My very first experience as a classroom teacher, was filled with so many different emotions and thoughts. I remember walking into my classroom of twenty-eight first graders, looking into their sweet little faces, and my head began to whirl. I was SO pumped to be their teacher, but terrified of the responsibilities I had for each student, for their academic and social-emotional growth. I have been teaching for almost ten years. Over the course of those years there have been ups and downs, highs and lows, joys and sorrows. These moments are often shared with colleagues who become close confidants, whose relationships evolve into a friendship that spans time and even continents. Relationships are the key to surviving the teacher’s life. Often those close friends are the ones we run to when sharing the human experience through the eyes of a teacher. According to George Couros, relationships are the foundation of learning and innovation. That is one serious truth nugget! That goes for ALL relationships. Without relationships, we would be up a creek and in trouble. Those relationships help us to process strange and new ideas. They help us find encouragement and build self-confidence that will help us when we are taking a risk and venturing out into uncharted waters. Relationships are key because when facing problems, successes, or innovative thinking that takes your breath away, your person is right beside you rooting you on! That friendly face is what we need in the human and teaching experience and it’s what our students need too in order to open the door, heart and mind to innovation.
@MenaHillEdu
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If my life were a musical it would be some variation of Into the Woods. The characters face some pretty challenging situations and have to sing and dance their way through life to find their solutions. That takes musicality and the characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset. As a spectator, I just LOVE it! Plus, I have no problem breaking into song at the drop of a hat, just ask my kids or husband, “You’ve changed! You’re daring, you’re different in the woods….”🎶🎶 “Never mind anyway,” 🎶 we follow the characters from famous fairy tales through the ups and downs of the “Once upon a time…” kingdom. Cinderella falls in love and loses her glass slipper. The Big Bad Wolf, hustles Red Riding Hood and her crazy Granny. Two princes fight over who has it worse. A witch steals a baby. Jack promptly gets in trouble with a giant. The Baker and his Wife must break the curse… You know how the stories go. I can totally imagine my friends, family, colleagues, and students cast in these roles. Which of these eight characteristics do you rock on a daily basis? I feel I relate to being a Problem Finder the most. I am always looking to see what I could have done more effectively; what could have been taught or said with a different approach. I truly benefit from having conversations with students and teachers, brainstorming ideas, getting feedback, or even being inspired to pull out a tool that has long since been forgotten. These conversations could not and do not happen without a strong relationship foundation. Any problem that students, teachers, you name it, face can be solved individually or collectively through the cultivation of relationships. Just recently, I was speaking with a colleague about a student who has been struggling behaviorally. She shared with me that this kiddo was doing everything in his power to get in trouble and stay in trouble. I asked a few questions about the student’s background and what interventions had been done previously and with what success. In this instance, I supported my colleague by listening, offering some advice and possible tools to use, and also asked some questions to see what she felt in her opinion was the best “next step.” My colleague came up with a great plan for tomorrow. This problem finding/solving moment could not have happened without a strong relationship and without two different skillsets rockin’ it together. Every single character from Sondheim and Lapine's amazing work displays one of the eight characteristics from the Innovator’s Mindset. The Baker’s Wife is resilient for she never gives up on her dream to become a mother. Jack starts with problems and quickly finds a solution, and another problem. The Baker is a risk-taker, venturing off into the woods to break the Witch's spell. BUT they all need each other to be successful. Each person brings a different set of skills to the table that makes the whole team able to work together, solve multiple problems, and find their happy ending. That’s what’s so great about those amazing characteristics. You don’t have to worry. Someone will bring balance to the team. That camaraderie is so important because through that teamwork and effort, our students will experience the Innovator’s Mindset. Teachers and students are enlightened and ideas just pour out from within developing leaders, friends, and cheerleaders. Who wouldn’t want to cultivate just one of the characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset? And why not sing about it? @MenaHillEdu Dreams… we all have them. They are unique, different, unknown, scary, the list goes on and on. Those dreams are uniquely individual and personal. They are constantly evolving based on personal experiences and future outlooks. Just recently I embarked on my own journey. I have a desire to learn more about creative writing and decided to take a leap of faith and try something new. The local fine arts center offers several different classes which tapped into my desire to reach my dream. Fast forward to my first class. I walk in the room. It is a large room that is a multi-functional space used for a shop class of some sort. Large tools are everywhere. But in the center is a large boardroom table suited for meetings of different nature to take place there. The light-blonde, wooden table is almost out of place, echoing the initial feeling I have. My stomach is in knots. I have ideas. Are they good enough? Will my classmates “get it?” Where do I even start? I am jumping off the diving board into the deep end of the pool and I am pumping with adrenaline. How did I ever get to this point? As I look around the room, I see I am surrounded by men and women, young and old, all with the same goal – to be creative, to have an outlet, to make something. Like-minded people, all gathering together to grow writing skills and build camaraderie, offering advice, guidance, and thoughtful criticism. 100% exciting! Here is the question: What are the dreams of our students and how can we tap into those dreams early on? I am sure everyone can reflect back on teachers who have inspired us, gave us that “push” needed to travel down roads unknown towards our own dreams. The single teacher or group of educators who said, “You can do it. You will do it.” Those teachers stopped for a hot second and got to know us. They made a point to find out what made us tick and genuinely take a personal interest in what we did, how we felt, what we experienced inside and outside of school. We teach work ethic. We teach drive. We teach the basic building blocks needed so that ALL dreams can be achieved if our students just dream. How can we ask our students to take a chance on themselves if we are not willing to dive into something new too? We can and will encourage our students to dream because if we play our cards right as educators, we can model what taking a risk looks like – we are still making our dreams come true. So what will you do to find out your students’ dreams? How can you encourage your students to dream and believe in themselves? Please feel free to share your ideas and comments below! @MenaHillEdu Picture this. You are on a huge ship, a pirate ship if you will. The boat sways to and fro with the movement of the ocean. Back and forth, the rocking from the waves used to make you sick, but now you have your sea legs. On all four sides of your ship you can see ocean for days. The map you hold in your hand shows where you are in the water, where you’ve been, and your final boating destination. As you chart the course for your journey, adjustments are made to ensure you and your shipmates arrive unscathed.
Thinking back to the beginning of the journey, it is hard to believe you have been at sea since August. Where has the school year gone? I don’t know about you, but I remember jumping onto this crazy ship at the beginning of the year thinking, “We have SO much to learn! I can’t wait….” The year starts out unknown, with so many possibilities. Teachers attend professional development, read books, take some much needed “me-time” in order to prep for the year. You knew the this year would be different than others because there is ALWAYS something new to try with your students. Possibility and the unknown were before you, all that existed was the open ocean. Let’s fast forward to right now, the end of November. It is hard to believe that in only four-ish weeks students and teachers will be rolling into Winter Break. Four weeks! Gah! There is so much to teach, to learn, to glean. The kids would benefit from some lessons on empathy, the joy of encouragement, helping others, and more, to say nothing of what we need to learn in our core academic subjects. BUT there are only four weeks! This time of year is a great time to re-evaluate and examine, “What am I doing and what can I do better?” As the captain of my classroom, I am tasked with charting the course of learning. I have the honor, privilege, and responsibility of figuring out where my students are, where they need to be by the end of the year, and how in the world we’ll get there. The adventure will be a wild ride through language arts, history, math, science, writing, and character development. Do not be afraid to make adjustments. They are needed for you and for your students. Doing what is best, right, and needed to get to the final destination is key. What that looks like is up to you. Chat within your personal learning network, talk to your administration or learning coach, give your students a survey, try something new – it’s not too late! Course adjustments SHOULD happen. With four weeks until break, do it! Why wait until January? Change can lead to greatness. I don’t want to be cliche, but I have learned a TON from my students and hope they have learned as much from me. Good luck to all of you classroom captains out there. Your journey will be AMAZING. Chart the course that is best for students and have fun along the way. @MenaHillEdu Most of our students ride the bus into school. They have a fifteen-ish minute drive in where they can get caught up with friends, play Pokemon with their pals, sit quietly, or just enjoy the ride. Students hop off the bus, are greeted by staff, and walk into a building where they spend more time than they do at home each day. But they come with a lot of “home” piled into their backpacks; baggage that student and teacher sort through together. When a student enters the classroom, they cross the threshold with a variety of expectations, attitudes, feelings… you name it. They come to school, leaving the joy of the weekend in the rearview mirror. School can serve as a refuge from the expectations of the street. Sometimes kids come to school just to see their friends. Often they can’t wait to see the staff and teachers. The students have to enter your room knowing that it is a SAFE space. They have to know that regardless of their ethnicity, socio-economic background, their sexual identity, political points of view, the list goes on and on, they have to know that they are valued. They are special. Their thoughts and ideas are validated. They can share highs, lows, and everything in-between. They can dream. They can cry. They can grow. They can dance. They can fall. They can come to a place to give and receive compassion. All along the way you, you the teacher, mother, father, friend, honorary grown-up, will be there to cheer them on. You will be there to encourage them. You will be there to hold them accountable. You will be there to teach them. You will walk the walk, talk the talk, and get moving with them every day. Create a space where dialogue can happen, where it is okay to get off topic and “bunny trail” when the kids NEED the space to be curious. When a safe space is created and honored, kids learn how to communicate, how to be respectful, how to be inquisitive, how to process life… So create a safe space. School is a second home. Build this “house” on a rock of peace, compassion, grace, and kindness. @MenaHillEdu I just love Fall. I love the crisp air, the beautiful changing leaves, and the newness that comes with the season. I love the smell of pumpkin spice anything and I especially love the seasonal coffee flavors. This time of year is all about transformation and if you have not figured it out, I am a fan of Fall and the changes it brings. With this season, people are relieved to have an adjustment in the weather. Trust me, once the humidity has started to decrease and you no longer start dripping the minute you’re outside, you can hear the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Different seasonal sports begin to invade homes and weekend schedules. I get to bust out my favorite jeans and scarves - yay, time for layers! The list goes on and on. Fall also means teachers and students have been in session for about two and a half months. The honeymoon phase is over, sometimes it ended more quickly than you may have expected, and it is time for some changes to be made. What are some changes you ask? Well, I have made adjustments to some team dynamics in my classroom. Rearranging students’ seats is important. It keeps the classroom vibe fresh while students are kept on their toes. When seats are changed, I make sure to do some team building exercises. The kids, while they have been classmates for a number of years, need to build trust with one another and prove they can work as a team. Some of my favorite team building activities include “What would you do if…” questions that challenge students’ opinions and allow them an opportunity to share what they think with their peers while gaining new perspectives. Learning to speak and listen is an essential skill that is valuable as students progress in school and life. I have also enjoyed hearing stories of teachers who have used “Minute to Win It” as a class building activity. These activities get kids out of their seats and provide an opportunity to play, encourage one another, cheering each other on, all the while learning about perseverance in a fun and safe setting. During this season, it is also important to take care of yourself. Maybe a personal schedule adjustment is long overdue? Hours of lessons planning, grading papers, perusing data, committee commitments, and more can take a toll on teachers. If you have not experienced a sore throat yet, yay for you! There are so many ways to take care of yourself - all it takes is a little planning to enjoy your personal time. Pick one day a week, just to start, and try committing yourself to leaving at the end of the day. Take some time for just you. If that means going to the library to read in a quiet space, do it! If that means you go and dance at Jazzercise, do it! If that means spending time at home with your family, do it! Whatever it is that you choose to do for your mental and physical well-being, do it! If you are not on the top of your game, your students won’t be on the top of theirs. I don’t know about you, but I also like to take time during the season to examine my professional goals that I set at the beginning of the year. Enough time has passed since outlining my hopes and dreams for the school year to see if I am still on track. Goals could include furthering your education and professionalization, trying a new design thinking process like Launch Design Thinking in the classroom, or implementing a new classroom management tool; there are SO many goals you could choose from. Maybe your goals have changed or need to be modified based on student and classroom needs, professional development opportunities, etc. Great! Now is the time to make adjustments. Heck, maybe you already achieved one of your goals. If that’s the case, please Tweet it out with all of your wisdom so that we can all learn from you and celebrate your accomplishments! If you haven’t set goals with specific, measurable outcomes (I know, make a SMART goal, right?), then now is the time! The point is, that Fall is a time for new opportunities. New weather, new activities, new ideas, and more. If you see something or someone out there embracing change, jump on board! Those movers and shakers are the ones whose innovation help encourage and inspire change. Follow them on Twitter (@burgessdave, @TaraMartinEDU, and @gcouros are just a few AMAZING innovators out there) and begin interacting with colleagues in your building or district or even around the world, and SHARE your amazing ideas. All of us have the ability to embrace this beautiful season and model it for teachers and students. Fall means that the possibilities are endless. Let’s do this! @MenaHillEdu I recently attended a professional development session where teachers were asked to draw a picture of what a quality educator looks like. I sat in the quieted room, completely brain-fried from a day of teaching and having a hard time thinking what that looks like. After a minute or two, thoughts began to flood my mind of teachers with exceptional traits needed order to make an impact inside and out of the classroom. There have been many teachers of whom I reflect upon fondly. Many have challenged me, supported me, and have taught me many lessons. There are two teachers who rise above the rest when considering who made the largest impact on my life as a student. One was my high school choir director. I had been encouraged by a fellow classmate to audition for choir. Having zero experience, I was pretty nervous. My teacher had high expectations for excellence challenged me to strive to do my best. I was exposed to a variety of music, culture, and talent that I would never had experienced if it had not been inside (and out) of that classroom. Through his encouragement and guidance, I gained confidence, learned how to prioritize my needs vs. desires, and try new things. Never once did I believe in myself or see myself in the manner in which he saw me. I sang, participated in choral events, auditioned and was cast in musicals, and more importantly, I found a passion within myself that would have remained untapped if it were not for this teacher in my life. The second was one of my college professors. At good ol’ Adams State University, I entered a classroom as a freshman filled with excitement, apprehension, and fear of the unknown. When I walked into my Interrelations of the Arts class, my professor greeted me with a handshake, smile, and promptly addressed me by my last name, “Good afternoon, Miss Patrone.” He addressed everyone by their last names and did so in a manner that made me feel like an adult; I felt respected as a college student, leaving the old high school years behind. In his class, we explored the cross relation of art through music, plays, literature, etc. It was one of the most invigorating experiences of my undergraduate career. In that class I was able to be engaged in the conversation, share my ideas, and feel validated for thinking, sharing, and experiencing. If I could bottle up the essence of these two teachers, I would. I would give it away to all teachers at the beginning of the year and include the note, “Use wisely.” The essence of these two teachers has impacted me so that I feel indebted to them for taking a chance on me, supporting me, and rooting for me. The best cheerleaders in my life, aside from my family, have been these two teachers. I would say that is an essential part of who I am now as an educator. I strive to be a cheerleader for my students, to guide them, encourage them, and expose them to a variety of learning opportunities. I hope that my students will one day look upon me fondly. I hope that I will have not just done enough, but done more than enough. The reality is that I may not be that teacher for every student, but I sure can hope, I sure can try, and I sure can look upon my past educators who have that essence, quality and keep dreaming, keep trying, keep learning, and keep sharing my passion with my students and colleagues. @MenaHillEdu Humility. Patience. Kindness. These are all words that I think of when I am walking into my classroom. These are life goals, personal goals, and professional goals that I try to meet every single day. As I drive to work each day, I try to not just think of the work that my students need to complete, copies that need to be made, an email to a parent that needs to go out first thing, etc. Of course all of those things are thought of and a mental list is created for the morning before kids walk into my room. But I honestly, try to remember my three goals. Humility. Patience. Kindness. Humility. What does that even mean? Well, it means to have the heart of a learner. I tell my students to “trust the process.” If I am not willing to do just that, to try new teaching techniques or be willing to receive feedback from a colleague or administrator, then I have not achieved humility. To be humble means to be willing to learn, willing to have a conversation, and willing to ask for support when needed. The power of “YET” is a big thing in my classroom. If we don’t know it now, it just means we don’t know it YET! But I know I will at some point. Model this mindset for your students. They will appreciate to see that you, the amazing teacher that you are, are still trusting the process and learning along the way. It is a small, but great step on the path toward being better at being you. Patience. This one's a doozy! I have heard from an amazing wise man, that we will always have an opportunity to practice the area in which we need to grow the most. Well, you’ve guessed it. Patience is mine. For as long as I can remember, I have been one of those people who has always want “it” right now!!! :) I laugh to myself right now because, I can see how exhausting it is to live a life of “right now.” Isn’t it better to “just be?” It is better to be in the moment of your life that is good, bad, or mediocre (insert voice snippet from Mad Max: Fury Road). To be patient means to enjoy the classroom conversation, yes being mindful of the clock, but not rushing the learning and creative process. How often do we rush to get through the lesson/curriculum? Too often the expectation is to see how fast we can get to the end of the trip rather than stopping along the way to take pictures of the beautiful scenery. Patience… just be. Enjoy the ride. Kindness. This past Friday, I shared the video, Imagine by John Lennon with my students. So often people are judged by the way they look, where they live, the clothes they wear, how they learn, etc. These personal biases are sometimes passed down generation-to-generation. But think… I enter my classroom with a perspective and so does each one of my students. I wanted to show the Unicef version of the video because it has people from all over the world singing the beautiful and inspiring lyrics of John Lennon. My kids could not only hear but see diversity. We live in world that is filled with so much hate, judgement, closed mindedness that in order to create a growth mindset, in order to create a better tomorrow, we MUST start with kindness. If I do only one thing, teach my students one lesson, let it be that of kindness. I hope that they will learn to be kind to one-another, tolerant of one-another, to seriously treat others the way they want to be treated. On a side note, yes, I cry every time I hear that song because it is an honest hope of mine - that we may live in peace. Kindness is the first step. I may not achieve these goals on a daily basis, but by golly, I sure will try. I commit myself to striving toward these life goals. Your life goals may look differently. But they are your goals. That is amazing! Strive to be your best self and you will teach your students, and all you encounter, what it means to be a good human. That is my life goal. What’s yours? |
Mena T. HillEducator, Wife, Mother, Colorado Native Archives
September 2018
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