SCHOOL'S OUT! ARE YOU?

The 2014 -2015 school year has ended! This year was filled with a lot of challenges and changes. I was exposed to a number of new learning experiences which I must admit will impact my pedagogy in the future. As we met for the last time as a faculty I had to restrain myself.

It was kind of strange because a part of you just wanted to run, skip, and shout for joy......and that's exactly what I did at the end of the meeting!

I worked hard and now I am prepared to play hard after getting some much needed sleep. 




Though I would like to entertain the idea of "spending the whole summer in bed" like Chip there are things we have to do as teachers to prepare ourselves for the upcoming school year including professional development. 

Until then, I will be languishing on the beach soaking up some sun while enjoying music and food. 

How about you? School's out! Are you?

Petreno

WHY BOTHER?

As the school year comes to a close, final exams are being administered. Students are also preparing for state exams at the high school level and the jitters about passing or failing becomes a reality. How do we help those who have not been doing as well as they should have during the year to pass? Conversely, how can we help those who have been trying their best to do the right thing but end up failing anyway? Why bother?

This is a question that comes to mind at the end of a marking period, semester, and the school year. Why bother? For some teachers, this would not be an issue if students were paying attention, completing homework, taking advantage of all available services outside of the classroom such as tutoring and prep classes. Whereas students feel overwhelmed with all the expectations both in and out of school that they feel that giving up is their best option. How do we change this paradigm? Is there something that we all can do to create a win win situation? Can we set each other up for success?

It's the end of the year so why bother? 

Taking the time to reflect on this question can give us insights into both teacher and student practices that can be used to inform instruction in the future. Did we differentiate enough, offered multiple entry points in our lessons, provided scaffolds? Were assignments challenging, timely, and fair? How did the school support the teaching/learning process? What can be done differently? Why did students not take advantage of the opportunities presented to them? Carefully examining the answers to these questions is critical.

Consequently, this end of year reflection will result in a plan of action that not only inspires and motivates but will empower you to become better at your art. Additionally, "thinking outside of the box" will provide a more enhanced instructional environment. 

Petreno

So......how did you do this year?

The 2014 -2015 school year is almost over. How did you do? What were your greatest challenge? How did you celebrate your successes? Did you achieve all your goals? Finally, were you able to adjust to changes without losing your "cool" and professionalism?

This year was challenging for me. There were a lot of changes! I had to adjust to trying new things, finding solutions to problems that worked only for a short while, and coping with the loss of a student and colleague. I was pushed to the limit and I must admit that throughout it all I learned some valuable lessons. Lessons about trust, believing in oneself, learning from failure, and to expect the unexpected!

In trying to survive the "daily grind" we may often forget the small things in life. Sometimes we fail to see the good in others but quickly see their shortcomings. Every day is a blessing and LIFE IS A GIFT TO BE SHARED. As teachers we are given opportunities to share our lives.      

Reflecting on this past year, let us be kind to ourselves. We impacted lives!

So.....how did you do this year?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno