“Estella” kennyhoopla
I’m usually a fairly open book around my colleagues, which sometimes means I say things I shouldn’t. This is one of those times when I think I just need to say something, though it’s probably fairly obvious to those around me.
I’m underwater. Like, deep. Like, “Oooh, look at that pretty coral reef – I wonder if there’s room for me to move in over there.” Like, I don’t know if they make scuba gear for this, but the oxygen tank would have to be pretty big.
Now, some of you might be thinking, “Well, maybe grade something instead of writing a blog.”
And this is true, but is also only a small adhesive bandage over a bigger problem. I write to think, and I think I need different solutions. I’ve all but given up on the idea of finding something like sanity in the world around me. I have only partial control over most things in my life right now (if even partial control). So I’ve decided to try to find some sanity in the one place I might be able to make it happen – at work.
And thus, I’m embarking on a journey to find some classroom teacherlife sanity, and if you’re reading this, you get to come along for the ride. I don’t want to spend the year feeling like I’m underwater, but if that’s where I’m going to be, I’d like to embrace it and make it work for me. I’m calling this series “Scuba Gear,” and I will be asking for lots of help from colleagues and friends to make it happen. Instead of trying to constantly stay afloat, I’m going to try to figure out things I can do to swim in the reef. With our collective brains engaged, hopefully we can all enjoy our digs on the ocean floor this year.
The first stop is to reexamine what is essential in what I teach. I believe in curriculum revision – not the “just copy this text and paste it in those boxes” version, but the kind where we have thoughtful discussions about what is most important and why. That’s a constant discussion in my teachinglife, both internally and externally. It’s at the heart of a lot of the water that’s above me. I’ve nipped and tucked and played at streamlining things every year, but for the next month, I’m committing to taking steps (big and small) to get down to the heart of what I think my students should learn. I know I’m not the only one with this in mind, so let’s catch a current and go for a swim. In the next post, we’ll get into Word Walling and 7-12ing the curriculum (I just made up those words). Until then, enjoy the water!
learning together 