Book Transformation

A few weeks ago, my co-worker and I went to an English teacher conference. It was two days and, for the most part, full of good information. Much of the conference was based on young adult literature. I loved this aspect, mostly because I love reading and helping develop young readers in my classroom. This is one of the biggest challenges as a teacher -- finding books that kids can relate to and creating life-long readers.

During one of the keynote speeches, the speaker went through a list of YA literature that she has found to be, in some way or another, transformative. I was jotting down book titles. There are just so many wonderful books that are waiting to be explored. Finally, the speaker flipped to The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene. She asked the room full of English teachers who had read it. Over half of the room raised their hands. "This book will change your life," the speaker announced. I looked around at the faces of my colleagues. Everyone was nodding in agreement. Their faces changed, and there was a murmur of comments from those that had been touched by this piece of literature.

It was only a matter of time before I clicked "add to cart" on Amazon. I started the novel last weekend and completed it Thursday night.... pause.... (Honestly, I don't know what to write because I am still a little dazed and speechless.) I will tell you I have never been that touched by a book. I was sobbing uncontrollably, feeling like the characters were my best friends.

It wasn't until now that I could (sort of) figure out what it was about this book that uncovered these feelings. The two main characters battle cancer; however, this is not the main focus of the book. It's about how they live with cancer, not how they die from it. They use humor as a way to deal with their insecurities. The dialogue between them is so real. It is exactly how teenagers speak.

I am not even doing this book justice as I write this post. All I can say is that if you don't believe in book transformation, you need to pick up this book. Savor it. Enjoy the remarkable craft of this author. Indulge in the characters, for they are amazing.

Zapped vs. Slow Cooking

Last spring, I took the Alpha course at my church. It was a really great experience that allowed me to grow in my faith and learn more about the Holy Spirit. During one of our small group chats, our leader spoke about how people come to faith. He used the analogy that some people have "microwave moments" that zap them; there is a "moment" that transforms them. For others, it's more of a process -- like a slow cooker. Interesting, huh?

Yesterday, I started thinking about this analogy in terms of learning. (As a teacher, there are not many things that don't turn into lessons.) Some people learn quickly, as if they were zapped by the learning microwave (maybe I should invest in one of those). Others learn slowly. They are a Sunday roast that has to simmer and warm up before poking it with a fork. If you take it out too soon, it will be tough and unappetizing. But when you wait for the right moment, it's perfect.

Many -- if not all -- education classes talk about differentiation. Teachers are expected, with good reason, to adapt our teaching styles to meet the needs of our students. While this makes a lot of sense, it is very complicated. I prep for four different courses in each day... now throw on the needs of nearly 150 different students. Can you see where the complications come in? I am not complaining, but rather painting you a picture. What I have realized is that the most important element of differentiated teaching is knowing my students. After all, if I don't know my students, how will I ensure that my teaching is intersecting with their learning?

So, what's better? Microwave or slow-cooker learning? Like most things, it depends upon the student. Consider this: You are on a flight crossing from America into Canada. If you sleep through the flight or if you are wide awake throughout the whole trip, don't you still land in Canada? Yep, you sure do. It doesn't matter the means of how you got there, only that you did. Learning is the same way. As a teacher, I care less about how students get there and more on the fact that they did.

While learning is complex, it is also absolutely amazing.

Crediting Myself

I have a hard time admitting when I am good at something. Deep down, I have confidence; however, I don't always express it because I don't want to look boastful. I know that I am not the only person that struggles with taking credit for doing something well. For some reason, I always think someone else can do it better. I lack confidence in my gifts. 

Today I had two different people reach out to me for help. One of them wanted help writing. She was searching for the right diction and grammar. More than anything, this person was hoping to sound scholarly as she prepares for the next step in her career. She assured me that I was the right person for the job. "Your writing always sounds smart." As I started looking through her pieces of writing, I couldn't help but thank God at that moment. He has blessed me with the gift of writing. Why can't I just admit that to myself? 

Later in the day, I headed down to our school's weight room. I am the assistant coach for our girls basketball team this year. A few of the girls asked me to teach them some workouts. It has actually been a lot of fun because I love planning workouts and developing circuits. As we were huffing and puffing from a set of lunges, a girl mentioned that I should be a personal trainer. I went on to say that I always kind of wished that I had pursued that in one way or another. We concluded with some abdominal exercises. "I don't get how to do that," she said with a confused look. It hadn't even dawned on me that someone wouldn't know what side crunches were. My body is used to bending and moving in those ways; however, these movements were foreign to her. I constantly compare myself to fitness experts, wishing I had more knowledge and wanting to look like them. I forgot that I have actually worked hard to stay healthy. 

Until today, I hadn't given myself credit for my gifts. It felt good to give back to others. After all, that's what those gifts are for. 

Yea, But...

Excuses. I am not a fan. The fact is, there are consequences to your actions. There is no way to avoid that one; however, what about when it's not your fault? What happens when the situation is out of your control? Are excuses okay then?

The teacher in me says, "Nope."

The compassionate person in me says, "Oh, I'm sorry. Let's work through this together."

The annoyed person in me says, "Figure it out."

The world says, "I don't care."

The truth stings a little bit, doesn't it? The other day, I was having a conversation with someone that has had a very rough past. This person has been dealt a very unfair hand, and much of it is not his fault. In many ways, he's too young to have seen and heard these situations and conversations. As I heard this story, I wanted to offer hugs, words of encouragement, and even cut him a break. I thought more about it later and realized that this is not what he needs. The world doesn't care about his story. In other words, he needs to just move forward. While I believe that everyone's story does matter, this is not the view of the world. We are just people. We are all trying to work through something. We are all hurting in one way or another.

Life is not easy. Excuses won't make it better. Life can be hard. Accept this and move on.

Setbacks as Opportunities

Yesterday I was lazy. After a full week and some fun with my family, I was ready to crash. At first, I was feeling pretty guilty about it. Was I missing out on something exciting? Should I be socializing? What I realized was that I needed a break. I needed to be away from people and get some good sleep. This morning, I woke up with energy but still a little apprehensive. I pushed myself to tackle my to-do list.

While I wasn't really in the mood for church, I knew it would be a good place for me. I actually ended up buying a book at the church bookstore and started working through it already. Between the sermon and the book, I decided that my attitude needs to change. We all find ourselves in a slump from time to time, but it is our choice to dig ourselves out of it. I've had a few personal setbacks, but I am choosing to use them as an opportunity to move forward. 

The minister this morning mentioned that "honesty characterizes healthy relationships." I feel like I am a pretty honest person; however, I don't know if I have been totally honest with myself. I have been ignoring the things that have been bothering me. In a sense, that is lying; that is being dishonest. 

Here is what I have concluded: I need to work on the relationships with myself. I need to be a better me. There are times when I am too hard on myself, and that is not always fair. I need to work on loving myself and taking better care of myself. What has 

The Right Teaching Track

Happy weekend!! Last week was pretty crazy. I'm a type-A person, so organization is generally my style; however, when it comes to teaching, I have learned to be flexible. There were a lot of different activities going on throughout the week, so I knew going into the week that I would just have to go with the flow.

As I was wrapping up fall conferences, I realized a few things.

I love what I do. My passion is teaching, and I genuinely care about each of my students. I listened to parents come in and share their stories and discuss issues with their kids. The other weekend, I talked to my mom about how much trust parents place onto their student's teachers. We are with their child more than they are; we may know more about their child than they do. Those parents trust our words. This is an amazing thing that I will probably never be able to wrap my head around.

I work with a lot of really great people. I feel comfortable talking to colleagues, parents, and students. I know that I am fully supported by administration and staff. There are times when I feel like the kids aren't learning and that I'm doing it all wrong. Just when I am losing self-confidence, someone is there with a great compliment to pick me up. All in all, I feel like I am doing what I need to do to as a teacher. There is so much to learn, but I know that I am on the right track.