Back to the Drawing Board

When an activity seems to "fail" (we know by our own individual definitions what that is!), remember to "go back to the drawing board". We are not failures as teachers just because something didn't work the way we planned it to! We are courageous for trying new things and willing to take the risks necessary for meeting the needs of all our learners. It is important to take the perspective of ourselves in our students' shoes. Would you want to become engaged in this activity? Is the content relevant for me at this point in my studies? How can I apply this to the real world? What lifelong skills am I learning from this? Pushing through to your next lesson or activity builds stamina for trying new things. Remember, you are a model of courage and enthusiasm for your students!

New Year's Resolution Word Soup

Engagement, empowerment, reflection, self-efficacy, and a passion for learning are some areas that I will strive to apply on a daily basis in my lessons. Not that I forget to integrate these themes into my teaching, but I will make a conscientious effort to remember that what I do on a daily basis needs to come from within, in a proactive sense, and not reactionary. Since I assign goals for my students to achieve, why not establish goals or objectives for myself? Can these be realistically obtained on a daily basis?

Quenching the Thirst

As many educators do, I strive to provide a variety of learning opportunities for my students. More than ever, I have heard or read in my students' projects/presentations (I am a high school foreign language teacher), "I don't like homework" or "I don't like school" in the target language. The importance of creativity has become my number one priority in my lessons. I frequently revisit thoughts such as: How can I keep them engaged? How do I make sure to meet the lesson objectives, state standards and common assessments without losing myself in the creative process? I choose to keep safe in my heart that I am providing them with skills for lifelong learning. This is the path I shall take...