As a teacher, there are many reasons to look forward to summer break. Even though I taught summer school for 5 weeks and have 3-4 days of in-service training, my summer is great for a number of reasons. Here is my top 10 list...
10. I can wake up at 5 a.m. and take my time. I do not have to hurry to run (work out), grab breakfast, read, and be at school by 6:30 a.m. Even teaching summer school allows me some morning time. (starts at 8 a.m.). The challenge now is maintaining the discipline, which is still a struggle, to take care of those things when you get up early--not wasting my time, rather making my list and tending to it. Having a new baby at home has helped me get up early, but it also will zap your energy. The secret is disciplining myself to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, so the time will come when I can do what I want to do, when I want to do it.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/teaching/7412162
Just finished publishing my first work. More details to come!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Completing Summer School
My students have worked very hard over the past 5 weeks. It is not easy to give up the majority of your summer to spend 6 hours Monday through Thursday, not to mention homework time, to take an optional math class. Although the desire may not come from within (sometimes parents encourage), most of my students are highly motivated and want to be here. They enjoy learning and want to do their very best. It helps to have supportive parents, but after recently completing the book Outliers , I have a better understanding of why some students achieve more. In a nutshell, those students that continue their education during the summer months, be it in a classroom, by reading on their own, or with experiences with their families, have higher levels of success as compared to those students who spend their summers watching t.v., hanging out with friends, etc.
At the same time, how many of us as professionals continue to grow, read, and learn after our formal schooling has ended? We are either progressing or digressing, never remaining in the same place. How many times have I myself chosen to watch television or surf the web when I could be engaging in a book or other material that will take me to where I want to be. I am improving, but I am not yet where I want to be in regards to this level of discipline. I will continue to persevere and in time I will accomplish more.
The choice as to whether or not to teach summer school is difficult for some teachers. Yes, the extra income would be nice, however, we have worked very hard over the past 10 months with the hopes of recharging our battery during the summer months. Teaching a PreAP class as opposed to a credit recover class makes a difference as you are working with motivated students. I do remember my first tours as a rookie summer school when the job was much more demanding, but as I have paid my dues, I am fortunate to have a great group of hard-working students. Some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to teach in the summer:
1. Do I need/want the extra income?
Most teachers get paid for 12 months out of the year, so anything made during the summer is a bonus.
2. What does the schedule look like?
Monday - Thursday? Having a three-day weekend makes a huge difference.
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.?
3. Will you have any summer left?
Having 3-4 weeks before reporting back still gives me a break.
Whether or not you are teaching summer school, my hope is that you use your summer to make something happen. Have a plan and set some goals. WRITE IT DOWN! Even if your goal is to refresh yourself physically and mentally, have a plan of how to do it. Otherwise, you will wake up at the end of August wondering where the summer went.
At the same time, how many of us as professionals continue to grow, read, and learn after our formal schooling has ended? We are either progressing or digressing, never remaining in the same place. How many times have I myself chosen to watch television or surf the web when I could be engaging in a book or other material that will take me to where I want to be. I am improving, but I am not yet where I want to be in regards to this level of discipline. I will continue to persevere and in time I will accomplish more.
The choice as to whether or not to teach summer school is difficult for some teachers. Yes, the extra income would be nice, however, we have worked very hard over the past 10 months with the hopes of recharging our battery during the summer months. Teaching a PreAP class as opposed to a credit recover class makes a difference as you are working with motivated students. I do remember my first tours as a rookie summer school when the job was much more demanding, but as I have paid my dues, I am fortunate to have a great group of hard-working students. Some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to teach in the summer:
1. Do I need/want the extra income?
Most teachers get paid for 12 months out of the year, so anything made during the summer is a bonus.
2. What does the schedule look like?
Monday - Thursday? Having a three-day weekend makes a huge difference.
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.?
3. Will you have any summer left?
Having 3-4 weeks before reporting back still gives me a break.
Whether or not you are teaching summer school, my hope is that you use your summer to make something happen. Have a plan and set some goals. WRITE IT DOWN! Even if your goal is to refresh yourself physically and mentally, have a plan of how to do it. Otherwise, you will wake up at the end of August wondering where the summer went.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
If You Aim at Nothing...
...You'll hit it every time. I've heard Zig Ziglar use that quote, and it is absolutely true. If we fail to set goals for ourselves in all walks of life, we will just drift along and really not accomplish much.
I have seen it in my running countless times. When I have a marathon that I know if coming up, I know exactly what my goal is and I start to plan exactly how I what I am going to do in the weeks/months leading up to it. I know I need at least one 20 mile run, and a week or two prior to the race to recover. Knowing that the marathon is coming and if I do not train properly, I will risk injury (either to my pride or physically). Conversely, after running my last my race of the spring which is the Oklahoma City Marathon, my plan is to continue to run and keep myself in shape over the summer in preparation for the fall schedule. The problem is that if I do not have a definite race to train for, it is near impossible for me to remain motivated and stick to a schedule. I like to think of myself as highly motivated, but the stark reality is that without a goal, it is hard to maintain, improve, and continue to press on.
I see this in my classroom as well. If I do not have a goal for myself and my students, we will coast along and wake up in April wondering where the time went. Having an end-of-course exam and setting a goal for all of my students to score commended gives me a target and reinforces what I am doing. All that we do as educators should revolve around helping students be successful and preparing them for their future. When we break that goal up into something measurable, it empowers us and gives us a sense of direction. Students need goals and it is important that we as educators model that process for them.
The summer time is a great chance for teachers to set new goals for themselves in all areas of life as well as begin planning their goals for the upcoming school year. Start small. Make a list of what you want to get done this week and even tomorrow. When I put it down on paper, I have found that things get done. Very few people write down their goals, but if we will make a conscious effort to do so, what seemed at first as insurmountable will eventually be a reality.
I have seen it in my running countless times. When I have a marathon that I know if coming up, I know exactly what my goal is and I start to plan exactly how I what I am going to do in the weeks/months leading up to it. I know I need at least one 20 mile run, and a week or two prior to the race to recover. Knowing that the marathon is coming and if I do not train properly, I will risk injury (either to my pride or physically). Conversely, after running my last my race of the spring which is the Oklahoma City Marathon, my plan is to continue to run and keep myself in shape over the summer in preparation for the fall schedule. The problem is that if I do not have a definite race to train for, it is near impossible for me to remain motivated and stick to a schedule. I like to think of myself as highly motivated, but the stark reality is that without a goal, it is hard to maintain, improve, and continue to press on.
I see this in my classroom as well. If I do not have a goal for myself and my students, we will coast along and wake up in April wondering where the time went. Having an end-of-course exam and setting a goal for all of my students to score commended gives me a target and reinforces what I am doing. All that we do as educators should revolve around helping students be successful and preparing them for their future. When we break that goal up into something measurable, it empowers us and gives us a sense of direction. Students need goals and it is important that we as educators model that process for them.
The summer time is a great chance for teachers to set new goals for themselves in all areas of life as well as begin planning their goals for the upcoming school year. Start small. Make a list of what you want to get done this week and even tomorrow. When I put it down on paper, I have found that things get done. Very few people write down their goals, but if we will make a conscious effort to do so, what seemed at first as insurmountable will eventually be a reality.
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