I am in my March slump, wondering why I continue being a teacher. Maybe If I were to read a book about teaching, I would be inspired by others.
When I search “best books for teachers”, I get a few lists. There are books about how cognitive science applies to how students learn; books about what is good for students; books about addressing classroom myths; and one book with practical strategies for teachers that has a dreadful name, Embedded Formative Assessment. I can’t wait to read that one, not, and it was the most practical one I could find. I don’t teach with my hair on fire. Rafe Esquith I am not.
I listened to this podcast today. Pat asked Barb and Melissa why they think that all teachers do not share with each other easily. One of them said that lack of time was a factor. To me that makes sense because I certainly do not have time to read books about how cognitive science applies to learning. The other teacher thought that some teachers may not want to share ideas they believe to be of lesser quality than that of their colleagues. I’m not sure about this reason though because confidence is a universal characteristic among teachers (despite my current waffling, I also am usually confident).
Later in the podcast that same teacher was saying that she uses an app her students love and does not want to tell her colleagues about it. That’s it, I thought, that is the real reason. Teachers are jealous. Our classroom is our space. We work really hard at creating relationships within that space. Making it a unique place is important to getting students to respond. We don’t want copycats doing our thing and spoiling the novelty.
I think it is this need always to be fresh, never to be boring that is causing my March slump. I want to put Engagement in the corner and say, “Don’t you turn around, Engagement, until you can explain to me how cognitive science pertains to learning.”
I want Formative Assessment to be careful where it embeds itself. “No, Formative, that drawer is for my stapler, my Tums, and the latest classroom myth.”
I want you not to judge me for never being teacher of the year, not even close, just because my style is businesslike and calm. I want everyone else on the planet to be scrutinized as closely as teachers are. I would like Guilt to read all those books about teaching and give a summary in-service next August. Until then, “nobody does it better/ makes me feel sad for the rest.”
March Slump
I am in my March slump, wondering why I continue being a teacher. Maybe If I were to read a book about teaching, I would be inspired by others.
When I search “best books for teachers”, I get a few lists. There are books about how cognitive science applies to how students learn; books about what is good for students; books about addressing classroom myths; and one book with practical strategies for teachers that has a dreadful name, Embedded Formative Assessment. I can’t wait to read that one, not, and it was the most practical one I could find. I don’t teach with my hair on fire. Rafe Esquith I am not.
I listened to this podcast today. Pat asked Barb and Melissa why they think that all teachers do not share with each other easily. One of them said that lack of time was a factor. To me that makes sense because I certainly do not have time to read books about how cognitive science applies to learning. The other teacher thought that some teachers may not want to share ideas they believe to be of lesser quality than that of their colleagues. I’m not sure about this reason though because confidence is a universal characteristic among teachers (despite my current waffling, I also am usually confident).
Later in the podcast that same teacher was saying that she uses an app her students love and does not want to tell her colleagues about it. That’s it, I thought, that is the real reason. Teachers are jealous. Our classroom is our space. We work really hard at creating relationships within that space. Making it a unique place is important to getting students to respond. We don’t want copycats doing our thing and spoiling the novelty.
I think it is this need always to be fresh, never to be boring that is causing my March slump. I want to put Engagement in the corner and say, “Don’t you turn around, Engagement, until you can explain to me how cognitive science pertains to learning.”
I want Formative Assessment to be careful where it embeds itself. “No, Formative, that drawer is for my stapler, my Tums, and the latest classroom myth.”
I want you not to judge me for never being teacher of the year, not even close, just because my style is businesslike and calm. I want everyone else on the planet to be scrutinized as closely as teachers are. I would like Guilt to read all those books about teaching and give a summary in-service next August. Until then, “nobody does it better/ makes me feel sad for the rest.”