Kristin Ackerman
August 24, 2012
I don't know of any school district or independent schools who have not been affected by the economy. Reporters have commented about teachers all over the country struggling to hold onto their positions. I teach at an independent school and we have been told that we need to get used to "The New Norm", which feels like a bit of a hopeless expression. The more that I have heard this term used at my school the more determined I am not to accept it. As an educator I feel an obligation to the students in my classroom to continue to push myself to be the best that I can be regardless of the economy. The challenge is that the financial resources for professional development are not what they used to be so we have to be creative. We can all understand the need to make cuts but those cuts can't deter us to continue to learn.
I really enjoy going to conferences and workshops but they are not the only way to do professional development. Our greatest opportunities for professional growth are to use the resources next door or down the hall. I have several friends/colleagues who I constantly learn from. However, I do have to be intentional about it because running a classroom is a crazy, all encompassing, full-time job and anyone can get lost in the day-to-day work. So here is what I do to learn from my colleagues and how I make the time to learn from them:
Jen McDonough, is my idol, challenger and cheerleader all wrapped in one petite package. She is an incredible teacher, literacy coach, and writer. Jen challenges me to try new things; to constantly raise the level of my teaching and there is no room for getting comfortable. We both have two small kids and our time is limited so we squeeze in time to talk by running together afterschool and we do local races together. Running a half marathon gives you plenty of time to brainstorm!
Peg Meehan, is the management queen. She is a teacher and a mom of two teenagers. I learn from Peg at recess and lunch. We all know that those few moments of freedom are where all of the drama happens between kids and Peg is a master at handling it. Peg never raises her voice and her looks communicate more than words ever could. She expertly handles the kid who is "supposedly" cussing on the playground, the awkward genius who is struggling socially, and the girls who are trying to run the school. But, what is so amazing about Peg is that she can handle any situation while always leaving the kid with their dignity intact. Every nine year-old in her room respects her because she respects them.
Kristen Sheehan and I are complete opposites. She has been teaching for over 20 years and analyzes every decision before deciding how to best teach her students. We both teach third grade and I absolutely love planning with her because we ALWAYS approach a lesson differently. We use our common planning time to hash out ideas. The beauty of planning with Kristen is that we are able to gain new perspectives from each other and I feel better prepared to teach after talking through my options with her. We jokingly tease each other about always trying to convince the other to change their thinking.
Whether you have been asked to get used to "The New Norm", or not you can continue to grow by learning from your colleagues. So, who do you know that you could learn from? Who can you pay attention to at recess or plan with during specials?