Other teachers learn a lot from them, and it’s overall positive. The voice that speaks the loudest about ourselves is usually our own – we need to be kind.ĭon’t get me wrong – people blog, post, tweet, and present on aspects of their teaching that are successful really well because they’re excited to share. Our work is innately very personal but, it’s important to be choosy as to which pieces we attach to our identity or not. “Hmmm, I should do that…” is much more workable than, “I didn’t think of that because I’m insufficient,” the latter being a very easy conclusion to jump to. But even in their worst years, Cubs fans have always looked forward – “Next season, it’s going to be their year! I’m telling you, next season!” If we take that to the micro level of our classrooms after our worst days, pushing ourselves towards positivity and the growth process, we can be mini Cubs fans: “Tomorrow! Tomorrow is my day, I guarantee it.” In education, if not for process and optimism, what else is there? We cannot watch other classrooms’ clips, photos, project results, etc., and feel insecure. My father, 74, never in a million years (or 108!) thought he’d see it in his lifetime he did, and it was pretty special.
HIGHLIGHT REEL SERIES
If you know the Cubs, you know that winning the 2016 World Series was a BIG DEAL. If you grew up in Illinois as I did, you had three baseball fan worlds to choose from: the White Sox, the Cardinals, or the Cubs. No one is because no one is meant to be, and that’s OK. So, why do we expect it from kids, or from ourselves? We sometimes expect them to bring their very best every single day, or, we see others’ tremendous contributions to our field and assume that they are like that every single day. If we maxed out at the gym lifting newer and heavier weights every single time, our muscles wouldn’t have a chance to rest.
Proficiency has made me a better teacher, and a better understander of my students – understanding proficiency versus performance has truly helped me see that there is an ebb and flow to language, especially production, and that we can’t all be leveling-up all the time. But being awesome and expecting to bring your A-game every single day isn’t sustainable, for them, for us, for students, period. But also, we all are in our own, different way(s). I’m pogo sticking, high jumping, catapulting myself towards conclusions, and internalizing the verdict that 1.) they’re awesome, and 2.) I am not awesome.
I am not jumping to conclusions psh, come on. Their strategies are proven, their classrooms warm, their student results impressive - but, how does that make us feel about ourselves? For me, not always awesome. Teachers attend sessions, read blogs, send tweets, listen to podcasts, and more, from the World Language Education all-stars we’ve come to know and love. Coming off of ACTFL weekend recently and looking into various PD endeavors for the spring, I can’t help but juxtapose our highlight reels and how we highlight real. Beyond just thinking, I find that reflection, true, intentional, pointed reflection, is critical, and as tiring as anything else. I’m tired just thinking of all that went into this semester, and I’m not actually sure how it all got done.
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