Collaboration -
Teamwork – Relationships
In our building they are called CLTs – curriculum learning
teams… My team is large – seven teachers
spanning four generations and three to
25+ years teaching experiences. It is awesome to
have them and to connect with these other teachers for support. I struggle sometimes, however, seeing their
vision or wishing to emulate some of their strategies. Just as often, though, I can run next door and bounce an idea
or problem off of a co-worker and a new vision emerges that is just what my lesson needed. I have found myself a little more isolated
this semester, however, as I teach the units for my practicum. Has anyone else felt like they are going “rogue”
with a change in teaching styles?
I am fortunate that my building has not gone to the
cookie-cutter everyone-doing-the -same formative and summative assessments and “jig
sawing” the lesson planning. I am shocked at how common this is. I could not
work like that and, after reading the Hero’s
Journey, I have textual support for why. The
author says there are “no recipes” and, as teachers, we can not walk around
teaching with “other people’s scripts.”
Melding the art and science of teacher is a constant process, but that
is why I love teaching. I never really
feel like I master it, so I try again next year to do a little better.
