Howdy! Happy Friday! But isn’t every day of summer like Friday!?
I am linking up with Marie at The Hands On Teacher In First for the next chapter of Teach Like A Pirate! This chapter is all about Immersion! The question is are you a lifeguard or a swimmer?
This chapter really struck a nerve with me. I am the first to admit that I can be easily distracted. It happens. My doctor once told me I had the worst case of ….OOOOOOOSPARKLY!……..adult ADHD he’d seen! So yeah, I get distracted. It’s hard not to. Especially with our smartphones and email. If your district is anything like ours, you can check your email me in the morning before school and you’ll have 432 more district emails at the end of the day. I am guilty of checking my email and my phone way too much during the day. My resolution: check email in the morning and after school and only check my phone during lunch. That will help me stay immersed in my class and be in the moment more.
Now, here is my little soapbox: the public is always so critical of teachers and blame us for the issues in education. But guess what? We’re not the problem. You want to know why I can’t be in the moment and be fully immersed? Because I am drowning in paperwork and forms and assessments. People need to know that if we didn’t have to fill out 324 pieces of paper daily that w could spend more time…..wait for it….TEACHING! With that said, I am always in trouble for NOT doing paperwork and turning it in on time. But guess what?! I don’t care. I am an educator and not a paper pusher. My priority is educating my students and not doing redundant, pointless paper work that has ZERO benefit to my students. Put the paperwork down. It doesn’t matter.
With our new evaluation process we are evaluated on whether we are following our lesson plans as written. Let that absurdity soak in. OK…true story. If my observer walks in and I’m doing something not on my plans, then I am scored down. However, a good teacher knows that teachable moments happen all day and a good teacher knows that you take those teachable moments and run with them. This is what makes for successful learning! I like this piece of advice from Dave Burgess:
Be in the moment. Ignore the distractions and become a swimmer with your students. Take the plunge and swim!
And of course, no Friday is complete with Five For Friday!
I love the new picture frames that my friend Katie sent me!!! I can’t wait to get pictures in them and display them in the CEO suite here at the Kindergarten Smorgasboard world headquarters!
Yep. It’s a mustache straw and I’m using it in public! Ain’t no shame people!
Oh my. I have more classroom stuff than I know what to do with. I just moved another car load of stuff from my old classroom! YIKES!
Summer tan time! Nuff said!
I just ordered a new helmet for my Vespa, LooseWheel Ball!
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6 comments
I love your post about paperwork! Drives me crazy too! I just need to order Teach Like a Pirate! I have it on my wish list, but you have motivated me!
Joanne
Head Over Heels For Teaching
I love your post about paperwork. I'm terrible and get lost in the moment quite often with my students. Afterall….isn't that what we're there for, lol?! If I were marked down for not following my lesson plans to the 't', I'd be in big trouble. It's in those teachable moments that students learn the MOST! Thanks for sharing! =)
~Tanya
A+ Firsties
I'm loving the mustache straw. I'd rock that in public, too! 😉 After reading all the posts about “Teach like a Pirate”, I'm going to have to order this book. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Jeannie
The 2nd Grade Surprise
Your soapbox is one that I have with anyone that will listen! (Sadly it is usually my husband that has to hear it, and he is sure to be sick of it!) Do you want me to teach or fill out some useless, redundant paper work?! Some of my personal favorites- a reteaching calendar for each month. Seriously?! You can't just look at my lesson plans that you make me write in this insane format that I will never use?! You can't just TRUST me as a teacher and professional to be teaching and reteaching all the time?! UGH!
Gina
I just ordered the book on Amazon. That and vacuum cleaner bags. Ah, it must be summer. Anyway, the bit about just “being” with your students actually made me cry. I am so bad with just sitting back and enjoying the ride. Usually it is the paperwork etc. that gets in the way. Thanks for giving me a “light bulb” moment. My plan is to be quiet and still and enjoy the moment at least once a day. I'll build up from there.
Angie K
Making The Basis Fun
The immersion chapter of Teach Like a Pirate has really struck a nerve with me too! I just wrote about how difficult it was to even immerse myself in a movie at the theater. I was completely immersed until my son had to go to the bathroom and I checked my phone while I was waiting on him. From then on, I was distracted by the message my friend sent even when I put my phone away and went into the theater!
My Kinder-Garden