Happy Election Month!

Like most Americans, I lost a number of hours of sleep over the past couple of weeks. I had the added layer and privilege of scouring my own campaign result updates, almost daily. While I anticipated some level of change, suspense, and news, I thought I would be available and able to continue all my work–with the same level of attention and detail I conducted myself pre-election. I was wrong.

As we continue on this saga, acquiring more final counts, more precise data, and a transition team, I am coming back here. I apologize for the delay — it’s been quite the month, and year!

Happy Election Day!

To all my fellow voters in the United States, I wish you a Happy Election Day . . . possibly Election week or Election month! This year we’ve had record turn-out already, and I expect even greater turn-out today; so, stay safe — and make sure to take notes today for lessons and stories in the future, for our own kids and for our students 🤗

Remote v. In-Person

There are merits and pitfalls to both remote and in-person instruction. And they vary depending on the reason, setting, and age group. Of course.

I think instead of lamenting about one over the other; instead, of focusing on what we have loss, it is important to consider what we have gained. I know I have said this before, but it is a challenge and as a challenging reframe I have to repeat it.

I’m currently teaching adults three times a week online. I wish it could be in-person, I wish I could visit their classrooms, I wish I could sit with them and see more of their faces, reactions, etc. Absolutely. I do have moments and times where I know it could be better, if we were together.

However, I know I have much to appreciate in this situation.

I’m grateful for the flexibility of remote learning. I don’t have to leave the house–the weather has been atrocious so staying home is nice. I am pushing my creativity skills–I am rethinking, reorganizing, re-imagining the lessons I had planned, and the lessons I am giving. I am able to connect with talent and professionals beyond my immediate circle. I am connecting with teachers from across the globe, not just teachers near me. I am learning how to use new tools. Between Zoom, Kahoot, Jamboard, ClassDojo, Padlet, etc. there is more opportunity, than ever before, to implement and practice with new online tools.

Distance learning can be trying, draining, exhausting. I admit it. I also don’t want to be burdened with the negativity–or drained by it. I love teaching, and I hope that despite it all, I keep learning and growing as a teacher, even in these difficult unprecedented times.

Why do I teach?

Installment #10:

I teach to keep learning.

Teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin. One cannot teach, without learning.

No year is the same. No group of students are the same. No lesson plan is perfect.

Each year poses its own set of challenges, and learning. Each set of students poses its own dynamic that requires an adjustment, new planning, possibly new forums and materials. No lesson plan ever goes exactly as planned.

This can appear frustrating, but it’s also a bit liberating. If I mess up, there’s always the next lesson, tomorrow, next year. Teaching is a profession with constant opportunity for personal and professional growth–and for that, I stay in education.