Thing #1

One of the first things I tell my students at the beginning of the year is that I'm never going to assign something that I'm not willing to do myself. When they write journals at the beginning of class, I write with them. Before I have them work on assignments in groups or individually, I always use a model that I have created or written. Not only do i do this to be an example for my students, but also to challenge myself. It keeps me fresh and on top of the material I teach. It's a way for me to continue to be a life-long learner.

I can't be an effective teacher if I don't believe in the product or service that I'm providing. In this case, I provide knowledge and learning. Just as I wouldn't trust a Toyota salesman that didn't drive a Toyota, I can't expect my kids to trust me that they will learn in my class if I don't want to or know how to learn myself. For this reason, I constantly reference my HBU Grad School experiences. Being on the other side of a classroom has been invigorating. I missed soaking up information and new knowledge. And even though I sit in professional development every year and go to conferences, there is something about going to class, having homework, and following a syllabus that satiates my desire to learn.

From the list of 7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners, I am most efficient at Habit 7, teach and mentor others. Besides teaching English II and English II Pre AP and coaching Northbrook High School's Varsity Cheerleading Squad, I also am an instructor at Region 4 in their Alternative Certification Program. For five years, I have taught people (adults) how to be teachers. I have talked them through the lesson plan cycle and given them pointers on how to set up a classroom management system. Basically, I have been a direct line to a classroom. I answer questions, give advice, walk them through an interview, and share my experiences. More than anything, this has helped me to learn and grow as a teacher. It has taught me to truly believe in what I'm teaching regardless of what type of classroom I am in. Teaching and mentoring those teacher candidates reaffirms what I do for a living and reminds me of how much I love my job.

The habit that I am the weakest at is Habit 3, view problems as challenges. I can honestly say that I deal with normal, everyday stress pretty well. I am a good problem solver...for the most part. However, much of the time, I don't have a normal, everyday schedule. Even before Grad School, life was hectic. I would go from after school tutorials to Region 4 or a pep rally to a football game in Waller, Texas. Fourteen hour days are my normal. And at times it becomes overwhelming. It's hard for me to look at my schedule and not see problems and conflicts. A lot of times I feel like I am running full speed at a wall or driving way above the speed limit towards a road block. I don't know how to turn those problems into challenges. In order to push through, it usually takes some serious encouragement and prodding from those close to me. Eventually, the grading gets completed and football season ends. The problems get solved, but I come out exhausted. If I looked at those conflicts more as challenges, I have a feeling I would feel a lot more accomplished when they were over instead of just wanting a really long nap.

One challenge that I am looking forward to, however, is the project I have decided to take on in my Learning Contract. You may view both the objective and the contract in a Google Doc HERE.

-Sarah