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TOPIC QUESTION #1: Pg. 67 states that, “Enthusiastic teachers can build strong relationships with students because they see each child as a separate human being.” What are your thoughts about this quote?

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TOPIC QUESTION #1: Pg. 67 states that, “Enthusiastic teachers can build strong relationships with students because they see each child as a separate human being.” What are your thoughts about this quote?

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TOPIC QUESTION #2:  What content areas are you MOST passionate about? Why? What content areas are you LEAST passionate about? Why?

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TOPIC QUESTION #2:  What content areas are you MOST passionate about? Why? What content areas are you LEAST passionate about? Why?

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TOPIC QUESTION #3: What are some ways you can offer your students a different learning experience?

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TOPIC QUESTION #3: What are some ways you can offer your students a different learning experience?

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TOPIC QUESTION #4: On page 56, the book discusses Zones that we live in. What zone are in now? Why are you in that zone?

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TOPIC QUESTION #4: On page 56, the book discusses Zones that we live in. What zone are in now? Why are you in that zone?

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My "Aha": I know my why and my purpose. It is no secret that schools usually lack funding and support, but I try my best to be a resourceful person that can educate the future of our country. The book reminds us we teach students, not standards.

Q1: I agree with the idea that we need to educate individual students and not a classroom. We should be looking at individual needs for each of our kids. That is when we will see the most growth and success and build the relationships.

Q2: When I started teaching I taught 4th grade. My favorite subject to teach was math. I could feel myself get excited about it and I loved being creative and trying new things with it, which in turn made my students excited.
My least passionate subject was science. I never really understood it much as a kid, nor was it presented to me in a fun way, so I did not feel confident teaching it, and usually stuck to the curriculum word for word.

Q3: As an admin, I would love to be involved in more activities in the classrooms, or even create fun principals primetimes. I hope that will soon be my focus after I get my feet on the ground with discipline and learning regulations.

Q4: I feel like I am oscillating between creative and panic most days. I am continuously thinking about ways to improve school culture, even in my sleep, without the time to follow through. There are so many unknowns to my day that I am still learning to handle.

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1.  I believe enthusiastic teachers can build strong relationships.  I like the idea that teachers build relationships through connections to the curriculum.  This is an equalizer for students.  Even the students who have support at home, friends, and are good students and involved with activities want these relationships with teachers.

Each student has different needs and wants.  There is no way one teacher can fulfill these for every student.  But, with a school full of enthusiastic staff members, each student should have one adult they connect with.

2.  When I was a young college student, I loved every content area and couldn't choose one to concentrate on, so I pursued an elementary education degree, English minor, and math emphasis.  I have only taught ELA and math, so those are the areas I am most passionate about.

Through reading and writing, students can express themselves, learn to think critically,  and explore ideas and conflicts.  Reading and writing are lifelong skills needed for success.

Our elective teachers are so amazing.  I would never be able to teach technology, PE, drama, or music.  I'm passionate students need these classes, but I don't have the skills to teach them!!

3.  Speed dating with books seems to be successful with the eighth graders and offers a different experience.  Even the reluctant readers seem to find something during this time.  I also offer "Bookfit".  Students fill out a form with their hobbies, habits, and interests, and I compile books that might be a fit for them.  I am always looking for ways to be more than just the keeper of books!!!!

4.  I feel like I fly through those three zones frequently - pretty much every day.  Sometimes it's super comfortable, sometimes panic mode sets in, and there are times I feel creative.  I look forward to coming to work, and each day presents new challenges and opportunities.  My role as a teacher librarian is different than when I was in the classroom where I planned the curriculum and had an idea what was happening each day.

I would like to plan activities to settle in the creative zone more.

Aha Moments
One of my "Aha", or haha moments was when Hope King talked about "RPF," resting poker face.  When I first started teaching, others would tell me I took it too seriously and needed to relax.  Honestly, they were right.  I didn't take time to smile -- even though I felt passionate and felt like I was planning fun lessons.  However, I think there's a balance between being genuine and smiling.   I look like an evil librarian if I try to smile too much!

That being said, I smile A LOT more now than 20 years ago and enjoy the students more, too!

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1. I believe that most students are going to build stronger relationships with enthusiastic teachers because those teachers are also making their content engaging and exciting. However, I also think that sometimes certain teachers and students clash in personalities and it's never going to work. For instance, some of my biggest influences in school were the quiet more reserved teachers because that is the personality that I have as well.
2. When I was in school writing was my jam. I loved creative writing class and I think a lot of it had to do with the teacher. She made us work hard and ran her classroom more like a college setting which made us feel like what she was teaching was important. Now that I am an adult and a teacher I obviously love PE. I think it is such an important part to the students whole education. I believe that students that are participating fully in PE class will have a better attitude and mindset during the day as well as better focus. Students need the break from sit down and learn classrooms and need to give their bodies a chance to move throughout the day.
3. I believe that if we incorporated more lifelong games in our PE class that students may take a deeper interest in class. I would really like to get to a more non traditional type of class where students are learning activities that they are going to be able to play for life.
4. I believe that for the past 3 years I have been in the PANIC zone. Things have been building up and I feel like at any minute they might explode. Education has changed SO much since I started 11 years ago and there are often days where I don't know if I can survive another 20 plus years in this career.

AHA Moment- I think what caught my attention was at the very beginning of this section when they were talking about Rebecca and how she sat with a different group of students each day at lunch and got to know them outside of the classroom. I believe this is an important part to education and it's one of the main reasons why I love coaching so much. In coaching I get t know the students and their interests and also build a stronger connection with them. I would love any ideas on how to do this with other students that aren't interested in athletics and that I struggle to get to know.

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1.  I think most students want to build a stronger relationship with teachers.  At the middle level, it is about building trust with students.  Aha Moment that I focused on being thankful for the simplest of thoughts to create an attitude of gratefulness.   

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1.  I think most students want to build a stronger relationship with teachers.  At the middle level, it is about building trust with students.  Aha Moment that I focused on being thankful for the simplest of thoughts to create an attitude of gratefulness.   

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My "a-ha!" moment came in chapter 4 about why we do what we do. I thought my brother would make it past his first year as a high school art teacher. I was fully supportive of him but was not surprised when I found out he quit this past summer. His why was different from mine. I teach because it's satisfying for me to see students succeed after they struggle at writing. It's even more fulfilling when students take the learning seriously. My brother did not really have this mindset when he attempted to be an art teacher. Predictably he ended up going in a different direction with his employment.

Q1: I thought that this quote showed the difference between my "why" and my brother's "why"--not to rag on my brother so much, but his enthusiasm is not like mine. I teach because I like seeing my students figure out their own strengths as writers they never realized they had. For my brother, it was just a job he believed he could do.

Q2: I am most passionate about narrative writing. I was unable to participate in sports for several reasons growing up, so naturally I was drawn to sharpening my mental skills than my physical abilities to make up for it. I enjoy inventing stories and characters. Science is up there too--mostly physics/astronomy. I was great at math but weak in writing till early high school when things really flipped, so nowadays I'm okay at math (about as competent as a middle schooler) but not beyond that.

Q3: I am (slowly) working on involving more creative units and lessons to give my students more enjoyment of my content area at both of the grade levels I teach.

Q4: I must admit that I am mostly in the zone of comfort with a foot dipped in the creative zone. I'd compare this to swimming. The weather can be nice and enjoyable but it's not till I get in the water that the fulfillment of the experience is realized. The hard part is taking the plunge because of the system shock that comes from being warm and comfortable at the poolside or riverbank, and then being submerged in cold water so suddenly. The creative zone is where we start swimming around and having fun once our bodies adjust to the water temperature. I hate the system shock of that first plunge...but boy is it fun to swim...!

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1. I definitely agree, for the most part that, that the statement about enthusiastic teachers building better relationships is true. I believe that when anyone is really excited to share something they feel passionate about it makes me want to know more. Even if the subject is not my favorite. For instances, I always hated math! I was bad at it and never understood it.
I remember taking a math methods class for elementary and it really changed my mindset. My teach was so excited to share her knowledge and perspective. Math is now my favorite topic in school.

2. I am certainly most excited on days that I am teaching skills. I feel like I am a "real" teacher and get to have fun with my kids. Grade Checks are my least favorite. These things are hard for me because I don't get a ton of time to sit with each kid and discuss what is happening and why things are or are not getting done. It feels rushed and not connected. If I took the time to have the necessary conversations with each of my kids it would take all week. I have to many kids to accomplish this, at least how I imagine it.

3. I really want to know how to get the kids to understand the benefits of what I teach. Parents have even told me that my class should be an easy A and it doesn't matter. I don't know how to change their minds so they see the lifelong value in the skills that I teach.

4. Every year seems to be different. The beginning of my career I was certainly back in forth between creative and panic. Then I moved more to creative and comfort.  This year I definitely feel more in the panic zone. I am comfortable wit my content and I have tried to stay creative to help feel positive. But, I feel like this year is trying in I have been in panic for most of it. I have questioned myself as a good teacher a lot this year. Do I have what it take?

Aha Moment: SMILING. I feel like I have not been smiling this year! It is kind of wild, I just don't think I have been. I am going to try what they said and be sure to smile for the next few weeks.

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1. I definitely agree with this particular statement. I also know that there are going to be times where I may not always be able to reach certain students and that is okay. We do the best we can from where our feet are planted, and come back to try again another day.

#2. I am most passionate about certain sections in my Earth Science classes. I really enjoy teaching kids about the Earth works and the ways that energy and life work together to make the planet beautiful. I am not a fan of getting students ready in the name of standardized testing. There are areas that we focus on specifically for that, and I don't find it enjoyable or engaging.

#3: I offer my students a different kind of learning experience by being present and honest with them. I find authenticity and being able to admit when I am wrong goes a long way in building relationships with students. Other things include knowing when to call it a day. Sometimes kids need a break, and so does the teacher! And that is okay!

#4: I feel like I oscillate between comfortable and creative. I have been teaching long enough at this point to know what I am doing, but also am able to try new things regularly. It's a really nice balance to finally be in. Especially after the insanity of being a first year teacher and the trials/tribulations that Covid brought to the classroom.

My aha moment is being allowing myself to enjoy my daily interactions with students, being present, slowing down and knowing that things usually work out, one way or another.