Thanks to Give...

The last few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of manic activity: instruction, assessment, evaluation, parent/teacher/student conferences and meetings, progress reports and marking period grades, PD and collaborative meetings, special events and pull-outs, laughter, frustration, tears. And so far so good. I'm an amazing teacher/ninja - deflecting bullets with my dagger in one hand while I fine-tune my calligraphy with the other.

There's just one important thing that hasn't happened as often as it should. Something so essential to the learning process and yet so often neglected. The first thing that always seems to falls off the back of the cart - if ever gets loaded in the first place. And that's time to reflect on the learning.

So I'm making time, rather than taking time, to share some bullet-point ruminations on the long and intense haul from the first day of school to the first break of the year. Some things that I'm thankful for no matter how challenging it's been.

• I've learned more about myself and the art of learning in the last 13 weeks than I have learned in the past 24 years - the entirety of my career.
• My confidence is growing in the rightness of what I'm doing - even though it frequently feels like one step forward and two back.
• I owe so much to my students - the brave, kind, and flexible students who've worked with me these last several weeks. You are all amazing and I'm even more convinced that you'll succeed in spite of what happens to you in school as much as because of it.
• I want to thank everyone who has honestly and candidly critiqued my work thus far. Sometimes it's hard to take - especially when I feel I'm working as hard as I can to get it right. But it's invaluable to me and my growth. I appreciate so much more personally now how students must feel when we critique their work. But honest assessments combined with a chance to make changes makes all the difference in the learning process.
• Well-written standards that promote dialogue in the learning community are essential. They provide the lingua franca for discussions about learning that bring students and teachers closer to one another and their peers.
• My colleagues, in their infinite variety and wisdom, model professionalism for me everyday. How I wish I could take their classes and learn from some of these incredible people.
• To my people at home - thank you for your patience and understanding for the hours and days I spend at my desk trying to figure this thing out while the laundry piles up, the grass goes uncut, and another household project waits for summer vacation. I love you guys!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

"Rest and be thankful." - William Wordsworth