Challenging days lead to a refined focus

The last few school days were a bit challenging due to a large number of reasons. Our school year began without the typical administrative supports since an administrator was ill. Illness happens and it is often disruptive. Now that we have a new administrator, we are making up for lost time, and that make-up process has been somewhat challenging since it is an add-on to the typical full schedule and demands of the job.

I'm sure I've not been alone with regard to sleepless nights and worries related to the workload, but now with an administrator in place, and schedules mostly set, it's time to better set the agenda and work towards the important goals I've set:

Advocacy for teacher autonomy, leadership, and support
There are structures in place that I believe can be improved with regard to elevating teacher autonomy, leadership, and support. Some old-time demeaning and unsupportive structures still exist, and these structures serve to deflate rather than inspire. I'm advocating for revision with regard to structures that burden educators rather than support them.

Math education
I'm committed to improving math education for all students. This requires lots of collaboration, study, and trial-and-error. I will work with my colleagues and administrators to better build our math education program with the following efforts:

• advocacy for changing the coaching model at my grade-level
• advocacy for revising and updating Response-to-Intervention at my grade-level
• offering a homework club beginning in November for fifth graders
• weekly attention to student performance
• a well planned and orchestrated math teaching/learning program that embeds activities that reflect new research related to cognition, social-emotional learning, cultural relevancy, and math.
• potential collaboration with a related state initiative

When I meet with a curriculum leader this week, I will ask the following questions:

• Where do you see room for growth in the math program?
• How does the system plan to forward that growth?
• Could the state initiative be a positive stepping stone to improving our math program?
• What system supports could be better used to uplift students' math education?
• How can the systemwide efforts with regard to math and other curriculum areas be better communicated? 

Science education

We have wonderful resources for this work and study. The challenge is the time for prep, continued learning, implementation, and assessment. I have to make time to organize the learning in this area--that's work I'll do with my colleagues in the days ahead.

Social-Emotional Learning

This collection of social-emotional learning resources has been very helpful. The key is to match these resources with specific teaching/learning units so the impact is deeper. Students truly enjoy this area of study--they are very concerned with their social-emotional sides of life. Embedding this learning regularly throughout the school days is a positive way to teach this information. 

Class community

A positive routine, class meetings, time for play and fun, and read aloud all work to foster a positive class community. This focus is taking shape in positive ways. 

Balance, focus, health, and energy

I write about the challenge to foster a good routine so that energy is strong for both personal and professional pursuits. Limitless jobs like teaching challenge healthy schedules, but I know this is a good goal.