THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES 1

Summer is gone but still we reminisce about what there was and what should have been. As educators there are certain lies we tell ourselves. Though the act of lying should not be condoned oftentimes we opt for what makes our lives easier - more of a survival technique. 

Lie # 1: We will be using our summer for resting.
Truth: We use the time to catch up on all those things that we did not get a chance to do during the school year. In fact we may have even scheduled a few professional development here and there!

Lie # 2: We will not be involved in anything related to school.
Truth: We may have discovered that a cursory glance through our email reminds us up a seminar that we have signed up for that is related to our practice or reading an article that brings us "back to school"! It may also be something as simple as organizing your home office or work space and "wham" you are transported back to school. Then again, there are those of us who love our students so much we decide to do summer school just because.......

Lie # 3: We will not be thinking about students or practice.
Truth: Biggest lie of all! We are always thinking about how we can improve the lives of our students even beyond the walls of the classroom. Just take a look at the personal learning networks (PLNs) on twitter and the various summer boot camps for teachers!

Lie # 4: What happens in school, stays in school.
Truth: Every thing that happens in school shapes our core beliefs and practice. We are school. We go to school every day! 

Alas, without even realizing, summer came and went. You have spent the entire summer planning and preparing for the new school year. There are some for whom this is not true and this will show as the school year unravels.

Tom Hierck says it best......
".....even in the quietest moments  of relaxation, it doesn't take much for the mind of the professional educator to wander to thoughts of students past and present. Being an educator is not a profession, it's a PASSION."

So what's your biggest lie? Please do share!

Have a Great Week.

Petreno

THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES 2

AAAhhh the lies we tell ourselves.......

It's so great to be back! Really? I started working on this blog during the summer. I thought that I would have long days just languishing around not doing much but was I in for a surprise!

I made the mistake of coming up with a schedule and a list of things that I'd like to accomplish. This list suddenly ballooned. I got myself in a situation where I had to prioritize. One of my biggest lesson this summer was learning to let go......it's ok not to be in control all the time. Isn't that what summer should be about for us educators?

In fact, I had the greatest lessons too. I found out that I learned more in a relaxed state. I was able to truly make connections between what I taught and the real world that were powerful. I have gained a much better insight into how students learn and how to help them better by thinking outside of the box. Most of all I have rediscovered who I am as a learner and is determined to help my students do the same.

I am more invigorated and excited about this year. Like Will Smith in Men In Black, let us not give reigns to our curiosity but use it to guide us as we do what we love....TEACH......despite the prevailing conditions.

How was your summer?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

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

THE SUMMER CHALLENGE..........Engaging students as the summer approaches

Summer is fast approaching! Teaching at this time can be extremely challenging. The days are getting warmer and longer. Students are more interested in planning their summer escapades rather than being engaged in the classroom. While this is not true for all, there is a notable decline in students' motivation. This is even more evident at the high school level. 

Is it possible to increase students' motivation at this time of the year?

According to Allen Mendler, in engaging students we must examine our relationships with students, articulate the relevance of what is being taught, provide opportunities for students to demonstrate responsibility, plan for challenging activities that will allow students to experience success in a safe and fun atmosphere. The benefits of using these as guiding principles when you are planning for the next few weeks will yield positive results. You will be amazed at the level of your students' engagement and how much you have enjoyed the remainder of the year as well!

Engaging students  as the summer approaches can be a challenge but utilizing a few approaches such as Project Based Learning and Meaningful Engaged Learning may be a good start. 

How do you cope at this time of the year?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno 

Educating Students Who Live in Poverty

Last night I was privileged to be included among a group of educators recognized for the work that we have been doing with our diverse student population. Like all honorees, I was surprised and humbled as we sat and listened to how our work have impacted the community.

The event was organized by the District's Title 1 Executive Board Officers and General Parent Leaders' Council.Title 1 refers to the federal funding of schools in low income neighborhoods. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the purpose of Title 1 funding, “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.”

As I spoke to the other teachers present, I immediately recognized the passion we all shared for learning and seeing our students succeed. Though our profession requires dedication and a lot of hard work, we can all agree that we will continue to do what's best for our students. 

I would like to thank and encourage all teachers to continue to challenge, nurture, and prepare our children for the future. Educating students who live in poverty should be everyone's top priority. Let us continue to do what we can today for tomorrow. 

                                              

Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week!

Petreno