In college I had a professor that was big into theory. What was the origin of.....? What were the implications of.......? I hated that class. I wanted practical strategies that would make me a better teacher. I vowed that I would always remember his class and always deal with the practical issues. That is what would make me the best teacher I could be.
Today I had my reality check. I have been doing so much research and learning. I have been inspired by finding out the qualities of the 90/90/90 schools. I want to learn the best way to teach reading. I want to learn about RTI. I could go on and on.
The two Instructional Coaches (thanks to Luby and Laiben - the 2 best IC's around) for the district came in today to do a workshop on implementing small groups with a 90-minute reading block. They came prepared with so many strategies. The staff heard about cooperative group strategies, they learned how to implement center activities that deal with the 5 components of reading. The staff even learned more about implementing lessons for the gifted/advanced student.
Here is what I saw: most of them were eating it up.
I saw note taking. I saw hands in the air. I heard conversations about practical strategies that can be implemented in the classroom.
It wasn't rocket science. It wasn't really anything else that they didn't know.
I haven't seen this reaction from them in a long time..............and, then I realized..............
it's because I turned into Dr Fieldsman! I had been giving them research and theory. I had been helping their budgets because they were able to cancel their sleeping prescriptions. I was putting them asleep.
I had lost my mojo............I must get it back.
This weekend: Austin Powers, here I come.
Principals: even when we think we haven't forgotten what it was like in the classroom, maybe we have...............
