It's challenging to see potential for change, but not always know the best ways to foster, debate, and forward that change with sensitivity, collaboration, and care.
The challenging event made me look deeply at my professional commitment and work--who am I when it comes to teaching children well, and what is my role? Also, what should I do with ideas for change?
Many say, "It's the last chapter of your career, just stay quiet and focus on the classroom?" I hear these words, and agree that knowing one's role in an organization is integral to success, and using words wisely and kindly is also imperative in order to contribute to, and work within, an organization with thoughtfulness and care.
I also recognize that regular research, new ideas, and share have the potential to serve students well. Connecting with my professional learning network (PLN) online has provided me with countless positive ideas and perspectives which have helped me to develop my craft with strength. Sharing my journey allows me to enter the teaching/learning journey of others as well.
So, as I've noted in the past, I will once again work to narrow my path and teach with strength within my role as a classroom teacher who serves children well. What will this look like?
Expectations
First, I want to be cognizant about expectations. The expectations for teachers have changed quite a bit in the past couple of years with regard to new systems, standards, and evaluation processes. I want to make sure that I'm clear on the expectations with regard to these changes now that many new structures such as PLC's, RTI, and DDM's are in place.
Next, I want to focus on my students and the curriculum program. How can I best meld new processes, tools, and standards together with rich blended learning design to serve students well? As mentioned before, I'll embrace this path with the following endeavor:
- Using Khan Academy and a DESE course to prep for the new grade level standards-based math curriculum.
- Studying system-wide scope and sequences and curriculum related to math and science.
- Reading the new science standards and melding those standards into the current framework.
- Creating more hands-on science explorations related to the curriculum, and investigating related science software such as Concord Consortium's science programs, Tynker, SCRATCH, Lego Mindstorms, and Gizmos.
After that, I want to solidify my "learning to learn" curriculum which includes student-friendly activities and information related to optimal learning mindsets, behaviors, and efforts. I will start the year with this unit so that students know what successful learners think and do. Once the environment is set up for successful learning with the lessons, activities, routines, and posters, then we'll revisit the "learning to learn" lessons as needed throughout the year.
The Learning Environment
Also, I want to set up the online and real-time environments for optimal learning. Online, I'll establish 24-7 communication systems so that students and families can access almost all learning information and materials whenever and wherever they are. In real time, I want the classroom to be inviting, inspiring, and useful to students' learning. For example, I want to organize materials so they're easy to find and accessible to students when needed. That will take time since there are a lot of materials when it comes to good science and math teaching.
Professional Contribution
I will continue to blog, and mainly write about curriculum design, research, and learning as I delve deeply into information related to cognition and new learning strategies and processes. Willingham's book, Why Don't Students Like School, is waiting for me as a first step in this effort. I will look to the leaders in my school community for direction when it comes to professional contribution expectations at school. There are always many endeavors at play, and I will seek their consult as to which endeavors match my skill set the best.
Rather than snowball, I'd like to see this new framework create a strong bridge to continued growth as I work to teach children well. Onward.
