What I Did This Summer
As I sit on my deck on this hot July morning, my mind is reeling. Like a computer, "I have too many tabs open". The start of school is looming around the corner. Where did the summer go? What have I accomplished? Sipping my coffee, I look back and reflect.
In June I visited the Ron Clark Academy. WOW! What an amazing and motivating learning experience! If you've been under a rock and haven't heard of RCA, Google it NOW! Follow the teachers on @twitter. You won't be disappointed. The faculty and students are immersed in an engaging, loving, rigorous environment that transcends traditional schools. It's just too much to write about in a paragraph!
Usually in the summer, our faculty goes their separate ways to spend time with their family and friends outside of work. This summer however, was a bit different. Two of our more adventurous teachers put together a little field trip to a nearby zip-line and obstacle course. Can I tell you this was challenging? Did I tell you how hot it is in June in coastal Mississippi? This course was 100ft in the air with moving logs and swings and... did I tell you I'm a bit afraid of heights? It felt so amazing to have completed that course, that I will never have to do it again.
Once again our faculty had the opportunity to come together, only this time in tragedy. One of our teachers lost her son in an automobile accident. The love that surrounded her from our school, parents, and community enveloped her in comfort as we came together as a family like I have never seen before. Tragedy does that, and we rose to the occasion and continue to be present for her.
As the summer moved on, I had the opportunity to attend the NSTA STEM Forum in Philadelphia. Shell Oil and NSTA sponsored a Regional Lab Challenge that awarded $10,000 in lab supplies and professional development to 39 Shell Oil assets around the country. Mobile, Al being one of those assets, I applied and won in the elementary category for our area. My husband and I turned it into a bit of a vacation, and off to Philly we went! It was a great trip with amazing food, history and networking with fellow science teachers.
As the summer winds down, we are trying to squeeze in a few more beach days. We also had the chance to see the United States Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron in Biloxi, MS. If they are ever performing in your area, fight the crowds and go. The F/A-18 jets will blow you away and make your hair stand up as they entertain the crowd with their aerobatics.
So I suppose I did do quite a bit this summer. Reflection does that. It makes you realize you've done OK, but you can do better. Reflection should be the segue to goal setting. So here are my goals for school and personal life based on my experiences this summer:
1. Level up and set the stage to engage my students. I can do more!
2. Stretch my adventurous muscles. Get the passport. Take the trip.
3. Be mindful of the people around me. Leave my problems in the car. (I also facilitated a book study with the book #Kids Deserve It by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. Great book and quick read that will motivate you to do a better job! Follow them on twitter too, they have great twitter chats! )
4. Apply for a grant opportunity, an experience, or write an article. There is so much out there for teachers. You never know where that will take you.
5. Have fun! I love what I do because I have fun doing it!
I hope all of you have and great school year and do something different, new and exciting!
(click on gallery photos for descriptions)
