SETTING GOALS
Short Term (next six months): My short-term goal, I believe, would be instrumental. As part of my Imagine IT, I am looking for ways to have my scholars tackle NGSS #2: Developing and Using Models. One such way that I believe this can be done is by using I-Movie or Stop Motion technology to explain the various laws and theories that we will be covering in our two Physics units, Energy and Force and Motion. To date, I have had some minor success using the roller coaster creator through National Geographic’s JASON project. However, one limitation is that the IPad cart that I share does not support Adobe Flash and then it becomes an extra credit assignment to be done at home (for those that have the access and initiative). Therefore, a sub category in my short term goal would be finding additional software or websites that the IPads do support in order for it to be done in school.
Long Term (next five years): My long term goal, I believe, would be missional. While there is no doubt that I love my job and I love the students I teach, I am the type of person that is constantly looking for a new challenge. I do not like repetitiveness and having taught 8th grade science for 13 years it is now becoming repetitive. The work I have done through this fellowship has given me things to think about. While I certainly can entertain myself with the things we have done through the fellowship for some time, if the financial situation does not improve with CPS, I will have no tools left to implement the things I have learned. I am not sure where the wind will take me but I do know that it will be somewhere advocating for fair and equitable funding for all schools.
Short Term (next six months): My short-term goal, I believe, would be instrumental. As part of my Imagine IT, I am looking for ways to have my scholars tackle NGSS #2: Developing and Using Models. One such way that I believe this can be done is by using I-Movie or Stop Motion technology to explain the various laws and theories that we will be covering in our two Physics units, Energy and Force and Motion. To date, I have had some minor success using the roller coaster creator through National Geographic’s JASON project. However, one limitation is that the IPad cart that I share does not support Adobe Flash and then it becomes an extra credit assignment to be done at home (for those that have the access and initiative). Therefore, a sub category in my short term goal would be finding additional software or websites that the IPads do support in order for it to be done in school.
Long Term (next five years): My long term goal, I believe, would be missional. While there is no doubt that I love my job and I love the students I teach, I am the type of person that is constantly looking for a new challenge. I do not like repetitiveness and having taught 8th grade science for 13 years it is now becoming repetitive. The work I have done through this fellowship has given me things to think about. While I certainly can entertain myself with the things we have done through the fellowship for some time, if the financial situation does not improve with CPS, I will have no tools left to implement the things I have learned. I am not sure where the wind will take me but I do know that it will be somewhere advocating for fair and equitable funding for all schools.
ROCKING THE BOAT
Review
It is really interesting that this reading was assigned given the timing of our Presidential inauguration. Whatever side of the fence you are on regarding national issues, I think we all need to take a step back and realize that we are all immigrants (at one point or another) and being such, we all bring a different set of values, ideas and basic ways that we go about our daily lives. We did not create these but rather they were passed down from generation to generation. We all came to this place for freedom and yet no single group feels totally free because freedom is defined differently by different groups of people.
Rocking the Boat, to me, best emphasizes that the change each individual may want or need is best won by not necessarily bullheadedness or confrontation but rather inviting others in to put the shoe on the other foot. If you disagree with an issue or want to make a change and come at it too strong, people will shut you down and drown you out because they don’t agree. On the other hand, if you fall into line and stay quiet and reserved, people may not notice you or think you have what it takes to move up or lead. There is a fine line that needs to be walked when trying to institute change in any situation or environment.
How Am I Different?
There is no doubt that I am different in the workplace because I am a male elementary school teacher. While I am departmentalized, being that I am an 8th grade science teacher, I am nonetheless in a school where the vast majority (ballpark would be 75-80%) are female. I don’t necessarily feel as though I have been treated differently but I do definitely feel that sometimes my actions or the way I do things may be misunderstood.
In reading about the gender issue in the book, it seemed as if the females struggled to meet the expectations of their male counterparts. I somewhat feel the same at times. My wife is a stay at home mom for the time being. While it was not our choice at first, things just sort of worked out. I have two sons who are both very active. Unfortunately, in our society, teachers are asked to fill a lot more empty space than just being a teacher. A lot of times we see these children more than their parents and sadly, a lot of times we think/care about some of these children more than their parents. Teachers are asked to do a tremendous amount of volunteering and work off the clock in order to fill some of those vacancies. I struggle sometimes with explaining to people that I can’t do as much as others in terms of volunteering or off the clock work because I have children of my own that need me. If I neglect to be a father figure to them because I am elsewhere helping somebody else, then in my opinion, I have failed my sons. Maybe it’s all in my head but sometimes I feel that people don’t understand this and simply think that I don’t want to go the extra mile for the children at my school.
Becoming A Tempered Radical
I had somewhat of an issue earlier in the year with regards to my statements in the section How Am I Different? To address a lengthy issue in a simple sentence, I had a choice to make – either conform and be untrue to my beliefs or go against the majority. After having read the book, I guess my actions fell under Turning Personal Threats Into Opportunity and I chose what would be an alternative response by correcting assumptions or actions. I didn’t like doing it but truth be told, once I addressed the issue, it hasn’t reoccurred so I guess some good came of it. Relationships are definitely professional and not personal after the occurrence but that may not be all bad.
There is no doubt that I am a Leveraging Small Wins person. Last year, when money was tight at school (not that it isn’t again this year), it was decided that we would not be compensated for having an after school Science Fair club. I still needed to do something down the lines of Science Fair and I didn’t want to neglect the time with my own children if I wasn’t getting paid. We have a lot to cover in terms of curriculum so doing it throughout the school day was out of the question. Ultimately, I came to a compromise with the situation – I taught an additional class last year for 5 weeks during my prep period so that I could still be at home with my boys and I could get my volunteer time in during the school day. It wasn’t my favorite but ultimately, it allowed me to balance my personal life with my professional life.
Facing Challenges
Due to the situation that arose in the previous paragraphs, there is no doubt that there have been tolls of ambivalence. There have been moments where I have felt guilt for using an alternative response by correcting assumptions or actions. I am not a confrontational guy. Peace and harmony are what I strive for and I genuinely try to see the good in every situation. There are times however that I wonder if there was a better approach I could have taken.
There have also been times where I have felt frustration and burnout. Just today, I gave a Chemistry final. As I am scanning the room, I see a student with his head down. I walk over to his workspace and sure enough, he is sound asleep. It is a time like this when I ask myself what am I doing here. Do I wake him or do I let him sleep? If I wake him, am I really helping him? Do I let him sleep in the hopes that maybe seeing his grade plummet gives him a wake up call that he needs? That whole gender thing I was talking about earlier – that comes in to play here, you know, where my actions may be misunderstood.
As for how I am going to deal with these challenges that face me, I will take them one day at a time. If you overthink this too much or for one minute think that teaching is a sprint instead of a marathon, you won’t last. I will simply continue to try to simplify everything that comes my way.
Review
It is really interesting that this reading was assigned given the timing of our Presidential inauguration. Whatever side of the fence you are on regarding national issues, I think we all need to take a step back and realize that we are all immigrants (at one point or another) and being such, we all bring a different set of values, ideas and basic ways that we go about our daily lives. We did not create these but rather they were passed down from generation to generation. We all came to this place for freedom and yet no single group feels totally free because freedom is defined differently by different groups of people.
Rocking the Boat, to me, best emphasizes that the change each individual may want or need is best won by not necessarily bullheadedness or confrontation but rather inviting others in to put the shoe on the other foot. If you disagree with an issue or want to make a change and come at it too strong, people will shut you down and drown you out because they don’t agree. On the other hand, if you fall into line and stay quiet and reserved, people may not notice you or think you have what it takes to move up or lead. There is a fine line that needs to be walked when trying to institute change in any situation or environment.
How Am I Different?
There is no doubt that I am different in the workplace because I am a male elementary school teacher. While I am departmentalized, being that I am an 8th grade science teacher, I am nonetheless in a school where the vast majority (ballpark would be 75-80%) are female. I don’t necessarily feel as though I have been treated differently but I do definitely feel that sometimes my actions or the way I do things may be misunderstood.
In reading about the gender issue in the book, it seemed as if the females struggled to meet the expectations of their male counterparts. I somewhat feel the same at times. My wife is a stay at home mom for the time being. While it was not our choice at first, things just sort of worked out. I have two sons who are both very active. Unfortunately, in our society, teachers are asked to fill a lot more empty space than just being a teacher. A lot of times we see these children more than their parents and sadly, a lot of times we think/care about some of these children more than their parents. Teachers are asked to do a tremendous amount of volunteering and work off the clock in order to fill some of those vacancies. I struggle sometimes with explaining to people that I can’t do as much as others in terms of volunteering or off the clock work because I have children of my own that need me. If I neglect to be a father figure to them because I am elsewhere helping somebody else, then in my opinion, I have failed my sons. Maybe it’s all in my head but sometimes I feel that people don’t understand this and simply think that I don’t want to go the extra mile for the children at my school.
Becoming A Tempered Radical
I had somewhat of an issue earlier in the year with regards to my statements in the section How Am I Different? To address a lengthy issue in a simple sentence, I had a choice to make – either conform and be untrue to my beliefs or go against the majority. After having read the book, I guess my actions fell under Turning Personal Threats Into Opportunity and I chose what would be an alternative response by correcting assumptions or actions. I didn’t like doing it but truth be told, once I addressed the issue, it hasn’t reoccurred so I guess some good came of it. Relationships are definitely professional and not personal after the occurrence but that may not be all bad.
There is no doubt that I am a Leveraging Small Wins person. Last year, when money was tight at school (not that it isn’t again this year), it was decided that we would not be compensated for having an after school Science Fair club. I still needed to do something down the lines of Science Fair and I didn’t want to neglect the time with my own children if I wasn’t getting paid. We have a lot to cover in terms of curriculum so doing it throughout the school day was out of the question. Ultimately, I came to a compromise with the situation – I taught an additional class last year for 5 weeks during my prep period so that I could still be at home with my boys and I could get my volunteer time in during the school day. It wasn’t my favorite but ultimately, it allowed me to balance my personal life with my professional life.
Facing Challenges
Due to the situation that arose in the previous paragraphs, there is no doubt that there have been tolls of ambivalence. There have been moments where I have felt guilt for using an alternative response by correcting assumptions or actions. I am not a confrontational guy. Peace and harmony are what I strive for and I genuinely try to see the good in every situation. There are times however that I wonder if there was a better approach I could have taken.
There have also been times where I have felt frustration and burnout. Just today, I gave a Chemistry final. As I am scanning the room, I see a student with his head down. I walk over to his workspace and sure enough, he is sound asleep. It is a time like this when I ask myself what am I doing here. Do I wake him or do I let him sleep? If I wake him, am I really helping him? Do I let him sleep in the hopes that maybe seeing his grade plummet gives him a wake up call that he needs? That whole gender thing I was talking about earlier – that comes in to play here, you know, where my actions may be misunderstood.
As for how I am going to deal with these challenges that face me, I will take them one day at a time. If you overthink this too much or for one minute think that teaching is a sprint instead of a marathon, you won’t last. I will simply continue to try to simplify everything that comes my way.
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE: LEADERSHIP COLLAGE
For this Quickfire, we needed to snap six pictures of objects in the room we were currently sitting in. We then needed to describe how they relate to leadership. At the time, I was sitting in my kitchen looking around for items that I use heavily. The technology, energy, organization and fuel images are used daily. Good leaders use strategies and objects that work for them and are also reliable. As with everything, we need to be creative but also err on the side of caution.
Leadership is the ability to stay humble while getting your point across.
Leadership is the ability to stay humble while getting your point across.