At the end of December, I felt as if I was in a lull in my teaching. It just felt like I was going through the motions despite being given positive feedback on my teaching. I had even asked a fellow colleague to come in and observe a lesson for feedback. Something just didn't feel right. I started to talk to a colleague and friend and he said, "What is that you want, Jenn? What do you want to be happening in your classroom?" I told him it had nothing to do with my class...I have the perfect class (really, you should meet them...they are amazing). I told him that I needed to think about it.
"To be your best, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable and embrace it as part of your growth process."-Jon Gordon
After giving it some thought, I knew what I was missing...contact with other teachers. What I really wanted was to see and experience how other teachers were doing things. I was curious. I wondered what was happening outside my four walls. I needed to re-invent the way I was doing things. I needed fresh air. It was time for me to take another risk in my teaching. I knew what I wanted and needed to teach...I just needed a new approach.
"Stay committed to your decisions; but stay flexible in your approach." --Tony Robbins
I approached a teacher in our building that I knew wanted to collaborate but had never really asked me. I mean, we had always shared ideas openly but we never collaborated in a true team teaching experience. I proposed to her that we could do Daily 5 together everyday and combine two classes which would have approximately 30 kids in total. I explained that we could learn from each other and it would be better for the students as they would always have teacher contact while the other teacher was doing their early intervention reading group. I also thought that the older students and younger students would be a great mix and could work together. After all, I had taught all of her current students the year before. After the proposal, I didn't know what to expect but the teacher immediately smiled and with no hesitation said, "Lets do this. I like your proposal. I trust you. I think it will be great." As I was walking out of her classroom I had the feeling that something cool was about to happen.
We have been collaborating for 3 weeks now and I've have learned so much just from being an observer and witnessing another teacher teach with me in my classroom. She has great ideas and also a ton of experience in a classroom. We switch off lessons and she prepares a lesson on even days and I prepare one on odd days. We discuss our tasks and lessons and what we think is best based on what we see students struggling with in their reading, writing, and word work. She has given me feedback as well which has been valuable for me. The one thing that has also been powerful for students is to see their teachers as learners and working together. Together, we are getting to conference with way more students in an hour period. I will see approximately 10 students in my half hour chunk and vice versa. So everyday we are making contact with atleast 20 students in an hour. The other neat thing is that she is helping my students and I am helping her students. It isn't about the grades that we teach....we are there to help students no matter what grade they are in.
Collaborating is good for the soul. It brings things out in you that you never knew existed. It challenges your thinking and how you do things. It makes you realize that you don't have all the answers. It teaches you that there is always something new to learn. It raises the stakes and keeps you on your toes. It brings life into your classroom. It opens the door to building new relationships with students and staff in your building. It calls everyone to be better.
"The most powerful thing you have in your school is collaboration. Without it, your growth is limited by your own perspective." #edchat #ce13 via @venspired
"To be your best, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable and embrace it as part of your growth process."-Jon Gordon
After giving it some thought, I knew what I was missing...contact with other teachers. What I really wanted was to see and experience how other teachers were doing things. I was curious. I wondered what was happening outside my four walls. I needed to re-invent the way I was doing things. I needed fresh air. It was time for me to take another risk in my teaching. I knew what I wanted and needed to teach...I just needed a new approach.
"Stay committed to your decisions; but stay flexible in your approach." --Tony Robbins
I approached a teacher in our building that I knew wanted to collaborate but had never really asked me. I mean, we had always shared ideas openly but we never collaborated in a true team teaching experience. I proposed to her that we could do Daily 5 together everyday and combine two classes which would have approximately 30 kids in total. I explained that we could learn from each other and it would be better for the students as they would always have teacher contact while the other teacher was doing their early intervention reading group. I also thought that the older students and younger students would be a great mix and could work together. After all, I had taught all of her current students the year before. After the proposal, I didn't know what to expect but the teacher immediately smiled and with no hesitation said, "Lets do this. I like your proposal. I trust you. I think it will be great." As I was walking out of her classroom I had the feeling that something cool was about to happen.
We have been collaborating for 3 weeks now and I've have learned so much just from being an observer and witnessing another teacher teach with me in my classroom. She has great ideas and also a ton of experience in a classroom. We switch off lessons and she prepares a lesson on even days and I prepare one on odd days. We discuss our tasks and lessons and what we think is best based on what we see students struggling with in their reading, writing, and word work. She has given me feedback as well which has been valuable for me. The one thing that has also been powerful for students is to see their teachers as learners and working together. Together, we are getting to conference with way more students in an hour period. I will see approximately 10 students in my half hour chunk and vice versa. So everyday we are making contact with atleast 20 students in an hour. The other neat thing is that she is helping my students and I am helping her students. It isn't about the grades that we teach....we are there to help students no matter what grade they are in.
Collaborating is good for the soul. It brings things out in you that you never knew existed. It challenges your thinking and how you do things. It makes you realize that you don't have all the answers. It teaches you that there is always something new to learn. It raises the stakes and keeps you on your toes. It brings life into your classroom. It opens the door to building new relationships with students and staff in your building. It calls everyone to be better.
"The most powerful thing you have in your school is collaboration. Without it, your growth is limited by your own perspective." #edchat #ce13 via @venspired