Friday, September 5, 2008
Thoughts for the new semester
We have just completed our first few days in our assigned schools. How did it go? I have really enjoyed it so far. During the p.d. days at my school before classes started, the new principal gave a very inspirational speech. She discussed the fact that she graduated from this same school and she had a really rough childhood and adolescence. No matter how tough things were at home, as a teenager she always knew this school was a safe place for her. She knew there were counselors and teachers who cared about her at this school. She was encouraged and empowered to succeed by the people at this school. She is all grown up now and is the principal at this same school. She spoke of how much it meant to her to be there. She made it clear that if you, as a teacher, think you can't make a difference or your students don't have what it takes because of their background or circumstances....think again. I may be idealistic, but that is why I want to be a teacher.
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4 comments:
What a great story, Cristi. It has to be quire rare to have a principal at the helm of school from which they themselves graduated. It also sounds like she has a rather admirable sense of the importance of the work we're engaged in. She sounds like someone you ought to get to know better, eh? Sometime soon, you should make an appointment to go and see her...
Hi Cristi! She's got to be better than to old principal, John - he just came across as such a "good ole' boy" and really just a redneck (sorry to be harsh!). I have a funny / sad story about his support of teachers that I'll tell you sometime!
As I begin my new year a Cranbrook, I am seeing from a different perspective just what a great teacher and mentor Tom is /was. You are very lucky to be with him and I hope you feel that way too? I am also missing the collaboration of the MAC program and in particular my co-teacher Alexandria at Wayne. She is in Reno NV now and I am here, but we are actually using Skype to keep in touch and even share ideas for lesson plans with each other long-distance! You can let Jeff & Liz know that! Skype rocks! (That's a big reason why I don't want to return my Apple laptop to the MAC program!).
Hope all is well and that you are not too overwhelmed. How's Math 431 anyhow?
Lynne
That is why I want to be a teacher too!
Me too, Cristi and Autumn! Are you both feeling like there are students you're connecting with in an important way so far? This is quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of being in the classroom.
Yesterday our guest speaker, Andrea, said that she would spend the first five to ten minutes of class checking in with each student as they worked on the assignment on the board. How do you feel about this as a strategy for developing meaningful relationships with and a safe classroom environment for your students?
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