This week has been quite an adventure! I say that...tongue in cheek! So far we teachers have attended a Common Core cavalcade, a RTTT definition briefing. I have met with my fellow ELA teachers all of yesterday and today constructing Learning Maps, evaluating assessments, designing unit tests, and tweaking Reading comprehension tests. Normally this kind of thing would drive me crazy! Having to deal with a plethora of multi-dimensional personalities, whines about this and that, and the fact that I am anywhere else than in my own classroom is usually enough to get me in a bad-leaning towards wicked mood. Either I am mellowing in my old age, or some forest sprite has flown up my ass, because I have enjoyed spending time with my colleagues these last two days.
I have never had a problem working with any one person, or any group, as long as there is some consistency...some camaraderie among the ranks, and a willingness to complete all tasks to an agreed upon end. This rarely happens...or has rarely happened when it comes to inservice gatherings. Usually it starts out OK, then ends in a whine and cheese session, or a book club discussion, or the separation of cliques into little chattering pods. I have gone against my first and foremost lesson in my classroom...never ASSUME! I teach my students to NEVER assume...because it makes an ASS out of U and ME!
These last two days have been awesome! We gathered our data, we sat together, and began to hatch a plan. We talked about what we needed, what the big-picture was, and came up with ideas about how we were going to get there. Of course all of this had to do with our new Common Core program, and the types of lessons involved...basically it all had to do with our kids. Challenging our kids, guiding them deeper down the path of enlightenment. A group of educated, intelligent individuals were actually able to tackle the task at hand, and not get drawn out on tangents! It was wonderful!
This was new for me...like a breath of fresh air! Maybe over the years my eyes have been closed. Maybe I spent way too much time, and energy expecting the worst from people. Maybe this is how it has always been...intelligent, thought provoking, dedicated...and I just never gave it a chance. Nahhh...these past two days have been a fluke at best! I have hope, though! I do have a new perspective on the whole department meeting thing, and my hope is that this fluke progresses. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with people who...without any thought of themselves, or their own personal trials and tribulations....are dedicated to the betterment of others...especially our kids!
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