Why are we so afraid to color outside the lines?
Why are we afraid to step outside of our comfort zone? Why are we afraid to push the limits?
One of my most favorite (is that even correct grammar) books is Teach Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess. And this is my most favoritest quote.
On Friday, I had the privilege of attending the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta with 12 of my colleagues. We were the second group from PES to attend RCA.
I can honestly say this was one of the BEST. DAYS. EVER. in my 17 years as an educator.
The one thing that stuck out to me was the community and climate of the school. Those kids really love each other, their teachers, and their school. That is a blog post for another day.
I left tired but really thinking--Why are educators afraid? And even more....What are we afraid of?
Ron Clark started the morning by telling us that teachers have to stop blaming everything they have no control over. No matter what or who walks into your classroom, we are in control. Our test scores are a reflection of us. Student success is a reflection of us.
You could hear the gasps and the toes being stepped on. I am truly guilty of not taking the blame. But also, of not being proud of myself and the things that I have done.
Why are educators so afraid of teaching a bad lesson or having an assessment that our kids fail? Maybe it is time to rethink that lesson or the way in which we taught it. Maybe it is time to blame ourselves.
1. If you could peer inside your classroom, would you choose to go in?
How powerful is that question? Dave Burgess asks the question, "If your students didn't have to be in your class, would they choose to come anyway?" If you can't answer YES to these questions, it is time to change something. We owe that to our students.
2. Surround yourself with people who fuel your soul.
If you believe that we need to stop the fear and begin the education revolution and transformation, my door is always open to you. I am done with those who are negative. I am not afraid to find those who fuel me and hope that I am the fuel for someone else's fire.
I think Brandon Fleming and I could be teacher BFFs. His seminar spoke to my soul. He made me realize that a part of me is doing what I want to do. But I have so much more to give. His words of wisdom were:
If you don't make is interesting you will lose 99% of them.
Teachers aren't creative because they are lazy.
We have come to love the subject more than the kids we teach.
How do you make your students feel? Have you transformed their mind and heart.
Educating Means Empowering.
I walked out of RCA feeling energized and inspired. And guilty. Guilty for not giving my all everyday. Guilty of not being on fire everyday. Guilty of being afraid to teach the way I want to teach.
The past 3 years in STEM and with the iPad initiative, I feel like I have stepped out of the box and gently pushed the limits. RCA made me realize that I have so much more to give. So much more desire to change the way I do education.
No more fear. No more coloring inside the lines. No more lazy lessons. No more sludge. No more safe lessons.
Look out PES---a new Mrs. Meares is on the horizon. Room 209 is going to be a place of wonder. A place my kiddos can't wait to enter. A place that is creative. A place that is on fire. A place of learning and love.
