Day 20 - "Slicing Into Spring" - SOLSC

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#SOL21


Today is the first day of spring! I can't help but think about where I was one year ago today. According to my journal I was here, scared of what was to come and missing my students. I was a co-teacher for the K-3 self-contained class and I had a fourth-grade caseload. We were mandated to stay at home, and I was already quite tired of teaching from the living room at that point. I felt so lost as a new educator only three months fresh of graduation, I wondered what I should be doing. 

I still recall posting daily goal work for the kids to Class Dojo, it was all the rage last year. Then I found Seesaw (I'm now a Seesaw Ambassador), Google Classroom (I'm taking the Google Certified Educator Level 1 certification test over Spring Break), and as I look back a year later, I realize I have grown so much. The most amazing thing, is I did it all myself. Nobody told me to take those courses, nobody said I had to do Internal University while we were on lockdown, I chose to.

I have always looked to advance my credentials and skills so I can be a truly innovative educator. What makes me tremendously heartbroken about this is that yesterday (again), I was giving a directive to staff and I was told, "no, they don't need it." Now the question I have is, how can I continue to grow as an educator if nobody chooses to implement the strategies I want to impart on my students? If I am the lone man on the island of my self-contained class staff, how do I push the boundaries to get them to row their boats with me over to my side of things? 

One year later, it is still just me. I'm hoping that the turning of this page into spring will help me to see where I can row my own boat, since I appear to still be on this island alone. If anyone wants to come join my side of things, this new educator would welcome the life vest, it's getting pretty lonely here all by myself. 

Until next time.... 
*GB
 

Comments

Debbie Lynn said…
Don't give up! Sadly, fear causes people to resist change! Good luck as you keep pushing forward!
March 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM
Adrienne G. said…
I have also been looking back at last year's journals to see my thoughts as this whole quarantine thing got underway. It is interesting to see how much has changed. Myself included. I was so skeptical of teaching online, but I love it now.

here's something I have taken away from it all: A lot of decisions get made by other people who don't do your job, and certainly don't understand it. Do what you think is right for you and your students.
March 20, 2021 at 10:47 AM
Lainie Levin said…
There's so much truth here. It is really hard, and it feels isolating, to be one person trying to effect change among folks who aren't there. I've been there, and the only thing that I can offer is that even if others aren't following your lead, it still feels important to teach in a way that aligns with YOUR moral compass.

I'm also looking back on my approach to online teaching then and now - if only I knew then what I've come to understand now about engaging my kiddos through technology. Ah well...
March 20, 2021 at 1:58 PM
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