I don’t know if it’s a 1/3 life crisis or I’m just
reevaluating my priorities at age 35. I’ve been asking myself; “What is my
purpose?” I know the more immediate answer to that, of course…ensuring my
family is happy and healthy. The question for me, however, is about the long
haul. I have been struggling with the fact that I cannot land an administrative
position and very much want to. I struggle because I see the value in what I do
every day in the classroom; do I leave that behind? It is always a pleasure to
hear how I have impacted a student’s life or way of thinking (particularly if I’ve
impacted a student’s life because I’ve changed their way of thinking about the
world around them) and I don’t ever want to relinquish that power.
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on my craft and have to say
that this year I am kicking some ass in the classroom. It has been a
revelation, with new technologies and techniques for assessment being added, I
see a shift in the way I practice. Still, I believe I can do more and reach
more kids. This brings me to Wayne Bump…Mr. Bump. He was my high school
chemistry teacher and a colleague at my first gig. I have tried to model my
instruction after his methodical and maniacal classroom demeanor. He reached
everyone in some way. His “back-to-school” night sessions were standing room
only. This was at a Title 1 school (poor/minority populated/low test scores)
and you couldn’t squeeze another body in there. Unreal. He had been doing it a
long time and doing it the right way…in my opinion. His purpose; crystal clear.
Mine…getting there. I can only hope I get to his level of competence.
Back to the students. Kids are absolutely bored out of their
minds nowadays. They do not have and cannot identify nor articulate their
purpose. Boredom for them isn’t just at school…it’s a general mood. A recent
study found that students were eager to get back to school during the many #PolarVortex
caused closings. Suzi Parker (@suziparker),
recently published an article
on Take Part (a website dedicated to
discussing topics in education) examining this very phenomenon. She affirms
that students are just as disinterested at home as they are in the classroom.
Further, Grant Wiggins (@grantwiggins)
posited on the Education page of The Huffington Post that students are bored in
class typically because of its monotonous nature. They are more apt to be
simulated and engaged with various activities. It’s an interesting read for
students, parents and especially teachers…you can read it by clicking here.
