28 days of writing sounds like a mission, but, as a coffee fiend, I'll do anything for a decent quality mug. But what to write about? Well, let's see if I can go 28 days of sharing positive stuff that happens. I'll try to communicate why I really wouldn't be doing anything else.
This week, I've started to feel vaguely like I'm OK at my job. This is because I remembered about the power of simple ideas. If truth be told, I remembered how awesome it is to be a teacher. I'd forgotten.
I connected to Marine Biologists via Skype in the Classroom as they carried out their work in Timor and Australia. I also used Slideshare, something that I first used to publish student work in 2007 and a few other things. I actually loved teaching. These simple ideas I had forgotten about. I had also forgotten about the power of taking a massive risk in the classroom. Skype was blocked so I used my phone as a hotspot and I allowed students to have my log on details for Slideshare.
It all worked, and it's been confirmed that I can trust children.
On top of that, I took some wonderful Year 8 girls to the Amex stadium (home of Brighton and Hove Football Club) and they designed storybook Apps. They took my breath away by their passion and ability.
What's more, I attended a really positive Humanities meeting where we looked at each others books and stayed late for Year 9 Options Evening and a couple of other activities. I defy anyone to speak to parents and children and not remember why it is they became teaching. Or perhaps it's just me? Perhaps I'm insane.
I read this recently:
'a teacher too often find it difficult to know which geographical ideas and approaches to accept and which to reject, distinguishing innovations that are of merit and those of no importance.'
It's from the first edition of Teaching Geography. From 1975. Three years before I was born. To me, it demonstrates that the job has always been part of a shifting landscape and it's easy to get bogged down in the detail. This was a little further on:
'As the teacher struggles to keep abreast of a 30-period week, with the pastoral care of pupils and with the hundred-and-one details of school operation, he continually hears about new techniques, new information, new ideas originating in university geography departments. Those who attend courses are customarily bombarded with the new ideas, often by people who are not directly involved in the day-to-day job of school teaching.'
1975. 1975. 1975.
Sound familiar? Replace courses with blogs and that pretty much sums up how I often feel. So have things changed that much?
Teaching has always been hard, to me that's the beauty of it. Indeed, I have a habit of moving on when the going gets easy. Focus on the pupils and you've got why it's such a great job.
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