Ch-ch-changes

Ch-ch-ch-Changes!  

Things change.

Change is tough.

This is the time of year we are just hanging on. We haven’t seen our 4th period in a week, due to funky testing schedules. There are some huge tests going on or coming up. We have a handful of dances, banquets, awards assemblies, field trips and graduations to organize.

And we’re starting to wrap our heads around our summer plans, both professional and personal.

Our summers are definitely the time for relaxing and recharging our “teaching batteries”.

But for many of us, summer is when we get to slow down and occasionally think about our work, while we’re removed from the day-to-day craziness.

I’d like to suggest that you find a way to do PD and refine your craft at some point, in some way. We, of course do AWESOME professional development during the summer. There are some great TED talks and books and podcasts and MOOCs out there. I promise to curate a list and get that out to you all before the end of the year.

Really, you need and deserve some wonderful vacations, whether you are travelling the world or vegging on your couch.

But when you get some R&R out of your system, don’t forget to learn more about your content, pedagogy, management, tech, or just something that will help you out next year.

It’s common for teachers to be frustrated about  “one more thing” and “this, too, shall pass” and “why do they keep changing everything?”..

But honestly, we are all trying to get better and update our practice to the latest body of knowledge in our fields.

And that field of knowledge is always changing, just like the medical field is always changing. Remember a few years ago when eating eggs was bad for you? Well, now it’s good for you. Not because “those people” are idiots, but because our understanding of effective practices changes.

Think about how you plan to improve and refine your professional practice over the summer. This is not the PD you do because your evaluation or your Deliberate Practice says you have to. This is the PD you do because you WANT to.

Do it on your time, in your style, with your interests.  

Just do it. Grow your self and your practice.

I promise -- if you choose it because you want to learn it, you will get way more out if it!