a pile
a combination of thought
waiting to be read
waiting to become apart of
my thinking
like a jigsaw, unscrambling
doubt, success, failure, spontaneity
growth, mindfulness, apprehension
combining into a school year
both brilliant and fulfilling