New Year, New Learning - #RaesBlogChallenge   Post #4

Wow!  How do you just pick ONE new thing to learn? Do you make it school related or personal? Does it benefit others or just yourself? 

And then the light bulb goes off.....

This is usually me.....I have the best of intentions, but then I can't focus or I don't prioritize or I don't use ALL the time I have in a day to complete tasks and learn new things. 

I think what I really want to focus on is not learning just one new thing, but learning how to get more done with my time. I can plan more carefully, block time out during my day for task completion, say no to some new projects, be more present with the learning that matters, know that I love my work and it is an extension of who I am. I don't have to stop at 4 or 5. If it makes me happy I can do it until 8 or 9!

 I think Ryan G. is going to be inspirational in my quest!

#RaesBlogChallenge  #goals #2016

How I Make School Different  - #RaesBlogChallenge  Post #3

I hope that I am making a difference for teachers and that in turn helps them make things different for their students. In my position as the Instructional Coach Coordinator, I try and take care of some of the "paperwork" or "research" that can suck up a teacher's time. I also try and share useful PL opportunities. Hopefully that is freeing up their time to plan engaging lessons and/or learn something new and exciting that they can pass on. 

My big goal for making school different is to help make teachers more comfortable with the idea of failing. So many times in my own classroom I would not try a lesson if there was ANY chance that something would go wrong. What was THAT teaching my students? Nothing!  
Some of my favorite classrooms now are those where I walk in and the teacher is letting kids figure out a new program. Saying "I don't know" or "You show me". Those students are learning a whole bunch and so are their teacher and I!

So I guess that I #MakeSchoolDifferent by helping teachers and freeing up some of their time and encouraging them to take risks and show their students that failure is okay. We learn from it. 

#RaesBlogChallenge  #MakeSchoolDifferent 

Making Memes - #RaesBlogChallenge - Post #2

So, I struggle with this. I love memes and I get the humor behind them. I can even see how they can be used in an educational setting. I just really struggle to make them. I guess I am not "witty" enough....or good enough at those plays on words that memes seem to require. Nonetheless, I do love the challenge that Rae provides to me and my professional growth. She is always encouraging all of us to do more and be more! Soooo even though my meme pokes fun at her a little....I do have fun every time she asks me to learn with or from her. 

#makeameme  #raesblogchallenge

@raefearing thanks for the challenge!

#RaesBlogChallenge  Post #1

Advice from an "old" teacher to a new one...

What advice can possibly prepare you for the journey you are about to embark on? How can anyone explain the contrasting feelings you will feel in that first minute, day, month, year that you stand in front of a room full of young people? I am certainly no expert, but here are a few things that I wish someone would have said to me:

1.  Forgive yourself. Being on all day is exhausting, especially when you have worked hard on your classroom and lesson plans, when you have responsibilities outside the four walls of your classroom. You are going to make mistakes, say the wrong thing, not return a call, hurt someone's feelings, be unprepared. Forgive yourself. 

2. Do something for yourself once a week. Take a class, get a massage, watch a movie, go for a hike. It is so easy to get totally absorbed in prepping, grading, meetings, and the million other things we have to do to make our classrooms run. Make yourself a priority. Your students will benefit from the time you make for yourself.

3. Ask for help. It is impossible to know everything and do everything. Ask a colleague to explain a policy, ask a parent to grade some papers, ask your mom to pick up your dry cleaning, ask a friend to listen. We get better when we ask for help.

4. Pay it back. When you have been teaching for a few years, remember how tough that first year was. Remember the people that helped you. Remember that something special that helped you survive and then share that with a new teacher. 

We "old" teachers are very glad that you decided to join us in this amazing career. Let us know what you need. We want to help.

Thank you +Rae Fearing for the December Blog Post Challenge!