As the weather turns and the days become more beautiful it gets hard to be trapped inside all day! We all feel it and there is no doubt that the kids feel it too!! I call it the “Tom Petty Blues” – ‘I feel summer creepin’ in…’
Last week I challenged you to take a risk in the classroom, try something new and exciting. My intention was to push you to improve your educational practice but after speaking to many of you this week I realize that I may have stumbled upon something else that’s really important at this time of year…
Trying something new and pushing yourself to be a better educator will help you on these beautiful days; it will help you to remain engaged when it is so easy to drift off to the beach, the lake, or the golf course. We’re all aware of how the kids are ready for summer and, being honest with ourselves – we’re ready too 🙂 However, we know in our hearts that the school year is far from over. There are still major topics to be taught, important skills to learn, and myriad opportunities for our students to have great experiences.
Hearing the stories of the risks that some of you are taking in your classes is tremendously inspiring! Teaching a lesson in a new way, experimenting with different learning games, reconfiguring class groupings, trying out 20-Time, creating a ‘flipped lesson’, and “talking at the class less” are just some of the risks being taken in our Middle School. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering or something that will rewrite the history books but trying something that is new-to-you could have a huge benefit for not only your students but for you as well!!
So, are you ready to take a risk and step out of your comfort zone in the name of helping to keep summer at bay for just a few weeks longer?!? Give it a shot…whatever your motivation!
Pushing Forward 