As I think of this sports analogy to education today, I'm mindful of the routines that will strengthen my practice, routines that include daily physical and mental activity to make me mind/body-smart and strong for the year ahead.
To develop in the sport of teaching demands some sacrifice. You can't sit back and let it happen, but instead you have to stay attuned to the objectives set and time needed to achieve meaningful goals and objectives.
With that in mind, I'll continue down the summer study/prep path with the following activities:
- staying up to date with the #crttb book study for Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain
- prepping for next week's science course by reading and responding to all the prep documents
- attending the week long science education field-study.
- spending a day exploring Graspable Math
- spending a day analyzing MCAS results
- spending a day drafting two-three performance tasks for the math classroom, then spending aother day editing and revising those tasks with colleages
- spending a day with colleagues charting the year and making decisions about specific activities
- reading two-four professional books and writing about those books
- setting up the classroom
The physical side includes readying for a short race, cleaning up the school/home environment to make ready for the new school year, and directing my free time towards healthy active events. There's not a dull moment to be had, and there's lots to do. The challenge is to keep the forward measures balanced and inline with the greater goals and mission of living, learning, and teaching.
