Positivity matters when it comes to teaching and learning well.
Autonomy, mastery, and purpose as outlined in Pink's book, Drive, foster positivity.
This year my teaching and learning menu includes a great deal of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. A new model has created a reasonable, actionable, and doable schedule which results in good work possible. The teamwork inherent in the model is supportive and proactive. As we work to teach all children well together our efforts are purposeful. This is positive which leads to greater positivity.
Also, I'm engaged in a number of terrific and positive learning endeavors which also produce greater positivity. The Teacher Leadership Initiative is led by wonderful coaches and includes terrific information and good challenge, challenge that will result in better teaching and learning. The Teachers.do community continues to introduce me to terrific resources, ideas, and conversations for teaching. Weekly #edchat engages me in conversation with lots of thoughtful educators. Teaching at the local university provides me with a team of learners with which to investigate mathematical thinking, teaching, and learning.
Finally, a leader in my midst is demonstrating tremendous positivity and leadership in that regard. His positivity is creating a positive, proactive teaching/learning community that's unafraid to try new ideas, share good ideas old and new, and invest daily in supporting one another and teaching well.
In years past, I felt more trapped in the teaching/learning environment. There was less autonomy and voice which was frustrating. Now that new structures, tech integration, and greater team are finding strong roots in the teaching/learning community, there is greater positivity and this is a positive step forward.
