This week, my students reminded me that I love teaching. Even though they probably don't realize it, they deserve a huge thank you.
Lately, I've let myself get bogged down with data meetings and testing expectations and -- my favorite -- "peer fear." Oh, you know what I mean -- that strange, oozing fear that seems to flow from room to room, spreading like the Blob as state testing time sneaks up on us.
Thankfully, my students always have my back when I start to succumb to the fear. When I swaddle myself with the love I have of learning and share my passion for discoveries with my students, we have amazing days. You will catch us cheering and shouting and bouncing and laughing (laughing!). Stand outside our door and you might wonder if anyone is even in charge. You might have to search to find me, as I'll be on the floor, or huddled in the corner with a small group of students, or possibly, I'll be lying on the floor next to them, reading.
You just never know what kind of learning you'll catch us doing.
Every day is different. Every day a gift. Every student equipped with a lesson to share.
What did you learn this week?
Thanks for sharing your day's work and your passion for teaching (as well as your frustration). Your previous (January) blog about the separation you feel in your building and the disappointment with the unmatched expectation was poignant. Sometimes I feel this sense of being unmet leads me back to my own soul, while lonely it is "home." I hope you are finding community in the Twitter-verse and in other spaces where your wonderful work, the laughter in your room, the resistance to the culture of fear is reinforced and appreciated. If you haven't see it, you might enjoy the 1st grade ethnography on Digital Is: http://digitalis.nwp.org/resource/1798
ReplyDeleteJoseph (dochorsetales)
Daily, I sing the praises of Twitter as a resource and amazing PLN-builder! I don't get many takers, however. I think most people still feel Twitter is for people sharing what they ordered for lunch! But I love the cozy nook I've created for myself there.
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