Since before I can remember, you have been “an open book”. You have always been willing to share about anything, especially if that information helped someone else. However in the midst of that openness, we’ve learned that “letting people in” opens us up to a whole can of insecurities, vulnerability and being known. It is evident now more than ever that we all have an innate desire to know others and to be known by others. Remember - before stepping foot into a classroom, the thought of letting an eleven year old know you sounded terrifying and somewhat ridiculous. Being known by closest friends, yes. Church small group, yes. Family, yes. But students - no thanks. Don’t forget that they’re humans too. They too want to be known and to know others. And when a teacher opens up their life to their students, something amazing happens - real, authentic relationships. Don’t forget that these relationships are the start of it all and being vulnerable and “letting them in” is the only way to make this happen.
So, take the plunge and prioritize “letting them in”. Here are a few no-stress, easy ways to “let them in”:
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I am unchanged in this area since you. I despise wasted time. And apparently everyone knows it and I make it known (see student’s fact “D” about Mrs. VandeVanter after the first week of school this year). I am a work horse. I can have an idea and whip it up in no time, but one of the ways I am so fast is GOOGLE EXTENSIONS. Specifically tab glue and tab scissors. Tab glue and tab scissors split and glue back together tabs while using Google Chrome. They cut time working on a computer by seconds, but when you are strapped for time, time is everything. Here is a “Adding Extensions on Google Chrome” how to that I put together for my current staff.
I know you have always loved technology, but it has been four years - and I can’t even imagine all the changes in technology in the next four years. Last week, I listened to the Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey podcast featuring Jenna Kutcher. I know this podcast wasn’t on your radar, but - go listen NOW. It will surely challenge you, make you think and ignite change in your life. It’s amazing! My absolute favorite thing about Jamie's podcast is how every word encourages me to self-reflect while listening to someone's unique story or perspective. A lot of the topics of discussion got me thinking about a few things: my dream job, my gifts and how to leverage those to create change.
My dream job - well you know since I was a little girl all I wanted to be was a teacher. In fact, this week a student asked me “What would you be if you weren’t a teacher?” and I honestly felt trapped answering that question. I love being able to say that I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and now I’ve accomplished that dream. But this also made me think about how our dreams should evolve as we change. Yes, I’ve accomplished being a teacher, but now, let’s use that dream to change in the world. Don’t ever become stagnant. You were made for so much more. Speaking of knowing I’ve always wanted to be a teacher...remember when you turned your large, upstairs bathroom into your class? Remember when you persuaded your younger sisters to endure being students in your bathroom classroom? Remember all the “parent conferences” with your mom? Remember teaching them how to add? Remember giving your students (sisters) tickets when they were doing good to motivate them? Can we just take a second and die laughing at the fact that this was your childhood? Hilarious! I mean come on. My poor sisters and mom. But nonetheless, it was just another reason why I knew I was born to be a teacher. My gifts - I am a teacher through and through. I am creative. I am a relationship builder. I am a connector, a communicator, an activator, a wooer. I have been affirmed over and over again since I was young that these are a few of my gifts. These are some of the things that make me unique. Find your gifts. Listen for people to affirm them. And then choose to walk in those gifts to create change. Creating change - this is something that I have recently become passionate about. Not necessarily change itself, but actually being intentional to create change. Every interaction you have with a staff member or student creates change. Either negative or positive. You don’t choose if you have impact, you just control what type of impact. So leverage your gifts and your passions to make a change in the world. This week, I kept repeating to my students “If you do the little things right, then the big things come!”. That phrase is resonating in my head reminding me to make small intentional moments count. Choose positive change. Choose intentionality. Choose to embrace your dreams - big and small. Choose to leverage them for change. ![]() “That’s why I’m not an English teacher!” What! I remember when you would use this as every come back when someone called out your grammar mistakes or English mistakes. Remember in Italy, when you taught English for two months and you thought they were crazy for letting you teach the complex language you grew up speaking? Yes, it’s not your strength. It’s not your gift. But, I wonder if you might’ve been a bit intimidated about all things language when you started teaching? Obviously, students have to use language in order to do all the science things. Finally in my fourth year of teaching, I think I’ve mastered it. I have figured out how to help middle schoolers speak with scientific language. And not just do it, but do it well! It’s all about modeling. You model, then students catch on and model. The students that don’t get it, you correct and then model. MODEL MODEL MODEL. Modeling is EVERYTHING. I wish you would’ve valued scientific language more in your first years of teaching. You could’ve used something like my Scientific Language Speech Bubbles (or strips) as a way to remind yourself and students of the importance of scientific language. I’ve heard people say that your actions and bank account will show what your heart loves. For teachers, your classroom shows anyone who walks into your room what you love. Whatever is important to you, put it up in your classroom. Let it be a conversation starter. Let it remind you to integrate in your lessons. Let it remind your kids of what is going to help them be successful in your room. Let your classroom show what you love! By far, the most difficult part of teaching for me has been a pretty little cycle: fall in love with my kids, they mess up or do something hurtful to me, I take it personally, we make it right, repeat. Every year, I would feel myself grow in this area, able to balance caring about my kids without taking things so personally. But this past school year was by far the most growth in a year I’ve experienced in this particular area; which is ironic considering the culture at my new school encourages you to take a parental-like responsibility for your students.
You’re probably wondering what changed and I know the exact thing. I received a cute little pink card in the mail. It was from my sweet sister in law who had spent the weekend with Jacob and I in Chicago and visited me at school a few weeks prior. Previously, I had shared with her some of the challenges of the school year thus far and how I just couldn’t figure out how not to take everything so personally - after all, this was not just a job to me. One of the things she wrote was, “Remember, see the need behind the behavior.” Along with the numerous encouraging words in that card, that phrase encouraged my heart more than anything. If only every time a student reacted positively or negatively, I remembered this simple truth. Then maybe, I could finally stop taking things so personally and actually move the needle with my kids. I could help fill their need. Don’t give in and become discouraged or take things personally when students act out negatively. Try to focus on the need that isn’t met for them. If you can identify what the need is, attempt to meet the need or call on support to help get it met. It is always the most simple things that change you so greatly. Remembering the need, attempting to meet it and focusing on the student will transform your demeanor, attitude and tone - therefore, you will have a different result altogether. That being said, sometimes, you’ll lose it - and that’s okay. You are a human. An imperfect human. So in that moment, give yourself grace, apologize if necessary and challenge yourself to see the need next time. Because you know, there’s always a next time. Remember when you first met your new boyfriend's sister on a mission trip to San Francisco? I bet you couldn't have even dreamed of how she would make you better. I bet you couldn't imagine all the sweet ways she would intentionally pour into your life. (But I bet you did think she'd be your sister one day!) Be more like Erin. Maybe it’s a new family member or a new staff member. Pour into them. Let Erin be a reminder to you that pouring into people with encouraging words or showing up is valuable. As I write this, I am exhausted from yet another day in the classroom. . I have nothing left in me. And I'm happy to report that I actually had this short, meaningful phrase pop up in my head today. The sticky note on my desk that reads "see the need behind the behavior" is the extra dose of encouragement that I needed. Write it down. Put it somewhere where it will encourage you. And don't forget, be like Erin. You got spoiled with 1:1 chromebooks and now I’m without - believe me I’m thankful that I have access to them, but I miss having my own. So at the beginning of this year, I had to take a step back and adapt to not using technology for EVERYTHING. Paper exit tickets, do not work for me. I don’t like to waste paper and I certainly don’t want to take time to “grade” them when I can get instant feedback and react to it in the moment. Enter Plickers.
They are amazing! No student technology needed. Print “code” sets for each class for free here. Download the free app on your smartphone or tablet. Set up your classes. Create targeted questions. Present question to class. Students hold up codes specific way to choose answer. Scan answers. Get instant feedback. I had my students put their specific plicker number in the back of their binders and it worked great! The Plicker never got messed up, was accessible everyday and it made formative assessments SO EASY! The one downside is: you have to create the questions. But it takes no time and I’m hoping that eventually there will be a search option to search other users questions like quizlet. |
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