In the last three months, we have been bombarded with information about the standards in all their forms. Right now, my view of these and how to incorporate them in my future classroom are strictly speculation. In fact, as I sit in my living room watching The Sandlot with my daughter, I realize that incorporating all these standards for my future students to achieve is like peeking through the small hole in the fence and catching a glimpse of "the Beast". That large, looming unknown just off in the distance. It is terrifying.
How will we accomplish all these in the short nine to ten months we have with our students? We have math, literacy, science, history, art, music, technology and more, let alone teaching our students to act like decent human beings.
Here is the awesome thing, we have a choice. We can be overwhelmed and work harder to reach the standards for each subject, like trying to find different ways to retrieve the baseball from the backyard of "the Beast". Or, we could face the problem head on, walking to the front door, knock and ask the owner for help.
Work smarter, not harder.
In other words, think efficiency. How can I incorporate a theme or idea through most or all of the subject areas to create opportunities for students to learn and achieve the standards?
Do not to be afraid to ask for help.
Our first year is going to be stressful and overwhelming but there are so many resources surrounding us in the form of other teachers, administrators, and most of all, technology. Break out of our world and become global collaborators ourselves.
Learn along with our students.
We will become better teachers and understand how to help our students achieve the ISTE student standards by striving to be better practitioners of the ISTE educator standards ourselves. When we continually work to improve our skills as educators, our art of teaching, overtime, that fearful "beast" will reveal itself to be nothing more than a slobbery puppy dog; one that is messy and requires attention but that will no longer illicit fear.
Well said, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteWe have been bombarded with so much information in such a short period of time, it is a little intimidating. I agree with you, as future teachers we can definitely learn along with our students. That is so true! I think that is one of reason why this career is so rewarding. I think to be successful teachers we are constantly learning, refining our skills, and adapting our overall pedagogy. Having an open mind will go a long way in this profession. It’s a never ending process, in the end we just have to trust it (excuse the cliché). I love the Babe Ruth scene in Sandlot, when he tells Benny’, about the differences between heroes and legends. Babe says, “Heroes get remembered but legends never die; follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.” I am really starting to see the wisdom in Whitworth’s mantra of “education of the mind and heart”. If we follow our hearts as future educators in this profession, we should be successful. High five! For using the Sandlot to make some really great points! :)