I love the first day of school. As I was driving to school this morning I noticed several students outside their homes, talking with their friends on the sidewalk, or just pacing. It was pretty obvious that like me, they were feeling the first day jitters. Ready for school a full 30 minutes before they have to leave and anxiously counting the minutes until it's time to go.
Teaching in the middle school brings back my memories of that time of my life. I remember the first day of Jr. High. New clothes, new backpack, new school supplies, new friends, new teachers........ As I watched the 6th graders arrive and search for someone to help them and guide them to their proper place in the gym (AKA holding pen), I was reminded how scary it can be. Not knowing who your homeroom teacher is or even how to find you way around the building is somewhat stressful. Fortunately for me and my friends, those teachers and principals were there to greet our wide eyed faces with a cheerful smile and help us find our way around just as our faculty and staff were there today for those eager little learners! What a great day.
Helping those new to the middle school learn how to open combination locks on their lockers and the procedures for getting from one place to another was the highlight of my day. I'm sure they felt overwhelmed with all the information and activity, and I know it will be a few weeks before they settle in and feel comfortable.
But today was just as overwhelming and unsettling for the staff as we have two new principals in the building who are excited and motivated to change our school culture to one of a true PLC. Our previous principal was a superb manager. No one ever had to guess at the expectations of what, when, and how things were to be done. Suddenly, the reins have been loosed and we are required to make team decisions with very little administrative input. It was uncomfortable for many and created a little stress with the uncertainty of what was expected. We struggled, but were able to come up with a workable plan to make the first two days of school as smooth as possible for all students. And like those new students in our building, there was some anxiety, but I'm pretty sure that once we get used to the idea that we have the freedom to make decisions as a group, that it's going to be a GREAT thing for both teachers AND students.
I'm excited.
Reva Terry
Middle School Teacher
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
A teacher is someone who loves to learn and loves to share what they learned.
I read on twitter yesterday (my newest tech love) a quote by Don Taylor that said, “After teaching all day, if you didn’t learn anything, you probably didn’t teach anything either.” Thanks Todd Whitaker. Rather harsh, but also a profound statement. It gets to heart of what I have always believed about education and learning. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.
I LOVE to learn. I’ve always had a wondering, and sometime wandering, mind. Some people called me curious and warned me of the dangers of such curiosity. Who hasn’t heard that it killed the cat? Others called me precocious, but most called me “weird”. When you wonder out loud, “Does everyone see the same colors as me?” people always think maybe you are a little strange. Okay, so I’ve learned that sometimes thinking out loud may get you some strange looks and always asking questions gets on some folks’ nerves, but being inquisitive is root of learning. Let me tell you a little story about the first time I went on a canoe trip.
I went with the guy I was dating at the time and group of friends. We got in the canoe and I, not knowing how things went, began to paddle, switching sides every few strokes. I was in the front and did not understand that I was NOT responsible for steering the canoe. My boyfriend told me to only paddle on one side. He was a little irritated because my constantly switching sides was making his job difficult and his tone was, in my opinion, overly bossy. I have never really liked being ordered to do anything without a good reason. So, I asked, “Why?” His response and tone of voice was a little insulting. “Just like a teacher! Always asking questions!” My instant response: “I don’t ask questions because I’m a teacher, I’m asking because I’m a learner!” I snapped it at him, surprising both of us. Not because of my tone, necessarily, but because the thought had never really occurred to either of us.
That incident has been stuck in my head for a long time and has impacted the way I teach for nearly 18 years now. If you approach your teaching from the perspective of the learner, your lessons will be geared more to what students are learning rather than what teachers are teaching. We need to instill a love of learning in our students. One of the best ways to do that is to model learning. On the first day of class, as I’m introducing myself and the class policies, I tell my students that I am not a perfect person. I let them know that I make mistakes and that I am always learning. I also let them know that I hope they will enjoy learning with me. I don’t get upset when they correct my mistakes. I teach them how to do it respectfully, how to give constructive feedback to their peers, and how to learn from their mistakes. I learn from the first period of the day just what about my fabulous lesson isn’t so fabulous. The students give me feedback and the lesson changes as the day goes on. Isn’t that what learning is? Isn’t that what teaching is? Teaching and learning are synchronic. You can’t have one without the other. One of our district’s mission statements is to create life-long learners. How can we do that? It’s simple. Love learning, keep on learning, and keep sharing what you’ve learned! That’s what teachers do.
I LOVE to learn. I’ve always had a wondering, and sometime wandering, mind. Some people called me curious and warned me of the dangers of such curiosity. Who hasn’t heard that it killed the cat? Others called me precocious, but most called me “weird”. When you wonder out loud, “Does everyone see the same colors as me?” people always think maybe you are a little strange. Okay, so I’ve learned that sometimes thinking out loud may get you some strange looks and always asking questions gets on some folks’ nerves, but being inquisitive is root of learning. Let me tell you a little story about the first time I went on a canoe trip.
I went with the guy I was dating at the time and group of friends. We got in the canoe and I, not knowing how things went, began to paddle, switching sides every few strokes. I was in the front and did not understand that I was NOT responsible for steering the canoe. My boyfriend told me to only paddle on one side. He was a little irritated because my constantly switching sides was making his job difficult and his tone was, in my opinion, overly bossy. I have never really liked being ordered to do anything without a good reason. So, I asked, “Why?” His response and tone of voice was a little insulting. “Just like a teacher! Always asking questions!” My instant response: “I don’t ask questions because I’m a teacher, I’m asking because I’m a learner!” I snapped it at him, surprising both of us. Not because of my tone, necessarily, but because the thought had never really occurred to either of us.
That incident has been stuck in my head for a long time and has impacted the way I teach for nearly 18 years now. If you approach your teaching from the perspective of the learner, your lessons will be geared more to what students are learning rather than what teachers are teaching. We need to instill a love of learning in our students. One of the best ways to do that is to model learning. On the first day of class, as I’m introducing myself and the class policies, I tell my students that I am not a perfect person. I let them know that I make mistakes and that I am always learning. I also let them know that I hope they will enjoy learning with me. I don’t get upset when they correct my mistakes. I teach them how to do it respectfully, how to give constructive feedback to their peers, and how to learn from their mistakes. I learn from the first period of the day just what about my fabulous lesson isn’t so fabulous. The students give me feedback and the lesson changes as the day goes on. Isn’t that what learning is? Isn’t that what teaching is? Teaching and learning are synchronic. You can’t have one without the other. One of our district’s mission statements is to create life-long learners. How can we do that? It’s simple. Love learning, keep on learning, and keep sharing what you’ve learned! That’s what teachers do.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a PLC conference in beautiful downtown Minneapolis. I attended with our two new principals and 5 fellow educators from my building. I believe that it was one of most inspiring conferences that I have attended. Imagine a concept of teachers working together, rather than in isolation, to form common goals and assessments for student learning and committing to making sure that every student is successful.
Gone are the days of leading those horses (students) to water (the well of knowledge), but not being able to make them drink (learn). It is our responsibility as educators to do whatever it takes to make those horses (students)slake their thirst(learn the material) whether they want to or not. We have to change our mindset and communicate to our students the belief that education is important and that they are capable of learning and achieving, and that we are not going to give up on them.
I'll post more as I learn more, but what I learned this past week is inspiring and practical and logical. In fact, one of the concepts about PLC that I carry with me is that working together as a team, using the best teaching practices, and maintaining a focus on providing the kind of education that we would want for our own children simply "makes sense".
It's going to be a lot of work to change a school climate and educational culture that has been in effect for 100 years, but the time to change is now. We can no longer waste time using outdated tools and strategies in this ever changing world. It makes no more sense to continue teaching with the traditional educational model of the 20th century, than driving a Model-T Ford car to work every day in 2011.
It's going to be an interesting journey.......
Gone are the days of leading those horses (students) to water (the well of knowledge), but not being able to make them drink (learn). It is our responsibility as educators to do whatever it takes to make those horses (students)slake their thirst(learn the material) whether they want to or not. We have to change our mindset and communicate to our students the belief that education is important and that they are capable of learning and achieving, and that we are not going to give up on them.
I'll post more as I learn more, but what I learned this past week is inspiring and practical and logical. In fact, one of the concepts about PLC that I carry with me is that working together as a team, using the best teaching practices, and maintaining a focus on providing the kind of education that we would want for our own children simply "makes sense".
It's going to be a lot of work to change a school climate and educational culture that has been in effect for 100 years, but the time to change is now. We can no longer waste time using outdated tools and strategies in this ever changing world. It makes no more sense to continue teaching with the traditional educational model of the 20th century, than driving a Model-T Ford car to work every day in 2011.
It's going to be an interesting journey.......
Thursday, January 27, 2011
I must be crazy!
I have enrolled in a graduate program to earn a master's of education in counseling. I must be crazy. It was a little easier 20 years ago...or was it? I THOUGHT it was...which is really crazy. I became a single mother with 4 sons under the age of 6, halfway through my undergraduate degree. Not sure that qualifies as easy. Now, my sons are grown, out on their own and I'm back in school. It's harder than I remember. Is that because I'm older and learning is more labor intensive? OR am I just not remembering the past clearly? I keep telling myself that it will pay off in the long run, but I'm not sure how at this moment. The future is so ........ well,...... unpredictable.
45 minutes each way, twice a week, to go to night classes after spending 8 hours and most of my energy teaching middle school. It WILL be worth it! At least that's what I keep telling myself. :-)
45 minutes each way, twice a week, to go to night classes after spending 8 hours and most of my energy teaching middle school. It WILL be worth it! At least that's what I keep telling myself. :-)
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