Each week of Celebrating Educators has inspired me and gave me a lot to reflect on. I wanted to reflect on some of the many lines that stood out to me from the first three posts.
"I loved every minute of my time at Lewis and Clark College and read the writing of so many people who helped me understand this complex thing called teaching." - Penny Kittle
*One of my most favorite aspects of going back to school for an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction was the chance to learn alongside other professionals from the student side. Prior to starting my program, I had been narrowing in on my specific school and content area, and it has been so enriching to maintain that focus while also zooming back out to broader issues in education. Through reading, writing, and discussing, we learn so much!
"Today I keep a notebook and write in it most days, I read like a wolf eats, as Gary Paulson says, and I still love teaching." - Penny Kittle
*Penny Kittle always has powerful statements that energize me as a teacher.
"For me, this career has been about risk taking and reflection. I have been given opportunities and I often didn't think I knew enough to take them, but I did. I learned along the way, challenging myself to read and think about this work in complex ways and never settle for less than reaching every student. Teachers are powerful. I work every day to use that power well." - Penny Kittle
*This year is about taking risk for me, as well as an opportunity to really reflect on my career as an educator so far. It's never easy to step outside of our comfort zones, but I love Penny's positive attitude toward learning from new contexts.
"While this is accurate, telling the story in this manner does not describe the joys that I find in being an educator; new experiences are available to me as both a teacher and learner, so long as I'm willing to avail myself of them." - Troy Hicks
*Troy Hicks reminded me of the role of being a teacher and a learner, as well as focusing on ourselves as writers in order to be a better teacher of writing. I have enjoyed writing more than ever in the last couple of years and utilize the concepts I have taught my students to continually develop as a writer myself as well. This statement also reminded me of how there is always so much more beyond the surface level with teaching, so much rich description.
"Writing has the power to change lives [...] We teach kids to become writers, and in doing so we teach them to become themselves." - Troy Hicks
*The power of writing never fails to amaze me - so much potential. Being able to experience writing alongside my students and to watch them make sense of their worlds through writing has been fascinating and so fulfilling.
"When I view myself as a leader, I can only see myself in relation to those colleagues that surround me. As I do what I can to teach them, to inspire them, and to help them become better teachers, I become a better teacher myself." - Troy Hicks
*I have been lucky to be surrounded with inspiring colleagues throughout my teaching career. Being able to collaborate within my school, on-line, or in classrooms is always energizing.
"There really weren’t many reading teachers around then. And there had never been a program before for the 7th graders to have a reading class, thus there was no curriculum for me to follow. Nothing." - Pat Johnson
*This quote reminds me that so much of being an educator entails being determined and motivated to consider what we know in relation to our present contexts and then go through many cycles of reflection and discussion in order to continually build our capacities as teachers with a sharp focus on students and their needs. There's rarely (if ever) easy answers. Yet, it is essential to allow for this time to grow and develop, rather than pushing for an emphasis on programs vs. teachers as professionals.
"I ran a tutoring clinic in my home, and I taught myself a lot about teaching kids to read by watching one kid at a time." - Pat Johnson
*One kid at a time - I have learned so much as a parent being able to closely observe my girls and their literacy development. It informs me as a teacher, as well as my students helping me grow as a parent. I love the range of data sources available through writer's workshop - conferring, comments in discussions, writing samples... So much to learn from each individual student.
"Because I know it’s NOT possible for every person to get trained in Reading Recovery, I constantly think, “How can I help? What is it from my new understandings that I could share with other teachers?” And each year since then – through all my series of workshops at schools, through my LLG (Literacy Learning Groups that I did with Title I teachers for 3 years), through my graduate classes at George Mason University, through my two books (One Child at a Time and Catching Readers Before They Fall) – each year I try to find ways to say it better." -Pat Johnson
*Once again, the vital role of collaboration comes through. Each of us has the power to contribute to a collective discussion and understanding about content, students, and teaching. I love Pat's wording focusing on constant refining.
As educators we are on a constant journey. Where will it take us next?
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