Here is a tiny reflection of this year's glows and grows.
- CURRICULUM GOING STRONG // I've had the opportunity to develop projects and refine my curriculum choices over the past three years, and I'm happy with the progress. There's stuff I want to tweak and improve and add, but I feel generally positive about this year's texts and projects. I'm teaching stuff I love and value, seeing strong results and feedback from students, and the work of building curriculum is actually enjoyable to me.
- RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS // I've taken advantage of moments during and outside of instruction to get to know students more personally, and I love this. Nothing makes me happier than the students who stop by in between classes, say hi in the hallways, or randomly email me something they think I'd enjoy. I love the ones who linger after it's time to go to chat just a little more. I know that the close relationships I formed with my teachers as a high schooler were incredibly meaningful to me, and the idea that I could have a fraction on that impact on another person is overpowering my feelings right now.
- THE GIKVISORY GRADUATED! // This is so bittersweet. I won the lottery for an incredible group of young people, and it was pure happiness to see my advisees and their families celebrating at graduation. I was, though, really thrown off when one of them said, "Bye!" as one does at the conclusion of a thing, and I sort of broke down mentally because whatdoyoumeanyou'reactuallyleaving?! In the fall I'll start from scratch with a new batch of incoming freshmen, and I am eternally grateful for my first group for their ceaseless kindness, silliness, and all-around love. They've taught me way more than I think I've done for them.
- SCHOOL FAMILY // Ever since I arrived here, my colleagues have been like family. I am so lucky to come to work every day and see people with whom I genuinely enjoy spending time, solving problems, and sharing joys. I feel supported through highs and lows, and remain so in awe of the work and commitment of this faculty. I'm fairly certain this is atypical for any work environment, and it's not lost on me how special it is.
The Class of 2017!
GROWS
- COLLABORATION IS TRICKY // With my colleagues, I always say I want to work more closely on things together, but I so rarely take the steps to actually do it. I want to observe master educators in their classrooms, I want to design units and projects across disciplines, I want to build programs and initiatives for our school, but my time gets occupied with something else and I move on and away from this goal. I need to be more purposeful and deliberate -- not to mention accountable -- for acting on these collaborations if I truly value them.
- KIDS WHO SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS // I know this happens to every teacher, but I want to pay more attention to the students in my classes or in my Advisory whom I am not reaching. It's not the case that I need to be their person, but I do want to make sure they are receiving what they need. In classes of over 30 students, some will get lost academically or emotionally, and I want to better acknowledge and approach these relationships to better serve every student.
- TIME MANAGEMENT // One of my colleagues joked the other day that our main office is "a black hole time suck," and I love everything about that statement. It's where our amazing staff (see above) gathers and hangs, but it's also true that every time I'm there I'm less productive than I could be. I need to do a much better job of using my prep periods to plan, grade, and check off tasks, and hopefully reduce the amount of work I'm bringing home at night and on the weekends.
- SO MANY HATS // I'm not sure I'll ever actually solve this one. It's both the nature of our school and the nature of my personality to say yes to lots of projects and initiatives. I get excited about creating new things and taking on more roles, and sometimes these new commitments pull me away from the students I teach, or my personal/home life. I hope to plan more thoughtfully in order to be more discerning about the things I put on my plate.
Congratulations, teachers and students on a school year down!
Here's to a summer of reflecting and planning, resting and refueling, gearing up for the next round.
