We Are Dealing Not with A Square Peg, Round Hole- But a Shape Sorter Scenario (195)

Square Peg, Round Hole

We have all seen scenarios in movies where a group of individuals is trying to solve a problem and someone says, "It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole," or something similar. 

In Apollo 13, they tossed all the equipment they have available on the rocket, on a table and tell engineers on the ground, to solve the problem of getting the astronauts home safely.

We basically have the materials within the system, as given to us by the higher ups and as educators, we have to solve the bigger problem within our means. We have to make sure we are using the provided tools and staying true to our philosophy of teaching, to solve problems. 

The main issue- how can we make learning equitable and customizable to individual students, not just the population as a whole.

Shapes May Vary

The world has changed. Our previous tactics- short combinations of moves to get immediate advantages, no longer will work. Our strategies- patterns of tactics, no longer are going to manage the little battles to win the war. 

Because the little battles are now fought on a very different terrain. We are now fighting on a battlefield fraught with landmines. We have to traverse those, all the while keeping our focus on the cavalry and units we were sworn to protect.

Remember those shape sorters toys we used to have when we were toddlers? 

They were not just built with one shape and one type of hole. The receptacle was full of stars, hearts, circles, triangles, octagons- you name it. They had many different colors and shapes. 

It was trial and error, we tried to fit them in different locations over and over again, until eventually we figured them out. Then they were no longer sorting blocks but building blocks. Their purpose shifted.

I see my classroom as a shape sorter- problems come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are plastic, some wooden. Like the pieces of our youth- they all have a hole they fit into. 

No matter how much we try to make the circle fit into the triangle hole- it does not fit. They only difference is we have a receptacle where we have options. We can keep trying different holes until the piece fits. Whereas in the past, we might have felt we only had one hole and one peg.

Shape Sorter Scenario

We have to see our hurdles to come not as single solutions but as shape sorters. Many different angles, many different dimensions, many different diameters. Lessons will have to change shape. Activities will have to have their parameters altered. 

Classrooms will have to be designed for every piece to fit, not seamlessly, but seam with. We will have to stay flexible. Look at our problems/pieces from different angles- knowing there is a solution/hole that will present itself.

We no longer can have the mentality of one size fits all. Square peg can’t fit into a round hole. We have to see the shape sorter. We have to slow our roll, lay out the pieces on the floor, in front of us and try them one by one, until one slides into place. 

This is difficult for many people because they want a quick fix. But, quick fixes in education are gone.

We have to keep grinding and whittling down some edges to make them easier to work with. We have to take the time to notice the differences, acknowledge that what used to work, no longer does. 

We have to allow not just critical thinking to be at the forefront of our expectations but also creative thinking: thinking outside the box, innovation, and ingenuity. That is what is going to keep education moving forward in this new reality.

Now which piece do I think I might pick up first, that is going to take another blog post.

Mindfulness: Short-Term Pessimism, Long-Term Optimism (194)

Bombardment, Energy Imploding

We all suffer from problem blindness sometimes- we do not see the problem. Other times we are so hyper focused on the multitude of problems bombarding us- we have problem freeze. We simply cannot see past them. They feel like a ripple of space/time, locking us into a state of perpetual panic. We can get through the day, we can function in society, but we do so with the heft of this, holding us down like a paperweight.

We are so overwhelmed with the situation, the only way we can come to terms with all of it is to pass blame. A lack of ownership is the first symptom of complacency. “It’s not my problem to fix the…,” Insert here. All we can do is focus on what we can change. What we can see our reflection in. When things get amplified, magnified- we are more likely to see ourselves in it. The louder the voices, the more we pay attention.

So here we sit with all of the world’s problems, all of our country’s upheaval, all of our community’s circumstances and we feel like the tunnel is collapsing.

So, we pick and choose what we feel is important. We have to. We can’t deal with everything right now. We are only one person, but we are constantly feeling like we need to be more, do more, say more, march more. But we simply cannot. We are tunneling and our jackhammer and shovel are in our hands and we must dig night and day just to keep moving forward.

Awareness, Safety Huddle

When we are frightened, we huddle. WE might run away from the situation, or we might stay and fight. But we tend to seek refuge with other people who are experiencing what we are. Who believe what we believe. Who have the same opinions, ethics, and values as we do.

This is our nature as humans. This is why and how a mob mentality takes hold. Why some get easily swayed- because they do not feel a part of a community. When we feel alone- we will do almost anything not to.

Mindfulness is an energy. It is positivity particles, awareness atoms, calm collisions, and molecules of mental acuity. It is a flow of optimism and acceptance. It is an understanding of how we think, how the signals of input are interpreted. It is an understanding of what motivates us, engages us, scares us, and leads us to transformation and transcendence. Mindfulness is not instant or permanent.

The saying goes “We can’t think ourselves into recovery or happiness. We have to do the work.” Mindfulness is the work. Before we can find happiness, we have to define what it looks like for us. We have to feel it, recognize it, not just in the big moments, the excitement in life. But also, in the quiet, uneventful seconds of the day, where we feel content. We have to create them sometimes- other days they are plentiful, but either way we have to recognize them.

Awareness, Mind’s Eye

Satisfaction for some is a natural feeling. They do not suffer from anxiety or doubt. They find joy in simple things. They enjoy a good meal without overeating. They do not obsess or worry. But I have a feeling these people are few and far between, the rest of us who struggle a bit, with finding the contented moments and satisfying experiences. They are temporary and well, when they end, some people panic a bit, they worry the next opportunity for satisfaction will not appear.

But we have a minds eye. We have a mental meter that if we give credence to it, acknowledge it, accept it- will help us notice the next moment of contentedness. We might need to wait for it, work for it, accomplish it, but its out there. This awareness of our mind’s eye is necessary for mindfulness. It is our Geiger counter, our dowser. It will only start working if we are open to its signal. This is the most difficult step of mindfulness.

Accepting that we are in control of our emotions and thoughts- that our brain is a machine and it spins, and its gears are in constant motion. We often let the machine take over. We often remain unaware because its easier. But these days with social media steering the conversation, covid-19 determining our fate, public opinion, and things out of our control weighing us down- we need to be aware; we need to listen to our mind’s eye- its voice gets muffled. We need to clear the clutter and find a way to see past the muck.

Pessimism and Optimism

Most of us alternate between pessimism and optimism. Some tend to feel comfortable in the negative spectrum, others seek the positive. But its impossible to remain in one forever. Outside forces redirect the energy of mindfulness. Most of us have sleep overs in a temporary, short-term pessimism and reside in a long-term optimism. But these days its hard not to have a lot of sleep overs. It is difficult to unpack from a trip, when we do not recognize we are home.

I feel like my luggage got sent to the wrong destination. I wake up and for a moment or two I feel content. Then I remember. Then I remember our jobs are not what they were. Society is strained. Humanity is at the mercy of a microscopic entity. I know I never imagined something like this happening. I never had an emergency plan in place for this. But now that I have been having  a lot of sleep overs, in 2020, I know how to pack an overnight bag.

Short-term pessimism is understandable. Frustration and anger is understandable. The only way to combat it, however, is to stay long-term optimistic. To use mindfulness for what it was intended for, awareness of how you feel, strategies to cope with uncertainty, recognizing the satisfaction you feel on a daily basis and how it adds up to contentment. Even though they are temporary, they can be lengthened with mindful awareness.

There is no one on the planet who hasn’t felt a moment of despair and restlessness in the last few months. Everyone has felt estranged, empty, subjected to someone else’s control. But most people are pivoting and adjusting to the shift in ‘normalcy.’ How are some people remaining hopeful while others are so buried beneath pessimism and negativity? They are forward-thinking and emboldened because they are aware of their thoughts. They are mindful of their emotions and they are discovering ways to redirect the flow of energy to suit their needs.

They find satisfaction in daily activities; they sit in a contentedness knowing it will need to be charged by their actions. They are listening to their mind’s eye to see the long-term optimism and cope with the short-term pessimism. It is impossible not to feel anger, sadness, and frustration. Our emotions model our circumstances. But it is also easier to find joy, happiness, and release when we do not take them for granted. When we do the work.

Mindfulness to Me, Why it Works

Mindfulness is a term I have been using for years, as others have been. Recently it has transformed from an ideas of meditation and yoga, lava lamps and peace signs (Yes, I have heard someone equate mindfulness to all of these in the past), to one of wellness and self-motivation. Mindfulness is not, as I have said earlier, permanent, or quick. It is not easy or a simple fix to life’s problems.

It is a state of mind, I guess. A map of sorts. A feeling, a process to recognize how you think. Why you think what you do. It is full of signposts- satisfaction, contentedness, short-term pessimism, long-term optimism. It is listening, observing, acting and discipline. It is writing, reflecting, practicing meditation and maybe yoga. It is pausing to think before you speak. It is consideration and kindness.

Mindfulness is a flow of energy, a new form of energy many have never tapped into. It’s always been there, but it felt somehow too magical and mystical and for some that feels like hogwash (Yes, I have been told this too). But it is tangible in the actions we take. It is corporeal in the relationships we form and the compassion we share with others. What comes from mindfulness is expansive and almost immeasurable- for we do not always see it.

Mindfulness helps us overcome doubt and fear, because it allows us, if we listen, to understand why we are feeling the way we do. I see it being similar to having a stomach-ache, thinking about what you ate and why it might have given you the pain in your gut. Then remembering to avoid that meal in the future. We adjust when we feel pain. Mindfulness is the acceptance of how we are feeling, what we are feeling and how to use our emotions to make our lives better.

Our brains are complicated. They try and trick us. They form habits. They misguide us. But they also warn us, prepare us, stabilize us. Mindfulness is the framework, the instruction manual, the audiobook. If we learn to respond not react, own our pessimism, and celebrate our optimism- we will find that the moments of satisfaction, joy and contentedness will become more frequent. We can actually make them happen.

Nowadays everyone needs more moments of joy and happiness. But we also have to keep our mind’s eye on the necessity, to pivot and shift, in a circuit- not of our design. Our energy flow fluctuates. Our optimism wanes. Our anger mounts. But with mindfulness, with reflection, awareness, and focus- we will be able to stay self-motivated, healthy, and forward-thinking. We will problem-solve, take risks, and learn to really listen- to others and ourselves. Listening is the key to mindfulness and mindfulness is the key to positive change and transformation.

Be the Pivot, Own the Shift (191)

Choice. I think students want choice, parents want choice and teachers want choice. In classroom or virtual learning. Brick and mortar or Zoom. Options to be at home or in the building. How are we going to be teaching? How are we going to be running daily operations? How are we going to make sure students, faculty and teachers are safe? So many questions, opinions, decisions unfolding.

I am uneasy and I am uncertain of how things will unfold. I want to be in my classroom, I want to be safe. I want to provide the best education I can to my students. I want the option to be in a room full of eager minds all the while, staying proactive and protected. Things change on a daily basis and as educators we are all feeling the frustration and unsettled energy swirling about us.

Teaching two science summer camps on Zoom within the last month has really reengaged my mind. I have enjoyed the opportunity to STEAM design with my students and watch them build and tryout their inventions. It has been really cool to see them design and tinker and then redesign. Having all of their supplies delivered to them made both camps really engaging and fun.

But, it has also reminded me how much I yearn to be back in a brick and mortar setting with my students. Watching them in person - create with our makerspace, collaborate and share ideas and have face to face conversations. I really miss it and I am happy we will be getting the opportunity to do so in the fall. How often and what size group are to be determined, but we know that parents and students have a choice. That is empowering.

Teachers will in a lot of cases have a choice. In some however, they won't. But, I do hope if teachers want to teach on-line they will be able to. At this point we all have to be the pivot, remain flexible and adjust. There will be so many changes this year. Mindset is going to be our salvation as educators. If we solve problems and work together, I know we will come together and make this work. That is what we do- right?

We solve, we might complain, but we fix issues. We solve problems. We design and implement lessons and strategies that are best for our students. We own the shift. We adjust and we believe. This is what is going to keep us going this next school year, within the upheaval and pivots- we will own the shift. We will get through this- we just need to stay positive. Weary maybe, frustrated at times, worried and eager- but never complacent. Always vigilant. Always open-minded.

We are educators- we can do this!

Organic Energy is the Soul of the Classroom (188)

Voluntary Organics

I hate messes but I take comfort in spaces that are like a cacophony- challenging to take in at one glance. I love things to look and feel organic. To build a real classroom is to give up a measure of control. To let the energy escape, find enclosure, and swirl about until it finds a new medium. Energy is the soul of the classroom and if we do not let it loose voluntarily, it will release in unproductive ways. 

When we are writing lessons, creating activities for our classrooms- we have a vision. But what we imagine we are designing is never what we actually design. What we see as our final product is never what we actually set out to create. Because tinkering, creating, and building lessons is an organic process. The delivery is even more organic- and thus, our energy, the soul of the classroom needs to remain organic too.

The famous quote goes "Every system is designed to get the results it gets." The demands of teaching has created a system. One that is transforming, but a system, nonetheless. We pontificate, elaborate- while students concentrate and demonstrate. There is a well-defined process at work here. When this process loses its organic nature- there is a swivel of focus. Student attentions tend to oscillate, and we have to ripple our energy and pendulate our strategies to keep up with their setting.

Logistics over statistics earns loyalty. Planning, organization, engineering, and coordination are much more powerful and indelible than figures of results. As we always say as educators- it is not the grade, the data or the figures that really matter- I mean to someone they are. But, we as teachers know it is the path, the learning process, knowledge acquisition that means the most. Students will remember how we taught them, what they did- not their grade. They may be shooting for an A, but when all is said and done- it is the journey they take home with them.

Zoom Summer Camp, JH Edition

Today I taught in another Zoom summer camp. This time it was with junior high students. We did a lesson on viruses, bacteria, and other germs. They were given a bag for each day of the week, a five-day camp, and for today they were given a petri dish with agar and some gloves and swabs. The petri dishes were already covered partially in bacteria or fungus (they were not created in a sterile lab) and we discussed why they were already ‘infected.’

Then I had them choose a place in their house, they thought was the dirtiest. They swabbed that location and then they rubbed the sample on a clean spot in their dish. Almost all of them choose the bathroom or floor. But a few went with doorknob, remote control, phone etc. Then we watched a video of the dirtiest spots, dispelling or proving their hypotheses. I had them wear face masks and gloves and after we sealed the petri-dishes they washed their hands and wiped down the surface of their desks.

This was a great way to start talking about the differences in transmission, virulence level and why we are social distancing. We talked a lot about germs and why we wear masks. Why we should wash our hands with soap. The truth about hand-sanitizer. It was a relevant and engaging lesson, as this is impacting them directly, every day. I let the discussion stay very organic and it led to some great engagement and interaction.

The energy of the lesson was the soul of our Zoom classroom and it was a fun first day indeed.

Everyone is Wired Differently: Untangling the Strands and Cords of Student Anxiety (187)

Mysterious Contortion

The cord of the vacuum cleaner- how does it get knotted when its plugged in? We comb our hair; it is nice and smooth and then ten seconds later there is a tangle in it- how does it happen so fast? We organize our Christmas lights (some of us anyway) and put them gently in their box, but the following holiday season, when we open them back up, they are in a messy jumble, how does this happen? The mysteries of cords and strands is on-going.

We have all heard the phrase, "Everyone is wired differently." We know this to be true. Like the vacuum cord and string of festive bulbs, the connections in our brain, our synapses, neurons, and electrical impulses misfire, or fail to fire at all. They do not always get the signal from here to there without a detour. They might get jumbled in the process. So, when we learn new things, when we react to situations, when we see the world through our personal lens, things are uniquely presented in our perspective.

Now, perspectives as we know are personal. We often create them based on fact, logical information. But sometimes we create them and install them into our point of view, when they are based on fiction, misunderstanding and yes, fear. When we are taught, we cannot do something, we are less than, we are not good at something- we build these connections in our brains based on doubt and low self-esteem. These are exceedingly difficult to disengage from. For many of us they follow us, like a nagging relative, reminding us to close the door.

Muddled Messaging

When we are given a roster of students, yes given, as teachers do not choose their class register or schedule- we are presented with a beautiful ensemble of voices, perspectives, learning styles, personalities, and yes- unfortunately, baggage. We all have a knapsack or heavy-duty suitcase we wheel behind us as we learn and grow. We hear every negative comment a teacher directed at us, we see every eye roll of frustration and are scarred by every giggle of a bully.

How do we untangle the labyrinth of self-doubt, hesitation, and childhood luggage? How do we help our students move past these rummages of apprehension? When they re-enter the classroom, this fall- they will be either joining a brick and mortar arena or a virtual one. Either way, they are pivoting from an unstructured summer, a time of misgiving and uncertainty to one of formality and framework. This in and of itself will be challenging.

They will also be recovering from confinement and social distancing. Most will not have had the chance to interact with their peers on a regular basis. They may have been cooped up inside, missed a family vacation, only been able to ‘hangout’ with friends on social media. So how can we as educators help them adapt to a more orderly, methodized frame of mind? We will have to be patient and take it slow. It is going to take time for students to readjust to the routine and deliberate flow of everyday life. Before we can get them to learn, we need to untangle the cords and strands of reclusion and remoteness.

Unsnarling the Tangle

When we enter the classroom, learning needs to be secondary for the first week or so. How to learn needs to be the focus. How to communicate, collaborate and self-advocate need to take precedence. Students are going to be many things when they walk in the door, or turn on their computer screens:

1-    Nervous and squirrely

2-     Talkative

3-     Needy and desperate for attention

4-     Starved of conversation with their peers

5-     Starved of conversation with a teacher

6-     Frustrated and anxious about having to start school again (it is a new grade after all)

7-     Eager to make friends

8-     Eager to please

9-     Worried about how the new routine will look

10- Worried about if they will fit in

11- Worried about how they will be graded

12- Curious about the expectations

13- Curious if you are mean or funny

14- Curious if their friends are in the class

15- Hopeful the content will not be boring

16- Hopeful there will be lots of opportunities to work with other students

17- Fear of working in teams and relying on other students

18- Scared of getting sick

19- Scared of having to stay home all year

20- Plain worried and sad (sad about what they have given up these last few months)

I could go on and on. But all of these threads, these cords and strands of a student’s anxieties and excitement are all tangled and knotted, and it is going to take a calm spirit, friendly face, and mindful demeanor to untangle them. We are going to have to talk about them, set goals and reflect on them. Share our experiences and coping strategies. The thing about personal perspective- it often stays hidden and silent. Especially with children. So, we are going to have to pry it out- nudge it forward, until we loosen its grip. This is of course is how we untie and unsnarl anything.

Disentanglement

Here are a few strategies I have used in the past- after Harvey devastated our community, to start conversations and keep them going. To helps students adjust back to a routine. Of course that was a much shorter absence from school, but the strategies are transferable to any traumatic situation.

1-     Have them draw a lot. Visual representation of anxiety really helps them put in to words their apprehension and trepidation.

2-     Let them create podcasts individually for your ears only- many do not want to feel weak in front of their peers, but they still want to share and have you as their teacher talk with them on an individual level.

3-     Have face to face, I call them 1-minute check ins every week, with every student. This could be on-line in a Zoom breakout session or in person. This keeps the dialogue open and it is amazing how much they need to and look forward to their moment to share.

4-     Have students keep a writing journal- where daily mindfulness prompts can be kept. This gives them an opportunity at the end of the month to read over the months reflections and see how much they have changed.

5-     Do not force a student to share out loud with the class. Just let those who want to share, share. AND listen with intent. Just let them speak. This will make other students feel safe to do the same- AND after a few weeks, the conversation broadens, and it becomes very communal and meaningful.

6-     Self-advocacy is key in my classroom. Students put anonymous notes in our share box, they put sticky notes on my desk or on our “Let’s Talk About This Again” bulletin board.

This will be a much-needed resource- let them ask questions, share their fears, and come together as a community- even if it cuts into the curriculum. You can always catch up. The emotional wellness and self-care that is going to be needed when we return in the fall is going to be monumental. AND, it is going to take significant patience, mammoth listening skills and observation, and enduring strategies in order for children to feel safe and secure in the new framework of learning.

Untangling the cords and strands will not be a universal operation. Each student will be an undertaking unique, to their perspective, their needs, their understanding of what has happened. As educators, we will be performance-based advocates and action-based counselors. Not that we have not been in the past. But now- our roles are tangled. As we untangle, we are also tangling. This is our profession, this is our connection, this is our pursuit of a community entanglement.

You Still Have Me at Hello: My Relationship With Education (184)

You Had Me at Hello

You had me at hello. I love to listen and read the amazing ideas of educators. It makes me recognize room for growth, but it also reinforces my belief in myself as a veteran educator. I absolutely love being a teacher. It’s a relationship that evolves and expands because I never get complacent. I understand it, it understands me. But we don’t always get along. I get angry at it, it overwhelms me. But at the end of the day I go home knowing that it will provide me with new opportunities tomorrow. Education is a beautiful profession, yet it is full of challenges, setbacks and frustrations like no other. It is a love affair for the ages. Both messy and boisterous.

There is a lot of noise, strategies everywhere, opinions, thoughts, sure fire suggestions. As educators we are bombarded with new ideas: some useful, some not. Many repetitive and familiar. They often claim to reinvent the wheel, move mountains, yet many of them fall short. However, there are gems out there. You just need to keep your eyes peeled for them. During the back to school season the din gets louder and voices more powerful. It’s hard to isolate the ingenuity and inspirational from the mundane and common sentiment. Education is a profession worthwhile, meaningful and growth oriented. Most teachers want to share and collaborate. It is a wonderful field to be a part of. Hearing alternative points of view makes us stronger.

You Still Have Me at Hello

Even after a tumultuous spring- isolation, distance, and frustration, I still love my profession. I still appreciate the moments when a student see's you for the first time. Where they are trying to figure you out and they are hesitant to laugh. Then, you make that connection, something resonates and they chuckle. That is the moment- the synergy, that starts it all.

You must show love and kindness- then and only then will wisdom come forth. Once a student feels comfortable in the classroom, they trust their teacher, they hear their voice above the din of community- learning becomes the focus. Collaboration becomes the lava that flows through the seams of desks. This is new information, growth of connection, new land formation. This is when we as educators are tapped on the shoulder, and in our ears a whisper "contact."

The Love Affair is Challenged

But the reality is, even with our amazing camaraderie and social media presence, being an educator, on the best day is challenging and exhausting. It is not for the weak of spirit or faint of heart. Not everything is bake sales, blue ribbons and jars of jellybeans. As of late many strategies sound the same, they just add to the deluge of strategies. Joy, voice, community is classroom gold. Read this blog, listen to that podcast- buy these books.

Better yourself by following these heroes of education- be aware, be present, build relationships. Technology is good- use it often. Homework is highly debated- is it bad now? Differentiate, use break-out sessions, stations, active learning. Teach students with visual notes, graphic novels, morning meetings. Be kind, listen, smile. Be yourself, be independent, yet stay a part of the community- build a positive school culture. Take risks, fail and get back up on the horse quickly. Share, reflect, give constructive feedback, accept critical feedback with humility. The list is endless.

Collaborate, celebrate- don’t isolate and always reverberate positivity. Build a student-centered classroom. Teach through PBL, flexible seating, personal connection. Can we do it all? Can we as teachers have a perfect performance every day, every class period? Are we going to like every one of our students equally? Maybe not but can we guarantee we treat them all equally- and keep our classroom student-driven, mindful, engaging, purposeful, productive and challenging? Do we need to use technology every day?

Do we have to lecture rarely and always keep our classrooms quiet and well-behaved? Should we not smile until after Thanksgiving? Yes, I have heard a teacher say this aloud. As a new teacher, I was not blessed with Twitter or Facebook. It was collaboration within the building not between them. This has changed- now social media has allowed teachers across the globe to communicate, cooperate and climb the mountains of educational struggles together. But how much time do we need to spend on-line to feel like a good teacher?

All the congratulatory nods – follows and likes are invigorating- but what really matters is the connections we build. The ideas that filter out into the world and get picked up and incorporated into classrooms everywhere. Education is a team sport on an Olympic, Superbowl, World Series, World Cup level. While the players sometimes get overlooked the spectacle is on the news, scrutinized. Education is universal, it is a phenomenon because it occurs everywhere. Most techniques and strategies are universal, yet it is a field changing so rapidly that it is necessary to keep an open dialogue so we can continue to make education better for our students. So, throughout the scrutiny we do not feel alone.

The Love Affair is Strengthened

Yet, ultimately teaching is personal. It is a room where within its walls are interactions, observations and experiences. Relationships are forged, growth, learning and connection happens. It is a place where one or two adults try to build a community so hundreds of children can thrive. The strategies we see and hear about on social media might be perfect for some and not practical for you. Your classroom may seat 32 or ten.

You may have the same students all day or within a block of time each day. Everyone has different circumstances, populations and personal philosophies. If homework works for you- use it in a purposeful, meaningful way. If traditional seating is your preference rather than flexible- then make that a way to build student relationships. The most important aspect of teaching is building relationships- if a safe haven is in place then learning is the focus. If trust and respect are modeled and common place, then community is the foundation of the learning space.

I have seen teachers spending a day in silence because the teacher was annoyed or having extra worksheets because the teacher needed a break- is this how we want to spend our time- their time? Our focus needs to be about them not us. We need to listen to other educators and read blogs that inspire us.

We need to listen to thought-provoking podcasts because these will help us feel like we are a part of a community of teachers and as educators we know we all have good days and bad and if we share them we can accept the bad days while never letting them effect our students. Mindfulness is the awareness we need to respond not react- to find positivity even in the most frustrating of moments. We all have them its how we cope that impacts our classrooms.

Teachers need to see the barrage of speculation out there as just that- an avalanche of opinion and personal choice. Don’t fill your bucket with too many strategies or you will come tumbling down. You will have stressful days because you will feel overwhelmed. You have instinct, soul and a mindful spirit and you need to focus on what works for you. Don’t incorporate things into your classroom because others say it was successful.

Bring things in that you are comfortable with, that you know you will use because it feels right for you. Social media is both a gift and a curse. If we rely too heavily on it, it will bombard us and stifle our own creativity. But if we use it as a tool to probe our understanding and get us curious, it will open our minds to new ideas, and this will enhance our classrooms.

The Love Affair, Unique

Education is like the Himalayas- a towering range of knowledge and experience. For me, the top is too steep, and I don’t have on hiking boots. I prefer sneakers. I like my shoes comfortable, so climbing up the piles of strategies is not going to happen. I can’t read every book, listen to every podcast. Nor do I want to.

The middle can be precarious, its crowded and that din is very loud. So, I stay calm, walk slowly and pick a up a few mementos here and there. But I choose to stay near the bottom of the very high mountain of great educators. This does not mean I think I am not a good teacher. I just means I prefer solid ground and room to escape the impending overload. I can choose to climb a little, swim in a nearby pond or just watch the sunset without fear of a landslide.

I am a free-thinker with the indelible need to listen to a lot of people and their ideas- this I know makes me stronger. But I am also realistic- I know what works for me and even though I take risks in my classroom- I can only do this because ultimately, I believe in myself, I know my limitations and I push myself to move past them. I gain strength from my amazing PLN and having one makes all the difference- this is the beauty of education- community and personal independence. It had me at hello and with every greeting, educator and students- the love affair just gets more powerful.

Keeping the Energy Flowing

One sentiment keeps coming to mind. "Learning is synergy. Energy. Flow." It is expansion, collapse. It is utter meltdown and blossoming gardens where nothing else will grow. It is doubt and confidence. It is trial and error. It is self-reliance and trust of another person to enlighten. It is camaraderie and silence. It is demonstration and recall. It is synapses and slides. It is the embodiment of the human spirit.

Classrooms are the venue in which all of this can erupt. Educators might fly overhead in a helicopter, observing the beauty of lava flow. But most, are volcanologists, breathing the the fumes, standing in the heat, watching the cooling masses of growth. This is our relationship with education. Frustrating, exhilarating and exhausting.

Yet, deep, indelible, and meaningful that only us, who immerse ourselves in its bright orange glow can truly appreciate. No matter what happens in the fall, I welcome you education- with open arms. I may get singed or overheated- but I will forge ahead, because you had me at hello.

Teacher's Don't Have the Option (183)

As teachers we have some options. Our classrooms offer us some choice in how we teach. Our voice is our own. We get a little freedom in our domain- we can be ourselves and because of this- most of us love our job. But, sometimes a few of our options dissolve. We saw this last spring.

We don't have the choice to problem blind, not take ownership, or to tunnel. We have to accept our role and embrace it. It might not be an issue we created, but we are working within the confines of it. We became educators to make a difference. We stayed teachers because our optimism propels us, to make small changes, that eventually will bring about transformation.

We see the problem, we frame it, lock our focus on it and plan accordingly. We might not be able to convince everyone of our outlook, or our strategies- yet we try. We share, we try to inspire. We see the problems and rather than pass the buck- we take ownership of it. We do not have the luxury of saying or believing "it is not my problem to fix."

We have our safety huddles. We know what worked and what didn't yesterday. We know today's priorities. We listen, we shuffle, we pivot. We observe. We notice. We formulate a plan on the fly. When we are thrust into a situation, unexpected- we do not hide behind the curtain, waiting for the Great Oz, to speak. Instead, we pull them back and reveal our tools and share our knowledge.

Teachers do not have the option to look only at test scores. Or, at a file full of the past and current information. We rely on observation and the ever growing relationship, we build with every student.

Instead we have two options, merged: focus on the whole child by building personal relationships with students and find strategies that are flexible and malleable to every students' needs. We do both of these, continually, every day. We do not go home at night, and not think of how we can create more, engaging lessons and activities. We never stop thinking like an educator. This is our superpower.

Now that we are in uncertainty- full school, hybrid, or full distance learning- we don't have the option, to not be planning and thinking about next year. We are home-bound, on summer vacation, spending time with family- yet the underlining song playing in our heads- what will next year look like? How can I make sure I am ready, for any of the three options, our districts have to choose from?

So we are reading, listening, sharing, attending and taking in so much new information. We are strategizing, learning new tools and planning our lessons for both digital and in class formatting. I have already started, and will be sharing my strategies over the next few weeks. I hope you will find some of them useful.

For now, I hope you are taking some time to relax and enjoy your summer.