Fall changes

Today...fall was in the air. Yes, that is right, fall. One of my favorite seasons. The change of the leaves, the darkening of the trees, and the glorious institution of football signal the best of the season. This fall, in my sixth year of teaching, I hope to finally master the balance between grading papers, reading essays, preparing lessons, and still have a life. As I walk down the halls of my school, I hear the echoes of my own feelings as a teacher. Today, we are asked for so much more, and yet we are given even less. Furloughed for three days, we are expected to grade papers faster, enter grades more frequently, compile data more efficiently, turn collected data into reports, and prepare differentiated lesson plans. With all of these demands, how can administrators, politicians, and parents even wonder why teacher burnout is at perhaps its highest peak. And yet...school must go on. Learning must continue. Papers must be graded. And football...yes football...must be played. So, this fall, starting today, I am going to accept the hand that has been dealt me, and embark on a new era in my teaching career, an era in which I am expected to do so much more, and yet receive so much less. And while I may not be happy about the changes being made to the world of education today, my students don't care, and they should not be the ones to suffer the most.

Pat Conroy editorial

I just checked my twitter and found an article Jim Burke posted written by Pat Conroy on the role of English teachers and the ever-present battle against censorship. Rarely have I read such an eloquent opinion on English teachers. Conroy captures the beauty and importance of English teachers, who have the privilege of opening doors when others aim to shut them. English teachers are faced with a strong desire and necessity to engage students in literature coupled with a challenge from parents who object to the very content that attracts teenager readers and that exists in the real world. Conroy agrees that parents often do not respect the integrity of English teachers. Sometimes, parents read too much into articles posted on the internet, instead of taking the time to read the book and make their own educated judgments, which is simply what teachers want their students to do. I was inspired by this article and know that other teachers (some on my very hall) will benefit from reading Conroy's opinion....
Letter to the Charleston Gazette

First Post

As a high school English teacher, I find that I constantly advise my students to reflect on their learning process and style, and yet over the past year, I did not practice what I preached to every student. For ten years, I pursued multiple degrees in college and became accustomed to reflecting on my learning process as well as my development as a teacher. Looking back, the process of keeping a journal and commenting on my trials, successes, and failures as a teacher was one of the most important learning tools I developed.

So....

As a sixth year teacher and by no means a veteran, I have decided to go back to my roots. In doing so, I will keep this blog to reflect on my experiences developing lesson plans, designing units, and teaching students everyday. I hope to chronicle my successes as well as my failures in an attempt to become a better teacher. I invite comments, concerns, and questions and hope that through my process of reflecting, I can help not only myself, but other teachers as well, teachers who find themselves confused on the best way to teach writing and reading in the twenty-first century.