10. Summer Vacation. Make no mistake that teachers need this time to be renewed for another year. I'm already looking forward to beach days, trips to visit friends and family, and following some of my other interests for those quick two months.
9. Creating spaces that feel like home. If you came into my office today (or former classroom) you'd find soft lighting, plants, and walls decorated that reflect my values and beliefs. Conferring table is there and a very small teacher desk behind it. And a tree decal. Always a tree.
8. Funny emails that circulate every so often. Like this exchange:
JB (to whole staff)
Subject line: ALL HAIL CILANTRO
Message: Thank you for the tasty lunch today!
TJ, reply all: Yes, thank you! It was delicious!
GS, reply all: Thank you so much, it was awesome!
ES, reply all: TAAAAACOOOOOOOO TUUUUEEEEESDAY!!! Everything was delicious yesterday, thank you.
OR
JL (to whole staff): Seventh grader AM has lost one of her airpods this morning. If you see it, let me know.
JB, reply all: Has she checked her ear?
7. Middle School Commentary: An eighth grader telling me, "Ugghhhh, you're just like my mom," and me taking it as a term of endearment. Happened on a separate occasion last year, too. I don't mind :-)
6. Being able to constantly revise our work, ideas, and instruction. Like this year, our eighth grade teachers are making a few tweaks to the Serial Podcast Argument Unit. It makes so much more sense how we are ordering instruction this year. It was good last year, but will be even better this year.
5. Being creative. Our standards may be common, but lesson delivery can certainly be tailored to each individual person's interests and ideas. I would have never thought to teach an argument unit around a murder podcast, but hey, that works. And it's so engaging. But if a teacher isn't into it? No big deal! They can do something else!
4. The consistent routines and rituals built around a school year. Summers to relax and then in fall we're all engaged with back to school energy. The unwinding around Thanksgiving and fun around winter holidays. Valentine's day with adolescents is interesting and never boring, book clubs in the spring, and graduation rituals in May. I love the routines, and it's always cool to experience them with another group of kids. You know what is coming, and they live it in excitement.
3. Reading & Writing Workshop. Only the best instructional model out there. Demonstration for 10-12 minutes, Workshop where kids do the work for the bulk of the time (45ish minutes), and a closing where everyone shares what they've learned. Teachers confer, students get their instruction differentiated, and kids do most of the work. After all, whomever is doing the work is doing the learning, and I've already done eighth grade.
2. Ohana. A few years ago we came across Ohana, from Lilo and Stitch. We did a building wide activity around it, later painted a mural of it in our hallways, and this year, put a decal up in our lounge about it, too. But it's more than just those visual reminders. It really does feel like family here at HMS. People know stuff about your life and care and ask. People share about their families. We do happy hour and lunches. When we take group pictures at staff outings, we come back to school the following week and find that picture was printed and placed in everyone's mailbox. It's a bunch of little things that add up to one really amazing feeling, of feeling right at home each day while we work.
1. Kids. I don't have my own kids yet, but I've loved some of the kids I've taught in a pretty fierce way, so I can only imagine what it is like to have a child of your own. But my students? They are pretty awesome. Even in the hard conversations. Maybe even *especially in the hard conversations. Over the years, I've learned how to address them with the most ease, and thankfully this list of tricks has come to my aid time and time again:
- When I notice some attitude or tone, I softly ask, "Are you mad at me?" This works well to open a dialogue with students I know well and those I don't know at all.
- Apologizing when I mess up. No one is perfect, and I think it's helpful to model the behaviors you expect form kids.
- Telling kids, "I wouldn't nag you if I didn't care about you," when we are in the thick of discipline.
And lastly, kids are just entertaining. There is never a dull moment. Like, when they can finish your sentences, when they call out others who have less tenure with you, when they abruptly run into your office to "say hi" (when they're actually being chased), when they leave you notes on your desk, idk. Kids are just the best. the best. the best.
Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.
That is a fabulous list! I especially love the ohana one and the one about running into your office to say hi b/c they're escaping from someone. Kids are a riot! We have the best job ever. PS I think I'm going to copy your idea for tomorrow's blog. ;0)
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