It is that time of year; the time
to reignite the fire. The time to find
that passion and spirit that brought you into the classroom and into the lives
of so many students. It is easy at this
point of the year to let the short days, cold temperatures, and wintery weather
get you into a negative groove. Now is
the time to sit down and ask yourself some reflective questions to rekindle why
you chose to enter the wide world of education.
Here are some things to ponder as you begin your new term…
Do
you enter your classroom with the same passion every day?
It is imperative to keep that
beginning of the school year passion throughout the year. You need to bring your best on a daily
basis. If your students sense you lack
passion about what you are teaching, they too will lack the passion to
learn. Be excited about what you
do! Go home each day knowing you have
given everything to ensure student learning.
Is your classroom a “can’t miss” environment?
It is essential that your classroom
is an environment students don’t want to miss; something they look forward to
each and every day. Whether it is
because of the relationship with you, others in the class, or the content you
are presenting. We have to create an
environment students are excited about; one like Dave Burgess (@burgessdave)
creates in his book, “Teach Like a Pirate,” an environment students would buy a
ticket to attend. If I still taught, I
would ask myself a question posed by Erin Klein (@KleinErin) every day before I
entered my class: would I like to be a student in my own class?
Do
you continually look to improve?
To be successful, you need to
live and breathe this statement. Never
settle for status quo and continue to better yourself all of the time. Look for ways to improve yourself, your
teaching, and those around you. If all
you do is look to improve, it is hard to believe success will not happen.
When
is the last time you tried something new?
It is okay to take risks! It is not necessarily a bad thing that your
students see you fail at something; it makes you look human and strengthens
your relationships with students. An
environment where it is okay to take risks regardless of the results is
essential to a successful learning environment.
Robert Kennedy summed this up nicely with this quote: “Only those who dare to fail greatly
can ever achieve greatly.”
Are
you connected?
Although many believe social
media serves little to no purpose in education, those same people have a misconception
of how educators purposefully use these communication tools daily. If you are not part of Twitter, Google +,
Linkedin, etc., I suggest you join ASAP.
The relationships you can form are amazing and you are no longer blocked
by the walls where you work. Learning
opportunities are available all the time from people all over the world. Join a Twitter chat; host a Google hangout,
who knows what you may gain from the experience.
Twitter Chats and times àhttp://cybraryman.com/chats.html Thank you Jerry Blumengarten! (@cybraryman1)
Are
you frustrated?
Remember to take time for
yourself too. You cannot give your best
if you are not at your best. Make sure
you schedule some “me time.” Whether
that is a walk in the park, a run, a bike ride, or a cocktail with a friend;
make sure you find enjoyable moments outside of school so you can make
enjoyable moments inside.
I now ask you to take on a new
challenge, take a risk, and push yourself to be the best you can be on a daily
basis. If you expect the best from your students,
expect the best from yourself!
