A new teacher, a new strength
As I get closer to my colleagues in my school, my district and in my department, I’m finding tremendous strength. I went to my professional development on Monday beleaguered—still with a box full of papers to grade. I’m stressed about my school closing, my shaky financial situation and how to manage my troubled students while increasing the academic rigor.I’m not the only one. In fact, I found myself in a room heavy with worn faces. In that shared burden there was camaraderie, albeit in an exhausted form.
There’s a bond, too, among the history teachers. We met today to score the essays from the district assessment. This was an in-depth project that challenged students to interpret primary sources and form an evidence-supported argument. It’s the product of a department with very few resources but a determination to measure and push for further gains. We talked about the most important elements of history and how to best have children connect to it. Add to that the shared classroom strategies and now I’m excited for work tomorrow to start rolling out the second semester line-up.
Within my school st