It's the last day of June and I'm still tired. Although this has been a very rewarding year for me as a teacher, I loved my students, and, as usual, they taught me far more than I could have hoped to teach them, I am still struggling with the changes brought about by COVID. I did not video record every class. I did not reach out to every student who missed my class every day. Those were expectations that I could not meet. I compromised. I reached out two to three times per week and kept notes for all students in Canvas. I tried to let Google Meet run live all day every day so that students could ask questions from home if they chose to do so. I was not the remote teacher I wanted to be. My expectations for myself are still higher than I can hope to meet. No matter how hard I work, how much I plan, or how many new ideas I implement, I never meet all my own expectations. I have had to learn to compromise. If compromise is hard to do with yourself, imagine how hard it is to reach with others. This is hard. This is one of many reflections I'm examining as I take on a new role in education.
New Position: I have accepted the opportunity to become an instructional coach for Wea Ridge, Southwestern, and Wainwright Middle Schools. I am delighted to return to the south side of Tippecanoe County to support teachers and students. I can't wait to get to work with the Huskies, Wildcats, and Mustangs!
New Hobby: I picked up beading. Now I'm officially a perfect customer for shopping at Von's. Books & beads.
Challenges: How to be the kind of support to our teachers that they need most.
Learning: The language of instructional coaching.
Reading:
High-Impact Instruction - Jim Knight
Better Conversations - Jim Knight
Coaching for Equity - Elena Aguilar
and, of course,
Connections Over Compliance by Lori Desautels
Onward by Elena Aguilar
I hope you have time for your own reflections!
6/30/21
