Teaching Tip Tuesday: Why Stop Now?

Why Stop Now?

In our district, the first 6 weeks of the 2017/2018 school year have come to an end.  Not only is this a great time for reflection, but this is also a great time to think about the excellent things still to come this school year!

This can be very hard to do.  Many of us run different versions of this race.  Some sprint and get burnt out even before the winter holidays.  Yet most treat the school year as an adventure or marathon.  You keep a great pace, you reflect, and you continue on until the very end.

So, here are 4 great tips to keep you going throughout the year:

1.)  Reflect: 

Write down what worked or didn't work for you each grading period (6 or 9 week periods). Taking the opportunity to do this will help you better understand both your teaching practices and your students. 

2.)  Try Something New: 

Change it up a bit!  If you're starting to get tired of the same old thing every day.... so are your students.  Try a new idea or instructional approach.  Try a new Technology tool, game, or activity.  Take your students to different learning environments in and around the school: ex: outside, cafeteria, stage, another teachers classroom (joint lesson), etc.  

3.)  Declutter:

Hundreds of unread emails?  Class in shambles... in great contrast to the first day of school?  Lesson plans and planning materials lost throughout your shelves?  Graded... and ungraded papers strewn throughout the room?  Clean up!  Clean up the physical space in your room, your materials, and your digital life.  Delete old files, emails, bookmarks, and other stuff that is keeping you from being organized.  Clean off your desktop, and start fresh this grading period.  If you feel good about your room and your organization... your students will too!

4.)  Reach Out and Grow Your PLN

Don't hesitate on reaching out for help and ideas from your administration, peers, specialist, PLN, and more.  This is the power of social media and networking!  Teachers love helping other teachers.  Need a fresh idea or strategy?  Lean on those you have placed around yourself for instructional leadership at times when it's needed.