Take Advantage

Teaching isn't easy, but some years are just easier, and I've learned that when I have one of these years, I need to take advantage of it!

If some years are just easier, then naturally some years are just harder (I blogged about one of these years, a few years ago, here) -- sometimes because of particularly needy kiddos, sometimes because of demanding families, sometimes because of new coworkers, and sometimes because of personal life outside of school. Whatever the challenge, some years it takes longer to get into routines, more time to teach new concepts, and it may never feel like you can fully relax in the classroom. This is hard, but it's part of the job. Looking down the hallway, and talking to other teachers, I suspect that the next few years are not going to be so easy. All the more reason to keep pushing myself to be creative and try new things. Of course, it's all made so much easier with the help, encouragement, and support of amazing teammates -- so that's another thing I'm trying not to take for granted! 

Last year, for me, was one of those years.  Looking back, it was a combination of kiddos and coworkers, and some new things for me (like having an intern and using new curricula).  I tried to take advantage of those challenges by pushing myself to be especially reflective and honing my management skills.  It was still a great year in a lot of ways, but truthfully it wasn't too hard to say goodbye. 

This year, on the other hand, has been one of those rare years that, frankly, is just going smoothly (knocking on wood)!  I've got the same team (plus an incredible addition) that I had last year, this is now my third time teaching a full-year of our curricula, and most of our kiddos are pretty easy-going.  This is a crew that can handle open-ended activities without getting too crazy; they can adjust to a flexible schedule without getting overwhelmed. They work together well and can reflect on their own learning without too much structure or encouragement. 

So what have I been doing new this year? Let's see... we started the year with a collaborative growth-mindset oriented math challenge. We've done an "Escape Classroom" at the end of each of our math modules. We have had open-ended math lessons, launched from read-alouds and inquiry questions.  We've have had free-writing afternoons and "class-keeping" (i.e. "housekeeping") chore charts. 

These activities have been great for the kiddos and I definitely want to do them in the future, even if I have a less adaptable group.  Fortunately, now that I've had some success (and learned from some of the less successful experiences), I'll feel more confident trying these activities again. Some teachers are comfortable with a fair amount of chaos and uncertainty in their classrooms, but try as I might, I am not one of those teachers. 😬

Making Time

This school year has honestly been one of my best, top three perhaps (knocking on wood!), and yet I've found it hard to stop, pause, reflect, and write about what has been going on in my classroom. Why?  I'm not entirely sure. I think a lot has to do with giving myself the time.  In this "New Year Season" I've been seeing a lot of memes, posts, and reminders to take time -- really, to make time -- for yourself, especially as a teacher. Most of these seem to be geared toward working out, which I should also do more of, but I've realized that part of the reason I hesitate at the end of the day to sit down and write about my day, and the adventures I've had with my kiddos, is that it means slowing down. The words don't always come quickly and easily, it's messy, and takes time! 

It's so much easier to just keep going, to create the next lesson, to plan the next activity, to write the next assessment. This work, for me, is easier -- and feels more "practice," "purposeful," and "necessary." But of course, as I recognize every time I sit down to write (or work out for that matter), it's just as important, if not more. And feels great -- once I do it. 

After a quick look through previous posts, I've written this same message (i.e. "haven't blogged in awhile, will write more now, blah, blah") at least three times in the past, but here we go again. 

And maybe I'll work out at some point too. 😉

Mindset Work

I can pin-point the first time I heard the concept of a "fixed-mindset" -- I was in a psychology class in college and I remember thinking, "Uh-oh, I'm pretty sure I'm guilty of that!" I knew I had felt the pressure to "prove myself" at activities I thought I was innately good at.  Worse, I knew there were activities that I'd dropped or dismissed out of hand because I did not think I could be successful at them. It was an eye-opening realization, and since then I've been fascinated by the idea of mindsets.

It turns out that just teaching people about mindsets, achievement, and abilities can change how they approach challenging situations -- see here.  

When I taught Pre-K and 1st grade, I demonstrated malleable intelligence with a stretchy rubber-band.  I made comparisons and connections between learning how to walk, how to do the monkey bars, and how to read.  It didn't take long for my little guys to understand that you can "grow your brain," and it was exciting to see them recognize their own accomplishments as they reached new reading levels and masted new skills.

As a fourth grade teacher now, I still teach about growth mindset and see my kids take the concept to heart. However, I'm more aware that their experiences have shaped their beliefs and confirmed the picture they have of themselves.  They have seen hard work pay off in some ways, but they often still struggle to believe that it can make a difference in every area of their life.  Even those who are excited to learn a new math strategy, may shut down during a writing conference.  Even those who play multiple sports or instruments, may shy away from reading books in new genres or by unfamiliar authors.  I now try to focus more on the benefits of experiencing challenge, trying new things, and expanding your horizons.

In many ways I have been successful at cultivating my own growth-mindset -- I've learned to cook, to teach older students, and to do math in new ways {all things I once thought were "just not for me} -- but I've still had a few activities that felt off limits. Of course, I could be okay having a fixed-mindset about just a few things... but I wouldn't want that for my students. In order to constantly combat a fixed-mindset, you have to be able to recognize when you are "stuck" and take specific action -- see here. So, while I don't consider myself a runner YET... this year I'm trying to work on own my growth mindset.

Started running just 5 miles in March... set a goal of 32 miles in July

Not fast, but 5+ miles in the books.