Zucchinis are super versatile. You can grill it, puree it, or eat it raw. Best of all, you can toss shredded zucchini to all sorts of desserts to boost moisture and nutrients. These 10 zucchini desserts add a pop of goodness to classic baked goods.
The post 10 Zucchini Desserts appeared first on My Baking Addiction.
Throughout the years, I have focused tremendously on the ideas of “change” and “innovation” in both my speaking and writing. Change is a constant in our world, but I have noticed that I have been thinking a lot about what needs to stay the same in education. Now nothing stays the same 100%, but some big ideas are as true today as they were when I went to school, although they can sometimes be forgotten or pushed aside for the sake of “new.” Although the big ideas are the same, the context evolves.
Here are three things that will always be a foundation for education and our school communities but are ever-evolving:
1. Relationships.
Relationships are probably neither forgotten or pushed aside in education today, but I would be remiss not to acknowledge how important this was when I was in school as well. The teachers that treated me as an individual and cared about me first were the ones that I wanted to focus on working harder for in class.
Although relationships have always been meaningful, I feel that with technology, we have created opportunities for learners (at all levels including staff) to share a voice that they might not have thought they had before. The ubiquitous access to technology should allow us to build better relationships than before. Simple video creation will enable us to connect when it is not possible to be “there.” I remind people that if a picture is worth a thousand words, what do you think a video is worth?
This is not to say face-to-face isn’t important (it is crucial), but the use of technology should promote better face-to-face connections, not “less”.
2. The importance of content.
I have shared this quote from Thomas Friedman many times:
“The world only cares about—and pays off on—what you can do with what you know (and it doesn’t care how you learned it).”
The part of the sentence that is often focused on is the “what you can do” element but the “what you know” part is just as essential. Content is not unnecessary in education; it is crucial. But what has changed is that content can be gathered from so many different sources than from when I first went to school. A school was the place that you went to gather knowledge. But now information is abundant yet “good information is as vital as ever.
The best analogy I had ever heard on the importance of content was from John Medina (author of “Brain Rules”). He stated (paraphrasing), “Creation without knowledge is the equivalent of playing the air guitar; you might know the motions, but you aren’t able to play.”
Although content has always been valuable, the shift in education has been to focus more on “understanding” and deep learning than solely retention. Information that is solely retained yet not understood may look good in the short-term but in the long-term, has little benefit.
3. A focus on lifelong-learning.
I have heard the term “lifelong-learning” in education as far as I can remember as both a student and an educator. This is not new in the “21st century”. What is new, are the opportunities for learning and the rate that change is happening. I am wondering if the term should be modified to “rapid-lifelong-learning” as even things that you get used to are seeming to change when you least expect it (hello new Gmail interface). I hate terms like “fail-fast” or “fail-forward” because they insinuate something negative about moving along whereas “learn-fast” or “learn-forward” make a lot more sense to me.
Lifelong-learning is something that will never change, but we might have to get quicker at it.
I have heard this question often:
“What has changed and what has stayed the same?”
But a little shift in the question that could lead to some meaningful discussion is the following:
“What has stayed the same and how has it changed?”
There is so much to learn from all of the great work that has been done in education throughout the years, and the goal is not to rid ourselves of these great things, but to create something better with them.
Source: George Couros
Throughout the years, I have focused tremendously on the ideas of “change” and “innovation” in both my speaking and writing. Change is a constant in our world, but I have noticed that I have been thinking a lot about what needs to stay the same in education. Now nothing stays the same 100%, but some big ideas are as true today as they were when I went to school, although they can sometimes be forgotten or pushed aside for the sake of “new.” Although the big ideas are the same, the context evolves.
Here are three things that will always be a foundation for education and our school communities but are ever-evolving:
1. Relationships.
Relationships are probably neither forgotten or pushed aside in education today, but I would be remiss not to acknowledge how important this was when I was in school as well. The teachers that treated me as an individual and cared about me first were the ones that I wanted to focus on working harder for in class.
Although relationships have always been meaningful, I feel that with technology, we have created opportunities for learners (at all levels including staff) to share a voice that they might not have thought they had before. The ubiquitous access to technology should allow us to build better relationships than before. Simple video creation will enable us to connect when it is not possible to be “there.” I remind people that if a picture is worth a thousand words, what do you think a video is worth?
This is not to say face-to-face isn’t important (it is crucial), but the use of technology should promote better face-to-face connections, not “less”.
2. The importance of content.
I have shared this quote from Thomas Friedman many times:
“The world only cares about—and pays off on—what you can do with what you know (and it doesn’t care how you learned it).”
The part of the sentence that is often focused on is the “what you can do” element but the “what you know” part is just as essential. Content is not unnecessary in education; it is crucial. But what has changed is that content can be gathered from so many different sources than from when I first went to school. A school was the place that you went to gather knowledge. But now information is abundant yet “good information is as vital as ever.
The best analogy I had ever heard on the importance of content was from John Medina (author of “Brain Rules”). He stated (paraphrasing), “Creation without knowledge is the equivalent of playing the air guitar; you might know the motions, but you aren’t able to play.”
Although content has always been valuable, the shift in education has been to focus more on “understanding” and deep learning than solely retention. Information that is solely retained yet not understood may look good in the short-term but in the long-term, has little benefit.
3. A focus on lifelong-learning.
I have heard the term “lifelong-learning” in education as far as I can remember as both a student and an educator. This is not new in the “21st century”. What is new, are the opportunities for learning and the rate that change is happening. I am wondering if the term should be modified to “rapid-lifelong-learning” as even things that you get used to are seeming to change when you least expect it (hello new Gmail interface). I hate terms like “fail-fast” or “fail-forward” because they insinuate something negative about moving along whereas “learn-fast” or “learn-forward” make a lot more sense to me.
Lifelong-learning is something that will never change, but we might have to get quicker at it.
I have heard this question often:
“What has changed and what has stayed the same?”
But a little shift in the question that could lead to some meaningful discussion is the following:
“What has stayed the same and how has it changed?”
There is so much to learn from all of the great work that has been done in education throughout the years, and the goal is not to rid ourselves of these great things, but to create something better with them.
The whole “there is two types of people” narrative is one that drives me crazy because people are complex and can’t be categorized simply. But lately, I have noticed different demeanors that are resonating with me.
Those who inspire you and push you to move forward.
Those who push you to stop what you are doing and create constant doubt.
I have been both, but I am trying to be the former more than the latter.
But let’s talk about the two paths.
People will try to separate the two above into “optimist” and “realist,” but I think the person who inspires can be both an “optimist” and a “realist.” They can redirect while still pushing forward. The best leader I have ever encountered NEVER gave me a straight “no” on any idea, but she would say, “No, but I would consider this…”
Do you see the difference here? Although the path could change, it was still about moving forward.
On the other hand, I have worked with people that are all about “no.” They had a problem with every solution and would make sure they would tell you why you were wrong. All. The.Time.
Your light shining, in their head, was dimming their own.
Here’s the other thing…sometimes these two people can exist in yourself. Self-doubt can be a good thing to make us think about our path, but can also become a bad thing where it stops our progress.
It reminds me of this story that I have seen shared often:
It is easy to solely criticize. It is hard to mentor. But mentorship is not without criticism, yet it is meant to grow a person, not diminish them. Including mentorship of yourself.
As a reminder for myself when I feel negative…Teaching and education are all about the light you help others shine onto the world.
Source: George Couros
The whole “there is two types of people” narrative is one that drives me crazy because people are complex and can’t be categorized simply. But lately, I have noticed different demeanors that are resonating with me.
Those who inspire you and push you to move forward.
Those who push you to stop what you are doing and create constant doubt.
I have been both, but I am trying to be the former more than the latter.
But let’s talk about the two paths.
People will try to separate the two above into “optimist” and “realist,” but I think the person who inspires can be both an “optimist” and a “realist.” They can redirect while still pushing forward. The best leader I have ever encountered NEVER gave me a straight “no” on any idea, but she would say, “No, but I would consider this…”
Do you see the difference here? Although the path could change, it was still about moving forward.
On the other hand, I have worked with people that are all about “no.” They had a problem with every solution and would make sure they would tell you why you were wrong. All. The.Time.
Your light shining, in their head, was dimming their own.
Here’s the other thing…sometimes these two people can exist in yourself. Self-doubt can be a good thing to make us think about our path, but can also become a bad thing where it stops our progress.
It reminds me of this story that I have seen shared often:
It is easy to solely criticize. It is hard to mentor. But mentorship is not without criticism, yet it is meant to grow a person, not diminish them. Including mentorship of yourself.
As a reminder for myself when I feel negative…Teaching and education are all about the light you help others shine onto the world.
Pumpkin Roll is synonymous with Thanksgiving in my family, and I hope soon – in yours. This Pumpkin Roll recipe is easier than you think, and will make you a holiday dessert superstar. Read on to find out how to roll a pumpkin roll and how to store one in the freezer!
My Nana was an amazing baker and was always up for involving me in her kitchen. She’d perch me atop a bar stool and side by side, I’d take in her talent and mimic her techniques the best that I could.
Despite my young age she undoubtedly had a tremendous amount of confidence in me. She never questioned my ability to use a knife or remove baked goods from a piping hot oven.
I was her sous chef and during our bake-a-thons, I was treated like an adult – not a 7-year-old kid with a permed mullet and retainer.
The post Pumpkin Roll appeared first on My Baking Addiction.
NUDE by Battistella is a new condo development located in Calgary’s most dynamic neighbourhood, the West Beltline. This project will offer 177 homes, sizes range from 400 sqft to 800 sqft. Inspired by timeless architecture, NUDE reflects a considered aesthetic where symmetry and articulation combine to create a simple and calm elegance.
The post NUDE by Battistella in Calgary appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
Rare opportunity to own two premier new purpose-built rental building in British Columbia’s fastest growing municipality. Langford Towers features two buildings on separate property titles. A shared underground parkade with 137 spaces joins the buildings and includes right-of-way easements. Offers will be considered for Tower A, Tower B or both buildings combined. Preference will be given to offers for both buildings combined.
The post Langford Towers in Victoria appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
Park George by Concord Pacific is a new twin tower condo development located in the heart of Surrey. This project is the final phase of Concord Pacific’s Park Place community, features high tech residential amenities unique to Surrey city centre. Located in close proximity to transit, parks, shopping and urban conveniences, discover the exquisite offerings of Park George.
The post Park George by Concord Pacific in Surrey appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
Two quotes that stuck out to me in my reading this weekend. The first is from Simon Sinek (Leaders Eat Last):
“The ability of a group of people to do remarkable things hinges on how well those people pull together as a team.”
The second is from Phil Jackson (Eleven Rings):
The samurai wanted to teach his sons about the power of teamwork. So he gave each of them an arrow and asked them to break it. No problem. Each son did it easily. Then the samurai gave them a bundle of three arrows bound together and asked them to repeat the process. But none of them could. “That’s your lesson,” the samurai said. “If you three stick together, you will never be defeated.”
I have been thinking about the importance of those who work in education that work as teams, instead of adversaries, get so much more done. I am not just talking about teachers, but all roles in education. I have seen the “us vs. them” mentality in a lot of systems, where barriers seem to be put up because there is A) a lack of trust of one group to another or B) the work of the others is not valued as much as it should be.
This week, I was blessed to work with Gina Niccoli-Moen, and she stressed to me how important it was that all of the people she worked with were shown value for their work to support students, no matter their role. It reminded me of this article about a custodian who left messages and artwork for students on the carpet overnight. This was my favorite quote from the piece:
“It really drives home the point that there are so many people that come in here after you’re gone and they work so hard to make a safe, comfortable, and happy place for you to learn.”
What is important to note is that in the environments where “sticking together” doesn’t mean “agreement” all of the time. It is people both pushing and supporting one another in the pursuit of serving students. Conflict is beneficial to the process but only in an environment where we are working together where support is the norm, not the exception.
Source: George Couros
Two quotes that stuck out to me in my reading this weekend. The first is from Simon Sinek (Leaders Eat Last):
“The ability of a group of people to do remarkable things hinges on how well those people pull together as a team.”
The second is from Phil Jackson (Eleven Rings):
The samurai wanted to teach his sons about the power of teamwork. So he gave each of them an arrow and asked them to break it. No problem. Each son did it easily. Then the samurai gave them a bundle of three arrows bound together and asked them to repeat the process. But none of them could. “That’s your lesson,” the samurai said. “If you three stick together, you will never be defeated.”
I thought about this as I have been just thinking about the importance of those who work in education that work as teams, instead of adversaries, get so much more done. I am not just talking about teachers, but all roles in education. I have seen the “us vs. them” mentality in a lot of systems, where barriers seem to be put up because there is a) a lack of trust of one group to another or b) the work of the others is not valued as much as it should be.
This week, I was blessed to work with Gina Niccoli-Moen, and she stressed to me how important it was that all of the people she worked with were shown value for their work to support students, no matter their role. It reminded me of this article about a custodian who left messages and artwork for students on the carpet overnight. This was my favorite quote from the piece:
“It really drives home the point that there are so many people that come in here after you’re gone and they work so hard to make a safe, comfortable, and happy place for you to learn.”
What is important to note is that in the environments where “sticking together” doesn’t mean “agreement” all of the time. It is people both pushing and supporting one another in the pursuit of serving students. Conflict is beneficial to the process but only in an environment where we are working together where support is the norm, not the exception.
I fell upon this article by Jennifer Gonzalez (known all over the world for her excellent site, “The Cult of Pedagogy”) advising new teachers. It was a great read and reminded me a lot of my ups and downs as a beginning teacher.
Here is the thing about teaching. If you are passionate about what you do, it never really becomes “easy.” It is hard in a different way. It is always emotionally taxing and has its share of challenging days. That being said, education is such an amazingly rewarding endeavor, those tough days are ones that you will come to look at differently when you have those really good days.
But starting off, there are some things I figured out, and there are things I wished I knew back then, that might be helpful for others entering the profession, or maybe even switching schools.
Here are some of those suggestions.
1. Build relationships right away.
Usually, when you hear the importance of relationships in education, there is a focus on how we build rapport with our students. But do not limit yourself to that and do not hide away from staff on breaks. I learned that support I needed from teachers was essential to doing well that first year (and beyond), but I also know that connections with the secretaries, custodians, and support staff, were so beneficial. The secretary always seemed to be the lifeblood of the schools I taught or worked at, and weirdly, seem to know everything. I know that is not true, but it sure felt true. Our educational assistants that work in the classrooms are so influential and knowledgeable about many things our staff, and make sure that they always feel valued.
One other tip…Don’t judge people on staff that you don’t connect with right away.
I remember there was one teacher that was on a staff I worked who seemed like a massive “grump,” and we had zero interactions during the first four months of the school year. I remember him distinctly saying to me, “Have a great winter break!” as I walked out of the school to head back to my hometown and these were the first words that he said to me the entire year. After the break, I came back, and he became one of the biggest influences on my career as a colleague. Some people need a little time to warm up, but it doesn’t mean they are negative. Always give people the benefit of the doubt until they give you a reason to think different.
2. It is better to ask questions about things you don’t know the answer to than to pretend you know.
It is easy not to want to feel like a “burden” to other staff members by asking a bunch of questions while you are trying to learn your new surroundings, but a couple of things to think about. Everyone you ask for help needed it from someone else at some point and that it is often WAY easier to ask advice first than to go back and fix something that you messed up because you didn’t want to ask in the first place. The majority of teachers I have worked with WANT to help you figure things out because that is why they got into teaching in the first place.
Don’t hesitate.
3. Call parents with something positive about their child as soon as possible.
Confession…I was terrified of parents when I first started as a teacher.
I know how precious their children are to them and so I didn’t want to mess up. But parents want to know that you value their child and if your first interaction is talking about something negative, it can damage a relationship with that parent in the long term. Being proactive in communication is crucial.
PS…Never EVER communicate something negative to a parent over email.
4. Ask yourself, “What am I doing for the students that they can be doing for themselves?
The above advice is something that I had gleaned from my friends AJ Juliani and John Spencer. It is easy to do everything for our classrooms whereas some of the things that we hate, our students would love to do. I was constantly asked to fix technology in my school, and it was frustrating. One day, one of my students asked if he could do it for me, and all of a sudden a “student tech-support team” was created. Not only did it take things off of my plate, but the students who volunteered to lead the initiative took more ownership over the school. What I saw as “work” was a learning opportunity that I took away from my students. If you have this question in your head throughout the year, not only could it be less “work” for you, but it creates some empowering opportunities for your students.
5. Have a life outside of school.
If all you care about is teaching and you are spending hours upon hours in the school, you are more likely to burn out than not. There are so many great ways to connect and learn from colleagues outside of school through social networks, but it doesn’t mean you have to fill every waking moment filling your head and heart with education-related activities. Connect with friends and family, don’t forget about the activities that you love, and don’t be focused on teaching all of the time. It is okay to enjoy summer and weekends and is part of “sharpening the saw.” Long-term, this can make you a better teacher as students want to connect with people that are teachers, not teachers that happen to be people.
6. If you are having a tough day, that is okay.
As a principal, I encouraged my teachers that if they needed a mental health day to take it. Because you can’t “see it” doesn’t mean it isn’t an issue. And sometimes, taking those mental health days are beneficial long-term because it becomes the difference of working at 50% for five days of the week, to working at 100% for four.
Immediately, I know that some people might think what I am saying could encourage someone to take advantage of this, but it never happened.
Also, don’t hesitate to talk to someone. I had many conversations with principals and colleagues when I was having personal and professional struggles that helped me tremendously.
We all have bad days. Don’t take it as a permanent defeat but recognize it as something we all go through, whether you see it or not.
7. Do your best to surround yourself with positive people, and be that positive person for others.
There is a distinction between people who challenge and people who are negative. We NEED people who challenge our thinking, but taking veiled shots at others is not helpful, and in fact, can often lose the message in the delivery. Challenging people can be an element of caring about someone, but there is a way we can do it while still showing the value we have in one another. But not everyone you will encounter will be positive. You don’t necessarily need to avoid them, but I try always to be positive in times of negativity. It doesn’t always work, but it is helpful for my well-being. The people you surround yourself with, in and out of school, can either be a fountain or a drain so be thoughtful of which one you are to others. This leads to the next point.
8. Don’t get sucked into gossip.
If someone is gossiping to you about someone else, they could easily be gossiping about you to someone else.
Enough said.
9. Ask for feedback early, not late.
It is hard to know how you are doing as a teacher when you are just getting started (and sometimes even later in your career). It can seem that different administrators have different expectations, so the best way to find out how you are doing is to ask others to come in and observe you and give you feedback to help you grow.
Do not limit this to your administrators though. Ask colleagues to come to your class and give you feedback. Some of the best advice I ever had for my practice was from other teachers who were in the room while I was leading a classroom. This can be daunting, but it is always better to get feedback too early than it is too late.
10. Remember why you teach.
There are a lot of tough days ahead of you. The classroom is unpredictable and no day will look the same. Some days you will think that you have mastered teaching and then the next day, you might think you are terrible. Also, I never felt post-secondary prepared me for the “other stuff” that teachers have to do that is not shown in movies, such as endless documentation and many late nights of marking and meetings. It is not as glamorous as what you see on TV, but it doesn’t mean it has to be less inspiring.
What is so amazing about teaching and education as a profession is that you impact people who go out and impact people. Teachers will never get the recognition they deserve because their impact can be infinite.
Think of it this way…if one thing in this blog inspired you to try something new or do something positive, that is because my teachers gave me the tools to share my voice. You will do the same for an endless amount of people.
Don’t forget that.
One last tip.
It is okay to cry. Teaching is such a rewarding profession, but it is a tough job. Just try to laugh way more than you cry 
Source: George Couros
I fell upon this article by Jennifer Gonzalez (known all over the world for her excellent site, “The Cult of Pedagogy”) advising new teachers. It was a great read and reminded me a lot of my ups and downs as a beginning teacher.
Here is the thing about teaching. If you are passionate about what you do, it never really becomes “easy.” It is hard in a different way. It is always emotionally taxing and has its share of challenging days. That being said, education is such an amazingly rewarding endeavor, those tough days are ones that you will come to look at differently when you have those really good days.
But starting off, there are some things I figured out, and there are things I wished I knew back then, that might be helpful for others entering the profession, or maybe even switching schools.
Here are some of those suggestions.
1. Build relationships right away.
Usually, when you hear the importance of relationships in education, there is a focus on how we build rapport with our students. But do not limit yourself to that and do not hide away from staff on breaks. I learned that support I needed from teachers was essential to doing well that first year (and beyond), but I also know that connections with the secretaries, custodians, and support staff, were so beneficial. The secretary always seemed to be the lifeblood of the schools I taught or worked at, and weirdly, seem to know everything. I know that is not true, but it sure felt true. Our educational assistants that work in the classrooms are so influential and knowledgeable about many things our staff, and make sure that they always feel valued.
One other tip…Don’t judge people on staff that you don’t connect with right away.
I remember there was one teacher that was on a staff I worked who seemed like a massive “grump,” and we had zero interactions during the first four months of the school year. I remember him distinctly saying to me, “Have a great winter break!” as I walked out of the school to head back to my hometown and these were the first words that he said to me the entire year. After the break, I came back, and he became one of the biggest influences on my career as a colleague. Some people need a little time to warm up, but it doesn’t mean they are negative. Always give people the benefit of the doubt until they give you a reason to think different.
2. It is better to ask questions about things you don’t know the answer to than to pretend you know.
It is easy not to want to feel like a “burden” to other staff members by asking a bunch of questions while you are trying to learn your new surroundings, but a couple of things to think about. Everyone you ask for help needed it from someone else at some point and that it is often WAY easier to ask advice first than to go back and fix something that you messed up because you didn’t want to ask in the first place. The majority of teachers I have worked with WANT to help you figure things out because that is why they got into teaching in the first place.
Don’t hesitate.
3. Call parents with something positive about their child as soon as possible.
Confession…I was terrified of parents when I first started as a teacher.
I know how precious their children are to them and so I didn’t want to mess up. But parents want to know that you value their child and if your first interaction is talking about something negative, it can damage a relationship with that parent in the long term. Being proactive in communication is crucial.
PS…Never EVER communicate something negative to a parent over email.
4. Ask yourself, “What am I doing for the students that they can be doing for themselves?
The above advice is something that I had gleaned from my friends AJ Juliani and John Spencer. It is easy to do everything for our classrooms whereas some of the things that we hate, our students would love to do. I was constantly asked to fix technology in my school, and it was frustrating. One day, one of my students asked if he could do it for me, and all of a sudden a “student tech-support team” was created. Not only did it take things off of my plate, but the students who volunteered to lead the initiative took more ownership over the school. What I saw as “work” was a learning opportunity that I took away from my students. If you have this question in your head throughout the year, not only could it be less “work” for you, but it creates some empowering opportunities for your students.
5. Have a life outside of school.
If all you care about is teaching and you are spending hours upon hours in the school, you are more likely to burn out than not. There are so many great ways to connect and learn from colleagues outside of school through social networks, but it doesn’t mean you have to fill every waking moment filling your head and heart with education-related activities. Connect with friends and family, don’t forget about the activities that you love, and don’t be focused on teaching all of the time. It is okay to enjoy summer and weekends and is part of “sharpening the saw.” Long-term, this can make you a better teacher as students want to connect with people that are teachers, not teachers that happen to be people.
6. If you are having a tough day, that is okay.
As a principal, I encouraged my teachers that if they needed a mental health day to take it. Because you can’t “see it” doesn’t mean it isn’t an issue. And sometimes, taking those mental health days are beneficial long-term because it becomes the difference of working at 50% for five days of the week, to working at 100% for four.
Immediately, I know that some people might think what I am saying could encourage someone to take advantage of this, but it never happened.
Also, don’t hesitate to talk to someone. I had many conversations with principals and colleagues when I was having personal and professional struggles that helped me tremendously.
We all have bad days. Don’t take it as a permanent defeat but recognize it as something we all go through, whether you see it or not.
7. Do your best to surround yourself with positive people, and be that positive person for others.
There is a distinction between people who challenge and people who are negative. We NEED people who challenge our thinking, but taking veiled shots at others is not helpful, and in fact, can often lose the message in the delivery. Challenging people can be an element of caring about someone, but there is a way we can do it while still showing the value we have in one another. But not everyone you will encounter will be positive. You don’t necessarily need to avoid them, but I try always to be positive in times of negativity. It doesn’t always work, but it is helpful for my well-being. The people you surround yourself with, in and out of school, can either be a fountain or a drain so be thoughtful of which one you are to others. This leads to the next point.
8. Don’t get sucked into gossip.
If someone is gossiping to you about someone else, they could easily be gossiping about you to someone else.
Enough said.
9. Ask for feedback early, not late.
It is hard to know how you are doing as a teacher when you are just getting started (and sometimes even later in your career). It can seem that different administrators have different expectations, so the best way to find out how you are doing is to ask others to come in and observe you and give you feedback to help you grow.
Do not limit this to your administrators though. Ask colleagues to come to your class and give you feedback. Some of the best advice I ever had for my practice was from other teachers who were in the room while I was leading a classroom. This can be daunting, but it is always better to get feedback too early than it is too late.
10. Remember why you teach.
There are a lot of tough days ahead of you. The classroom is unpredictable and no day will look the same. Some days you will think that you have mastered teaching and then the next day, you might think you are terrible. Also, I never felt post-secondary prepared me for the “other stuff” that teachers have to do that is not shown in movies, such as endless documentation and many late nights of marking and meetings. It is not as glamorous as what you see on TV, but it doesn’t mean it has to be less inspiring.
What is so amazing about teaching and education as a profession is that you impact people who go out and impact people. Teachers will never get the recognition they deserve because their impact can be infinite.
Think of it this way…if one thing in this blog inspired you to try something new or do something positive, that is because my teachers gave me the tools to share my voice. You will do the same for an endless amount of people.
Don’t forget that.
One last tip.
It is okay to cry. Teaching is such a rewarding profession, but it is a tough job. Just try to laugh way more than you cry
No oven? No problem! These 10 no-bake dessert recipes let your fridge do the work. From cheesecakes to cookies to cupcakes, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your sweet tooth!
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Inspired by my good friend Tony Sinanis and his post, “5 Phrases I’m Letting Go,” I decided to think about three phrases that I am removing trying to rethink in my work in both education and leadership. Here are expressions I have been thinking about lately.
Phrase 1:
“We have to move away from traditional practice.”
Traditional does not equal bad.
Bad equals bad.
Some past practices in education work wonder for many of our students, but I still contend that no single practice, innovative or traditional, works for all of our students.
Traditional practice is not the enemy of innovation, and they are not an either/or proposition. Bad practice, new or traditional, is the issue and always will be.
Phrase 2:
“We need to focus on what is best for students.”
This phrase might shock some people right away, but “students” are only part of your school community. Simply replace the word “students” with “learners,” and it is much more encompassing. Serving teachers and support staff are serving your students.
There is one caveat though. The term “learners” insinuates all people that are willing to move forward and continuously grow, not just everyone.
Phrase 3:
“You should…”
I tweeted something the other day, and I saw a tweet that complained about it and said, “You should…” Honestly, I never read the rest because I was lost immediately in the thought that someone I did not know telling me how I should do something.
I am guilty of this, and I am working to get better.
“You should…” could easily be replaced with, “Here is an example of something I do…”
Showing and modeling the way is much more effective than “telling.” When I see someone that is successful through a process, I want to learn from what they did. When I’m told I am that something I do won’t work by someone who doesn’t fully understand the work that I do, and then outright told what I should do, you lose me. I am sure I have lost people in the same process.
Model the way.
I appreciate Tony sharing his original post as it modeled a form of reflection for my development and encouraged me to dig deep into what work I do to help educators. Growth is part of the process, and if we expect it from our students, we should I need to model this in my practice.
Source: George Couros
Inspired by my good friend Tony Sinanis and his post, “5 Phrases I’m Letting Go,” I decided to think about three phrases that I am removing trying to rethink in my work in both education and leadership. Here are expressions I have been thinking about lately.
Phrase 1:
“We have to move away from traditional practice.”
Traditional does not equal bad.
Bad equals bad.
Some past practices in education work wonder for many of our students, but I still contend that no single practice, innovative or traditional, works for all of our students.
Traditional practice is not the enemy of innovation, and they are not an either/or proposition. Bad practice, new or traditional, is the issue and always will be.
Phrase 2:
“We need to focus on what is best for students.”
This phrase might shock some people right away, but “students” are only part of your school community. Simply replace the word “students” with “learners,” and it is much more encompassing. Serving teachers and support staff are serving your students.
There is one caveat though. The term “learners” insinuates all people that are willing to move forward and continuously grow, not just everyone.
Phrase 3:
“You should…”
I tweeted something the other day, and I saw a tweet that complained about it and said, “You should…” Honestly, I never read the rest because I was lost immediately in the thought that someone I did not know telling me how I should do something.
I am guilty of this, and I am working to get better.
“You should…” could easily be replaced with, “Here is an example of something I do…”
Showing and modeling the way is much more effective than “telling.” When I see someone that is successful through a process, I want to learn from what they did. When I’m told I am that something I do won’t work by someone who doesn’t fully understand the work that I do, and then outright told what I should do, you lose me. I am sure I have lost people in the same process.
Model the way.
I appreciate Tony sharing his original post as it modeled a form of reflection for my development and encouraged me to dig deep into what work I do to help educators. Growth is part of the process, and if we expect it from our students, we should I need to model this in my practice.
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Have a look at this study of a bull by Pablo Picasso:
It starts off with intricate drawings and step by step Picasso moves from detail to just the essence of what a bull is, using just a handful of lines.
Sometimes we have to ‘cut the bull’… We have to look at the essence of what good teaching and learning looks like.
Unit planning: What do you really want students to know, to understand, and be able to do? How does this connect to other subjects, and to the world we live in, and to the students themselves?
Lesson planning: What do you really want students to know, to understand, and be able to do? What are students doing during the lesson? (How does the lesson engage students?) How do they connect with/to the learning?
I remember teaching a an introductory lesson on fractions to Grade 8’s that I thought went really well. The following day I drew a number line from 0 to 1 and gave students a bunch of fractions to put on that line in the order that they would fit. The results were dismal. Sure, a handful of students understood the problem, but they probably understood it before I gave the lesson. For others, there were all kinds of guesses and incorrect patterns followed (like the bigger denominator or numerator being closer to 1). One kid actually raised his hand and asked if this was a trick question, and while I did have a bonus question with a fraction like 7/6 that would have extended past the number line, that is not what the student meant.
My introductory lesson had completely missed the mark. While I introduced fractions, I failed to answer the very basic question of ‘what does a fraction represent?’
The questions we ask ourselves before we plan determine what we really need to ask of our students.
Picasso didn’t do his final drawing by asking, “How can I use the least amount of lines to draw a bull?” In each drawing he took away the non-essential components, leaving behind only what was necessary.
