WHAT WILL BE YOUR LEGACY?

As professionals we are often focused on the work that we have to accomplish and rarely do we take the time to reflect on the impact made on the lives that we've touched. At times it is difficult to fit this in our busy schedules but it is imperative we make reflection a priority.

We work in a fast paced environment where immediate results are the norm. Often we tend to make decisions that are either erroneous or irrelevant resulting in catastrophic situations that could have been easily prevented. Nevertheless we should persist to do what is right!

A few weeks ago I was at an event for a good friend. One who was with me through my most difficult time. She taught me a lot about the profession and relationships. I was flabbergasted at her accomplishments! Why? She lived what she preached and managed to remain extremely humble. You could feel the love, respect, and admiration at the function. She truly touched lives.

So let me ask.....what will be your legacy? How have you impacted the lives around you? Are you just focused on surviving each day? Does your work extend beyond your present circumstances? Do you just do things to please people around you or because it is right?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

A FAILURE TO CONNECT

As an educator it is difficult to hear or be a witness when students are not having a good experience at school. You just want to reach out and make everything right..............

How can you help to bring about change if those at the top are convinced that "all is well"?

Students feel disenfranchised, disconnected, and worst do not trust those who should have their best interest at heart. 

This failure to connect has produced a rather negative school climate where interactions are purely punitive, unsafe, and cold. Can one assume that learning is taking place? 

Does a school exist? 

Research has shown repeatedly that students learn from teachers who they trust and whom they believe genuinely care about them. Further, it is imperative that their psychosocial emotional needs be met. Learning takes place when people feel connected and there is structure. 

Did Linda Cliatt-Wayman get it right? What are the lessons to be learnt here? How do we move forward?

Have a Productive Week!

Petreno

A SCHOOL ON THE BRINK

A few weeks ago I was at an event to kick start Homecoming. Since it is a shared campus all the schools in the building were present in the
auditorium.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the mistress of ceremony(mc) publicly acknowledged the respective administrative body of each school. When the names of a given school administration were called the
student body was strangely quiet. They were even a few "boos" scattered here and there.

I was both mortified and embarrassed! The students have clearly made known how they feel about their administrators. Can it further be elaborated that this was how they felt about their school........teachers included! I could not help but to think.......Have the adults in that given school failed to connect with the students?Is this a school on the brink?

I was deeply troubled. If this is the current reality, can it be said that those students have a school? Is there learning taking place in the classrooms? What good is it if the
students don't feel "good" about their school? What are they really trying to tell us?
Are we listening? What can we do about it?

The students have stopped cheering.

Who will champion their cause? Let's get the students cheering again!

Have a great week.

Petreno

TEACHING MY HEART OUT!

For the last few weeks I have been teaching my heart out. In planning and delivering my lessons I gave my best. All the knowledge, techniques, skills, and yes the "bag of tricks" amassed over the years were brought into play. I thought I had it all covered but alas was I wrong! I was confident that I could step in and make changes immediately. This was far from the truth!

How many times have you underestimated the situations that you are experiencing? What was your initial reaction? How did you move forward? Why was it important for you to find a resolution? Did this experience impact your future actions?

This year I have been given a unique population and was asked to help them achieve their academic goals. Initially I had declined but later decided to accept the task. After teaching this group for the past few weeks I gave them an assessment. I was floored when I saw the results. They did horribly! 

Where did I go wrong? 

I was tempted to take this personally. I am of course a perfectionist! This however was the wrong approach. In today's world we are being expected to own failure.....If the students don't learn, the teachers didn't teach".....how often have you heard this? I can say after teaching my heart out, I knew they got it based on their feedback on exits, classwork, conversations, and discussions. There is an excellent classroom climate, teacher and student share a commendable rapport, students have been provided with the necessary tools for working.......so exactly what went wrong????....

After carefully and thoroughly reflecting, I came to the conclusion that these students have gotten accustomed to failure and in fact look forward to failing. They have been so beaten by prior experiences that they are living other's belief for them. Nothing is more powerful and damaging than when students believe their teachers "don't expect them to pass" and it's business as usual! 

Currently, my agenda is to change this paradigm. I am so happy that I am experiencing this "challenge". I am in absolute agreement with Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion!

Have a Fantastic Week.

Petreno

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