As I sit here on Friday night, my last of the summer, I find myself reflecting on what has been amongst the hardest months of my life. This is not the first time I have felt this way, nor the last I would imagine. Each time the tough trials get tougher I have managed to remember one sure thing: I have overcome each of them.
A few months ago I was let go from my job. A job I loved passionately. The type of job I'd wished for since becoming a bone fide adult. It was a big blow, as nothing I did caused its occurrence. By all accounts I had been, and still am (!), a fantastic educator. In fact, over the course of the last few months I've had more praise handed my way than I can ever remember. (I love praise but am embarrassed when it is received and don't always acknowledge it well. So thank you to each who have said something kind!) From co-workers who have called me brave and a big loss to friends who have admired my tenacity and perseverance to my family who have seen my character my entire life and have served to enforce belief in myself and my abilities. Even today I was told I am "a hot commodity" being certified to teach in three content areas and at two different education levels. These are all things that have kept me going.
There was an episode of TURN: Washington's Spies where a character gives a toast saying, "Loss begets gain." When you are in the thick of losing something you so dearly wish to keep it is hard to see the truth behind the phrase. But now, I have what is shaping out to be an amazing new job in a new district and I am already seeing the gains I have been given. All of the co-workers I have met are beacons of light in the sea of education. They are passionate, collaborative and hard-working. They have all been friendly and have embraced me and trust me a lot. I certainly hope I live up to that trust in every way possible!
It has been difficult to find ways to write about this change over the last few months. I wish no ill upon my past employer and I'm coming closer to letting go of the difficulties I faced as a result of their decision.
There is joy in believing things happen for a reason. And I do believe it! I'm thrilled to kick the new year off on Monday. I hope to wow the socks off of people I will be working with. I can't wait to hike up my skirts and help students see the world and challenge what they know and believe about that world. To help them gain new skills in technology and engagement.
Happy last day of summer all. Happy....
KB
Post Script: TURN: Washington's Spies is a fantastic, historically-based TV show on AMC. If you haven't seen it, give it a go! I was recently part of a global Twitter campaign to push for the show to be renewed for a 3rd season, which, I am happy to report, was approved in small part to the contributions of our social media campaign!
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2015
Sunday, October 27, 2013
MOTI (Moment of Teacher Impact)
I coined a new phrase this week. I experienced a "MOTI" otherwise known as a Moment of Teacher Impact.
Not long ago I wrote here about how proud I was of the debate my Economics students did. Well, this past week it was my Intro to Business students that just blew me away and left me laughing.
We started a new term a week ago and since it technically began on a Friday and finals had just ended the smart folks in my department planned to get students involved in the term "activity" right off the bat. There is an investing game teachers (and anyone) can play at http://www.marketwatch.com/game and a classroom of students can compete to earn the most money. So last Friday I set my two Intro classes up with $100,000 in investment "Cash" and let them loose picking stocks and learning the ropes of the stock market. [Side note: I meant to do 10,000 but the extra zero butted itself into the game...results should be the same, although perhaps a bit more dramatic and varied depending on what really happens to the market].
Anyway, by Wednesday of this week, my students were SO competitive! Most of them went for stocks of corporations they were familiar with. The two biggest purchases were for Google and Chipotle. Turns out, both of those companies saw massive jumps in the market earlier this week after releasing positive earnings reports.
The MOTI for the week came in my Homeroom, where I have 2 students from Intro plus a few of the other business teachers' Intro students. They all had their smart phones out and the Marketwatch app and were checking their position against others in the game. "Hey I'm in 2nd place!" "Hey, Ms. B., I dropped 3 places in the last twenty minutes! Help!" They had conversation for nearly 20 minutes straight about stocks and the market. I was sitting at my desk just tickled!
Before the bell rang on Wednesday, one of my students said to another, "I think this is the most adult conversation I have ever had."
This made me a laugh hysterically. I told the kids how proud I was that they were using their knowledge from the game and the Investing unit we had just completed and were talking about it. And to tell the truth, by Friday they spend the entire Homeroom period doing the same thing.
Now, if I can just get them all to be playing the market long term instead of trading stocks every day....
We shall see by the time December rolls around and the game concludes!
[Side note #2: I am also playing and am currently in 37th place out of 62. I am playing the long-term game. I don't know that it will make the point I want it to in just 2 months' time but we shall see!]
Have a great wrap on October everyone. Go learn something and have a conversation.
(Then let me know what it is you learned!)
KB
Not long ago I wrote here about how proud I was of the debate my Economics students did. Well, this past week it was my Intro to Business students that just blew me away and left me laughing.
We started a new term a week ago and since it technically began on a Friday and finals had just ended the smart folks in my department planned to get students involved in the term "activity" right off the bat. There is an investing game teachers (and anyone) can play at http://www.marketwatch.com/game and a classroom of students can compete to earn the most money. So last Friday I set my two Intro classes up with $100,000 in investment "Cash" and let them loose picking stocks and learning the ropes of the stock market. [Side note: I meant to do 10,000 but the extra zero butted itself into the game...results should be the same, although perhaps a bit more dramatic and varied depending on what really happens to the market].
Anyway, by Wednesday of this week, my students were SO competitive! Most of them went for stocks of corporations they were familiar with. The two biggest purchases were for Google and Chipotle. Turns out, both of those companies saw massive jumps in the market earlier this week after releasing positive earnings reports.
The MOTI for the week came in my Homeroom, where I have 2 students from Intro plus a few of the other business teachers' Intro students. They all had their smart phones out and the Marketwatch app and were checking their position against others in the game. "Hey I'm in 2nd place!" "Hey, Ms. B., I dropped 3 places in the last twenty minutes! Help!" They had conversation for nearly 20 minutes straight about stocks and the market. I was sitting at my desk just tickled!
Before the bell rang on Wednesday, one of my students said to another, "I think this is the most adult conversation I have ever had."
This made me a laugh hysterically. I told the kids how proud I was that they were using their knowledge from the game and the Investing unit we had just completed and were talking about it. And to tell the truth, by Friday they spend the entire Homeroom period doing the same thing.
Now, if I can just get them all to be playing the market long term instead of trading stocks every day....
We shall see by the time December rolls around and the game concludes!
[Side note #2: I am also playing and am currently in 37th place out of 62. I am playing the long-term game. I don't know that it will make the point I want it to in just 2 months' time but we shall see!]
Have a great wrap on October everyone. Go learn something and have a conversation.
(Then let me know what it is you learned!)
KB
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)