To help encourage conversations and dialogue about the ways we are inspired, this week's topic/question for the dinner table is: What practices and characteristics inspire you as a learner? Please see link to Google Form to share your responses: Inspiration (5/8/16) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
After a rainy and dreary week, it was lovely to see the sun come out on Friday afternoon! After taking care of some paper work, I 'escaped' to go for a run before starting the weekend - a great way to decompress and think about the week. We had another active weekend with kids' sports and a Kentucky Derby get-together with friends and then enjoyed celebrating Mother's Day Sunday evening with family.
One of my continued goals is to take time to try and find a healthy balance and to unplug during family time, and my hope is that I can find opportunities over the next month to do just that. There are certainly many wonderful events that will be taking place as we head towards the end of the year and the schedule will certainly get busier (or at least feel that way) each day. I hope we can help each other find ways to step back, unplug, and breathe as it will help us find the energy we need to be present, learn, and improve.
'Stepping back' and taking time for myself, whether that is on a run, unplugging, or just taking a break, has been helpful as it helps me to think about what inspires me in our work. This inspiration can then transfer to newfound energy for the task at hand or the next day. With these ideas in mind, I am sharing a post that I have shared in the past that speaks to the importance of identifying the 'good in education' as a means of inspiration...
Why Do We Ignore All That Is Good in Education?
by Starr Sackstein in Education Week Teacher
The title of Sackstein's post poses an excellent question as she challenges the 'negative focus' on education that is often seen and read in the media. She acknowledges her influences and encourages others to highlight the good work that is taking place - a practice we should all try to embrace.
If one didn't know better, one would say that the media and government want the world to think ill of teachers, or why else would there be such a focus on the few who do bad things. Let's face it, if journalists go on an expedition to find the unsavory aspects of teaching, they'll find it. It's always there, just like in every profession or aspect of life.
The usual scope of a teaching job goes well outside the job description of conveying content knowledge to students during school hours. Regardless of the misconception that teachers only teach from 8-3 and have the summers off, most of us spend the better portion of our lives treating every child in our spaces as if he or she was our own.
We all matter; let's make a concerted effort to highlight the truly inspirational folks to overcome the current negative climate of education together.
I encourage everyone this week to really take some time to think about the teachers who have had an influence on you as a learner and individual - in essence, who has inspired you to be the person you are today? If possible, let them know - it's important. With last week being 'Teacher Appreciation Week', it is certainly a timely question and practice to consider, but I hope it is one we can come back to on a regular basis throughout the year. In the same spirit of inspiration and recognition, I asked everyone to reflect upon these questions at our faculty meeting yesterday (Monday)...
- What has ignited a spark within you or inspired you as a teacher as of late?
- Describe a student or interaction that you feel you are making progress with this year.
- Describe a teacher/colleague who has influenced you as a professional this year.
I look forward to the work that lies ahead for all of us.
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Take care.
Nat Vaughn