Beginning to Find the Flow

It's mid-October.  I should have found a rhythm by now, but it's been hard.  No need to go back over the textbook and the changed curriculum.  Why rehash the difficulties?  Writing about negatives sometimes makes me feel more negative, so let's not 😁But here we are, past Fall Break and approaching Thanksgiving, and it is all beginning to come together.  As always, a myriad of convoluted happenstances is what has created the change.

1. Our principal met with the 6th grade ELA team.  There were tears.  We vented, we soul-searched, we strived to be the rule followers and team players we are, while honestly demonstrating how each of us is reaching the end of her proverbial tether.  The release was good.  Even better was the resounding support and planning ideas given to us.  Some weight was lifted, the spark of creativity relit.
2. We had our ELA CPT days.  Each content area is divided into grade level collaborative planning teams, and our school allows (and encourages) us to take a day with a paid sub, to plan and create together.  This year we were given the additional gift of one day for on-level and one for advanced. While always beneficial, this year it was literally life-changing - from a pedagogical standpoint, anyway!  With only 2-weeks notice about curriculum changes prior to the beginning of the school year, we have been literally planning from week-to-week, flying a little blind with the textbook, shoring up our teaching with what we know we do well from prior years, but never quite having the time to find rhythm and create flow.  We planned.  Oh boy, did we plan!  We took the new pacing plan and input what we knew worked from last year.  Booksnaps, novels, and DBQs ... OH MY!  The sparks were igniting.  Creating the lesson slides and preparing started to bring me the joy they always have once again.
3. I received an award.  Every month at our faculty meeting, our administrative team recognizes teachers for Inspiring Wonder.  Last year I received an award for Blazing New Trails, and honestly, it felt both right and deserved.  I was building something fantastic in our classroom, it was becoming a joyful place.  This year, I have struggled. I haven't felt worthy of any recognition other than for working hard.  Knowing that despite the struggle, the administration still recognized the spark, meant even more. 
   
4. I was observed by Mike, our Assistant Principal.  I love being observed.  Teaching is almost always a bit of a 'high' for me.  Oh, OK, there are THOSE days and those periods where it is a struggle to keep the energy high, but mostly, it's my happy place.  Add someone observing and I am on fire inside!  I love to be watched.  It brings out my best teaching and allows me to be the educator I always desire to be.  Even better was Mike's strategy of writing little notes and leaving them on my laptop to find later.  Such a fantastic way to give immediate feedback.  I need to do that with my students.  I will be starting that on Monday.  Who doesn't like to receive positive feedback?

And then, finally, this week, I got to share at our school collaboration.  I love to share.  Training peers is almost as much fun as teaching.  Well, except for the part where I am worried that no one will come.  That bit is always tough.  I even talked to Mike about whether the preparation it would take was going to be value for my time.  What if I spent hours creating and no one came?  He persuaded me otherwise, and I am so glad he did. Granted, the first session was only attended by Elizabeth, teacher friend who was there simply to support me (bless her!).  I got to practice and find my groove.  Second session brought in different faces and it fired me up.  Oh, how I love to share what I know and brainstorm what I don't!  The topic was on using social media to build pedagogical practice.  Since it was something near and dear to my heart, it was fun to put together and a blast to present.

Teaching my favorite lesson this week didn't hurt either!

She's back and she's got a HUGE smile on her face!