A New Adventure Begins

To be truly a learner, you must never stop learning. So I begin a new learning journey tonight. Just when I am settling into my role as a classroom teacher again, I have been given the opportunity to tackle a new academic challenge. Tonight I am starting a program called STEMpath, a journey toward making education in STEM more relevant and challenging for my students.
It has been a struggle to wrap my brain around creating a curriculum that will support all of the learners in front of me more prepared for their future. A future that is unlike anything that the country has seen before. While schools are struggling to get students prepared for tests and skills that may or may not be relevant in their lifetimes, I am asking myself, "how can I help these students be more curious and engaged?"

Connecting their learning to STEM careers is only one side of the coin. Preparing them to be agile thinkers and creative problem-solvers is the other side. There is often a disconnect between what they need for the future and what they need for the test. I hope that this program will help me guide them.

Wish me luck!

Reaching out

Imagine driving in a strange place. Many of us have gotten so used to using our GPS or cell phone to guide us through the unknown. Even before these were such an important part of our navigation routine, there were maps and sometimes just directions from a friend.
Why is it easier to get around with any of these? We do better in new territory when we have a partner or coach to get us through.

As I am stepping into this new strange territory, looking for a new position, I am coming to realize just how important it is to have a partner along the way.  Having someone that you trust to give you feedback and guidance can be the difference between fumbling with resumes and applications and sending in documents that truly show your strengths. I've never gone through this with other people before. So even though there are 6 of us out there seeking a new place to land, we are supporting each other towards this next step. The competition is real, yet I've never felt supported so much.

When you learn to be a part of great team, you know how to build one and you know that you want to find the same thing. It is strange that I am seeking connections with a solid crew more than the job of my dreams: because that crew is what makes the job the best.

To my team: Thanks for being my Siri on this journey!

Have you ever found a cairn in a surprising place? An indicator that someone has been there before you or a pointer to guide you on your way. There are times that life has put piles of rocks in your path. Where you are headed determines if they are a cairn or an obstacle.

We never know what each day is going to bring use.  As I am walking along through life, I see metaphorical rocks and if you let them stand between us and the future, they certainly are obstacles.

Life dumped one on me this week. Just when I'm feeling great about my plans for this school year ending and looking forward to next fall, my department found out that our services in this role were no longer needed.

A department that went from the fringes when Ed Tech first started, to an integral part of every classroom, has been disbanded and nobody knows what lies ahead.

The rocks have landed.

I guess the next question is do I let those rocks guide me to a new location/school where I can learn new ways of doing things, while building on the past, or do I let them stop me from moving forward.

I have many days ahead to search for the right spot or wait for the right spot to find me.

I've taken a few days to sit down and ponder the rocks in the road, and am ready to look to a new point down the road and find my way.