I awoke this morning on my last day of a five day vacation with my family in Florida. Palm Trees, Warm Sand, Margaritaville desserts larger than my head, and Facebook posts from teachers at home lamenting and criticizing the lack of a two hour delay due to the slick roads and falling snow. About eight hours from now, their nightmare will be mine as well. Meanwhile, this morning, we've heard tales of the anticipated "frigid" temperatures expected here. FORTIES! Last night, you could tell who were the natives and who were the vacationers, based upon the layers worn on CityWalk. Those of us from PA decided on long pants. Floridians had puffy NorthFace jackets, scarves, and gloves. It's amazing how perspective influences reactions. The Te@chthought Prompt for the day plays nicely into this reflection on perspective:What advice can you give a new teacher as to the priority or focus for energy as they begin their careers?For the last five days, I've been "Living in Distinguished." Warm, but not too hot, surrounded by family, answering to multiple requests from someone who calls me Beanie, and eating desserts for dinner. It's been a great vacation, but I know it is coming to an end.What's that "Living in Distinguished" stuff about, you ask? Well, it's my advice to new teachers. The new framework for teachers makes for an easily-discouraged teacher. Teachers, by nature, expect perfection of themselves -- especially when it comes to evaluations. Charlotte Danielson's framework has taken the joy out of teaching for many, simply because there are very few smiley faces ever placed in the margins of what we do these days. If you spend your days attempting to live there, you won't ever be at home. There are few teachers who actually make it into the classroom these days who are teaching for any reason other than answering a true calling. It's too tough a job to do as a J-O-B. Even if you do get "summers off" and 2 hour delays or closings when the roads are icy. Sure, these things seem like perks, but most of the time you have to find your own. Here's a short checklist of some inexpensive things to do to survive your first year.
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Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Distinguished isn't Home.
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Great post
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Great advice. Thanks for recognizing some of the keys beyond the nuts and bolts of planning and assessing and managing. Your suggestions will curate for that new teacher the power of the profession.
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