The State of Education

Earlier this year my colleague and I had a conversation with a few of my husband's coworkers about the demands of the teaching profession. They were convinced that being a teacher was very "easy". As we sat comparing jobs, they failed to see the complexity of our profession. I am now beginning to understand why they are of this view.

Reminiscing on my early school years brings back fond memories of enjoying sing alongs, writing, reading, experimenting, playing games as a part of the learning process, and having fun especially during recess. I also enjoyed weekends which involved doing those things which I loved. School breaks were much anticipated because it was the time that you looked forward to spending with the extended family. I had loving and caring teachers for the most part who were passionate about teaching. They made teaching look easy. In my household the importance of education was stressed but I was never pressured to perform academically. These I believe are some of the reasons why one would think that "teaching is easy".

Presently, the education climate is different. Teaching has become more complicated. There is now increased pressure to perform for all stakeholders including teachers, students, and parents. 

As a parent of both first and second graders I can attest to the major differences in their experience and mine. There is not much "down" time for them. Most evenings after doing homework there is barely enough time to do family activities before bed. A week before thanksgiving my second grader was assigned two projects while the first grader had a book report, Technology, Science, and Social Studies homework for the Thanksgiving break. 

If this is the new trend for education, can we expect to see increased academic performance? Will our children develop a natural love for learning?

What do you think?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

Trying To Do It All

Have you ever made a list of things to do and just ended up being frustrated because you did not get to accomplish all of the tasks? How about being asked to do several things at the same time but the end result is far from what is expected? Have you ever tried doing it all but came to the conclusion that your efforts are futile?

In today's fast paced environment where everything seems to be moving at the speed of lightening, one can easily become confused, demotivated, burnt out, and passive. This is especially true when you think of the many changes that educators are encountering daily in their practice. 

With the numerous innovations in instructional technology, ground breaking results from researches in education on pedagogy and how students learn, why does it seem like an uphill battle to get students to excel in school? Are we making significant contribution in student performance when compared to the past? Would it be fair to compare?

Is it possible for us to select any two or three proven methods or strategies that have given maximum results customized for the population of students we serve instead of just trying to do it all? 

What are your thoughts?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno 

Great Things Happen When We Work Together

Last year I coordinated a program for our at risk junior and senior student population. Our focus was mainly on those seniors who needed courses to satisfy their graduation requirement. We had several cases including students who had passed all required examinations but needed elective credits, those who failed their given courses as well as those who were doing courses and needed to pass the corresponding state exam.

Needless to say we truly had a challenge on our hands! As the program was being implemented we realized that there were some unanticipated problems that could jeopardize the program if not addressed. One such was incomplete work due to a lack of online student activity since the courses were offered online. The team discovered that most of the students were having difficulty comprehending the  given material in their respective courses. In response, we changed the structure of the program, created personalized schedules based on students' lives outside of school, gave up prep time, lunch some days, weekends with family, and even our spring break!

We made a lot of sacrifices, we cried, fought ........ we had no choice but to work hard to achieve our goals. In some cases we used encouragement, threats, and bribes, to get especially the reluctant students kicking and screaming to complete their course requirement. IT WAS TOUGH!!!

A few weeks before graduation one of our student's dwelling was destroyed by fire. A few days later the student was involved in an accident and had to be hospitalized. This student had formed a bond with one of the teachers in the program who then informed the rest of the team. Through encouragement from both teacher and team this student was able to complete all the courses needed to graduate.

As the student whose arm was in a sling walked across the stage to collect the diploma I could not restrain myself. The tears started flowing. The hugs and being hoisted in the air by some of the most reluctant students you could ever find ........ I could not help but think.....GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.....even if we are kicking and screaming in the beginning.

GREAT THINGS HAPPEN when a team works together. More is achieved when students and teachers forge a bond based on TRUST. Further, students will rise above the challenge when they have the support of adults who truly care. 

I will try to keep these in mind as we move forward with this year's program.

What's your challenge and how did you resolve?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

How Do You Continue To Stay Motivated?

With all the changes that are happening around us it can become extremely difficult to remain focused and motivated. It becomes even more overwhelming when you are being expected to do the extraordinary. How do you continue to stay motivated?

Last week I found myself being pushed to the limit. In the midst of programming students, planning lessons, teaching classes, grading students' work, and preparing for parent teacher conference, I was asked to take on an additional task. As I left the building at the end of the day I smiled to myself thinking...."I must have done something right!" 

How do I stay focused and motivated without losing my mind?

After reading Dr. Robyn Jackson's articles on Overcoming Barriers to Student Motivation and 5 Powerful Ways to Stay Motivated During the "Fall Slump", I was better able to view my situation from an alternate perspective. According to Dr. Jackson, the "Fall Slump is when you've started the year with a ton of enthusiasm and and somewhere around the end of October, your enthusiasm and optimism begin to drop".  

She further went on to share some ways in which we can reclaim our motivation. These are:-

1. Focus on what you can do right now.
2. Focus on the root and not the symptoms.
3. Find your tribe.
4. Focus on getting better rather than being good.
5. Take control.

In essence, staying motivated is a personal decision.

How do you continue to stay motivated?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

Honesty......Is this always the best Policy?

Are you honest? Is your word good enough? Can honesty be considered as having different shades or stages? Does there exist a clear delineation between honesty and dishonesty?

I had a conversation with an older colleague last week about honesty and some of the things I learnt were shocking. These included "you should never tell all, people are not interested in the truth, if it's not news worthy shelf it, do what is expected and as you are told and lastly never ask questions". If these are the codes of the work place I got the memo late!

Though I understand the need for self preservation and not leaving yourself vulnerable, I strongly believe that by being honest you experience personal growth. This can further lead to a transformation in those around you and eventually the entire community over time. If the above "shocking truths" are adhered to you will have a stagnated environment devoid of vision and creativity which will ultimately result in failure.

The implication is even more detrimental for education. If our main concern is with keeping everyone happy while sweeping the truth under the carpet, the students will be held ransom. In determining whether to be brutally or mildly honest in talking about the issues that affect the community one has to think about the repercussions the tendency will be "business as usual" supporting the unwritten codes.

How then can we bring about a change? Can this be achieved by conforming to the status quo? Is being honest really worth it? Similar to having a difficult conversation, honesty too can be difficult. Honesty, I believe is a strong indicator of a healthy, vibrant school culture. One in which honesty is just not a policy but a way of life.

What do you think?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno