Not Your Average Teacher

I have taken this place for granted…and have been under appreciating it’s abilities. It’s like that friend you run into after years apart-It’s hard to remember how you fell out of touch in the first place. The fact is relationships take a lot of work to keep strong. I have survived my first semester as a teacher, and I’m loving it (almost) every day
I need to now turn back and begin reflecting on how I made it to this point. There are a few student teachers running around the halls today for their first days of their last semester in college. I wish all of you out there in the same boat good luck. Teaching is truly worth everything you put into it. Congratulations, and I hope to be back again to start/join the conversations more in the very near future. Sorry I was away for so long.

It seems that lessons are where you find them. I have been involved in a lot of planning and meetings and all the other stuff that as an Instructional Coach steers me away from the classroom. But once again as I have found before students are the salvation. I got a chance to work in multiple classrooms last week and the students energy infected me faster than H1N1. Teaching for me is so much a learning process and that is the draw. All of us get frustrated from time to time but the advantage we have with teaching is that we can adjust. We can say from here I will change this or strive for that. The reasons we come to teach are varied but I find for most of the people I see the commitment is deep and meaningful. So if you get worn, stop adjust and say. From here I will…….

Here is a great note from one of our friends. We started our journey with our first Edu-video by filming for Laurie’s Class at Concordia, almost 2 years later it is being used as a reflection piece. Thanks to all who collaborated and added to this ongoing education wave.

Dear NYAT
We watched the good ‘ol multigenre video in my Experiences in Writing class today. It, in fact, started off our class and I’ve never used it at the beginning before. But something clicked….clicked like you could feel it moving in the room. (If I could name “it,” I believe my dissertation would write itself.)

It struck me today as I was watching and laughing and remembering those students and their writing that while my teaching and learning essence is unchanged, I am more a teacher than I was when you filmed that class with their work. And it reminded me of what you two remind me about much of the time.

To be a teacher (and learner for that matter) is to never settle, to always move toward the mores, and to continue to rest with and alongside those that believe in vision and the potential that vision can illuminate.

Thank you for the indirect reminder and for letting me grow alongside you two visionaries.

Laurie

I have had a lot of success and even more failure in the past quarter of this year, and I have been holding that in instead of sharing with those that check this site. If you are reading right now I owe you an apology for not being a consistent poster. It has felt good to take a break from it all, but I have lost sight of why I started in the first place.
If I can jump right in- and I can, it’s 50% my site – today was tough. I was so happy I had an active hands on activity planned for the first few days back from break. I thought it would give students a chance to ease back into the classroom without the need to be constantly talking over me trying to lecture or interrupting each other during individual work. The problem, though, was that they are still enjoying talking over each other and insulting one another than they are enjoying working on these posters. We are going to struggle to get it done on time, and it is the first time all semester I have fallen behind where I wanted to be. It’s frustrating, and I’ve had to make compromises with students to get us back on track. I know it isn’t the end of the world, and the majority of the students are doing quality work, it’s just hard to be ok with the level of…ahem…enthusiasm?…of the students. I know things will settle down, and I’m hoping a new and vastly improved seating chart might cool the jets of some high fliers. Why is it we always feel we need vacations after vacations?

-Jarred

Well life is sometimes a funny path. The NYAT team has decieded to move the energy back to the main page. This means no personal pages for us but hopefully more blogposts for the mainsite. Telephone tell a friend and let’s get a new feedback loop going with good discussion and yes soon the podcasting will again be in full effect. Thanks. D

I (Jarred) am lucky to have a great support system in my new school, and wanted to see what the first day of school feels like for a true veteran of the field.  Doreen has been an amazing team leader for me so far, and has welcomed any question or problem I’ve had with open arms.  I know people like her are not in every school, but I wish they could so every new or pre-service teacher could see what it means to find a great “fit” in a school.  Here is Doreen’s version of first day jitters:

I’m in such good spirits today!  It’s Friday and it’s been a great start to the school year.
As always, I spent several sleepless nights before the first day of school.  Do I have everything ready?  How will I do things differently this year?  What more can I do to make school fun and exciting?  One would think when I’ve had 30 first days of school I’d feel more at ease with it, but the “butterflies” come each year.  I guess I’m glad they do.  I think it means that I’m still excited about what I do.  I must admit that the job never gets any easier and actually seems much more difficult than when I started.  But I still walk out of school each day, glad for the job I have, for the opportunities I have to make a difference, and for the outstanding people I work with.  At least I feel like that almost every day!

Thanks Doreen.  I encourage anyone else that wants to share their first day/week stories with us here (hint-hint CT’s!!).  As a pre-service and now a service teacher, it is always nice to know the nerves never go away!

The students are back in buildings and the energy is there once again. There is something special about the first day and this year the NYAT team is working within the Lincoln Public Schools teaching everyday. We are excited and ready for the challenge. Keep in touch and for all the new teachers and pre-service teachers please send in some comments on how the start of the year is going for you. Remember we have space if you want to blog with us!

A quick energy podcast from 2 enthused teachers.  We are about to embark on our fall journey of teaching.  Welcome Back Listeners

 

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I sometimes have a problem allowing myself to see the good in things that are happening in my life. A week ago I was uncertain about my path and if I would be teaching beyond subbing this fall. I just got offered and accepted a job in the local district of Lincoln Public Schools and I am excited, nervous and hopeful. I will be an Instructional Technology Coach, which is a newly created position. I feel a bit as if I about to enter the Wonka Factory and am not sure what to expect.  There is a lot of room for creative development so I am excited.  I want to say thank you to all in my personal learning network who have helped bring me to this point. Thinking about and reflecting on education with you all has been huge to my professional development. Tomorrow I will meet the rest of the team I will be working on and I am looking forward to being a change agent in the district. I will keep you all posted as to how things look and what cool new projects are coming along in my realm. I know now that I will be expanding my digital presence and working to integrate tech into curricula. Collaboration is the name of the game on this block. Again thanks and to all the new teachers out there this year, good luck and keep in touch.

“We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams”

Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka

Dale

Hey everyone, this is Jarred. I just wanted to drop a quick note about how great and relaxing this summer has been. Dale and I have been hard at work in many avenues of our lives, and this site has unfortunately taken a bit of a back seat as we figure out the next steps in our lives. I was recently hired at Mickle Middle School here in Lincoln and my first day of new teacher training/orientation starts tomorrow. I am super excited to start, and I can’t wait to share my first year experiences with you all. I want to extend a huge thank you to this network as well as all of you that have helped me get to this point. I wouldn’t be here without you all.
In the near future, you will see a lot more content on this site, as we will each have new experiences and thoughts to share. Keep on the lookout, and do not be afraid to add suggestions about what you would like to see on this site.

Wish me luck!