Spring Fever!

 Spring Break.

Always a defining moment.

The week before break:

Student - "What do I need to study for Milestones?"

Teacher - "You don't need to study for Milestones, you are being tested on the Georgia Standards of Excellence, which is what we have been working towards all year."

Student - "Instead of this project, can I study for the Milestones?"

Teacher - "Working on your project IS studying for the Milestones..."

I think that this year it was stronger than ever - especially from our virtual students.  For a while there we didn't believe that there would be state testing, so now it has crept upon us all.  Students who haven't been as focused as they might be in their virtual world are suddenly realizing that their parents didn't 'waive' them from testing - and they can't hide anymore.  But I always wonder why they still think that the state test is more important than their sixth-grade results.  How do we communicate this so badly?

On the other hand...

Some students decided to stop working the week before break. It made their life a bit tough.  The week before break I gave them a week to research for an explorer project, time to Flipgrid their ideas for me to give them feedback. Time to design the future website, think about the theme, images, and audience engagement.  Time to give feedback to each other.  Then the week after break, they have had the entire week to put the website together.

Balance your time and the process was smooth.

Balance your time, and you have the space to create a wonderful website.

Do very little, don't respond/read the feedback, site creation becomes a lot of work.  Oh dear!

We keep on keeping on...

But of course, the majority of students fell somewhere in between.  Most of them followed the plan, many jumped on to all of the extra time that I gave for website check-ins.  It might have felt the most repetitive 4-6 hours ahead of my time, but so worthwhile for teaching, supporting, and continuing to build relationships!  And boy!  There are some awesome sites being created!

See the project HERE, to include photographs from the room transformation for the face-to-face students.

But what about the teacher?

I always find this an incredibly hard time - not because I am ready for the year to end (I still don't relate to that), but because I am excited for the new year ahead!  It's time to reflect on what worked...what didn't...what I wish I had started earlier...what I plan to change....

All made far more interesting this year because I have no idea what my job will be next year.  Will I be teaching 6th grade at DeSana?  Will I be teaching 7th grade? Will I be teaching on-level or advanced?  What's the plan. 

I have no idea.  

Will I find a way to follow my dream of finding somewhere filled with professional collaboration and the opportunity to be a literacy leader?  Will I be able to make use of my new coaching endorsements and online learning skills?

One of my favorite things about being a teacher is the possibility to reinvent yourself every year.  You can always be better.  You can always make change.  You can always make it a better learning experience for your future students. 

Hey kids!  The future is golden for all of us. Your testing is just a snapshot of a year, and we can keep working together towards greatness.  I have the last opportunity to cement relationships and grow an intrinsic desire to learn in my current students.  And next year will be what it is - and will always give me an opportunity to find a new and greater version of myself as I strive, always, to be the very best version of an educator that I can be.

Let's keep on keeping on!