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Looking In The Mirror
I haven’t been posting much lately ……. BUT I have been post-reading (see my blogroll – I really do read all those blogs and a few more). I haven’t been blogging much lately …… BUT I have been reflecting. Actually, I’ve been reflecting a lot – taking a really good look at my teaching (and my learning). Staring in the mirror, so to speak. There have been some very thought-provoking ideas, opinions, comments being shared in blogs lately – with many rich and relevant conversations going on too. Most of the time I just sit back in “awe” of posts that people write, amazed at the depth of their thought-process and their willingness to share it with the rest of us. Often, those posts have me nodding my head in agreement, or shifting me to the edge of my seat whilst getting excited about another ‘cool’ (”free”) Web2.0 tool to use in the classroom, or have me asking myself a question – making me reflect on my practices, opinions or ideas.
The last few weeks or so have been a struggle, but I didn’t really want to blog that because “it/I” felt so negative and I didn’t want to be negative – I wanted to find a positive way out of the struggle. It wasn’t until I read Drape’s Takes: Why Every Teacher Should Blog – Reason#4, that the positive way to look at the struggle I’ve been wrestling with finally showed itself. Darren wrote down the two fundamental truths he’s learnt about teaching:
- No matter how good it went today, the kids will always be back tomorrow.
- No matter how bad it went today, the kids will always be back tomorrow.
Thanks Darren – that has put my struggle into perspective. Fundamentally so. Those two sentences have helped restore my focus and are now at the top of my weekly plan – to remind me – that – most times, the struggles are worth it, just as much as the successes.
What helps you restore your lost focus?
June 16th, 2007 at 12:34 am
Have missed you my friend, its good to read your thinking once again.
Been a bit up and down of late myself, professionally speaking so I understand. That tip was great too, Reason #4 I mean. What get me back on track and focused is a good old fashioned Meet the Parents- which is what i did this week. Its good to hear the hopes and dreams parents have for their kids and its good to hear the heart breaking stories that these kids of min e call ‘their life’- Its good because it makes you realise why you are there. As you say some days go well and others don’t. But lets face it, in 10 years/ 15 years time those kids are going to say: My best teacher was……. and it won’t be because we taught them the difference between a simile and a metaphor, or trick way to learn your 9 times table; it’ll be because we made it fun or interesting or because we heard them scream in educational or emotional distress and we were there for them. Nobody I know has ever died of an average History lesson, or a bad one for that matter, people HAVE died of lonliness or isolation. Let’s be there for our kids.
June 16th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Chrissy-
I forgot to mention three additional things that help me restore my lost focus: June, July, and August. In the United States, many schools aren’t in session during those months – a wonderful time that teachers have to regain composure. Hopefully you have the same in NZ. : )
Keep your head up,
Darren