Tips to a Terrific Year

"I think there is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity; in clarity, in efficiency. True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of clutter and ornamentation. It's about bringing order to complexity" (J. Ive, Apple Designer)

I recently stumbled upon this quote, and while I would say that most of my blog posts don't necessarily fit into the mold of this philosophy, Ive's words have inspired me to post my most simple post yet.  So, here are my Five Tips to a Terrific Year (just in time for the start of school) because let's be honest, having a terrific year should be simple!

1.  Go in with a plan...and be prepared to blow it up after the first week.

It is almost comical; we spend all summer, grinding away reading new books, exploring pedagogical shifts, researching technological additions, and planning the year...only for that plan to be blown up within the first week.  I am not saying don't plan; however, this is your friendly reminder that you can't really know if your plan is going to work until you know your students and dynamic of the class(es).  So, don't get upset or frustrated when you need to adjust your plan.  Instead, view it as a chance to be constantly reinventing yourself in real-time as the best teacher possible for each of your students.

2.  Let your students ask you questions, too.

So often we start the school year by asking our students lots of questions (their interests, passions, dislikes, family dynamics, etc.); however, not often enough do we let them ask similar questions of us. I firmly believe that, while teaches are dying to get to know their students, our students are dying to get to know us even more. Want to be their guide to understanding as opposed to their "teacher", then let them get to know you; let your students ask you questions, too.

3.  Reach out to a colleague you haven't collaborated with before

It is very easy for us to do one of two things: continue to collaborate with those whom we always have, or not collaborate at all because we never have and it has "worked" for us. My challenge is this: reach out to a colleague with whom you have never before collaborated and ask if you can do so this year. It doesn't even have to be someone from your grade-level or even your department. But go seek someone out with whom you can and will spend 50 min. a week (one prep period) or even every other week talking about teaching. Share your journey with that person and listen closely to his or hers.  It will do nothing but make both of you better!

4.  Find a passion-based project for the year

I feel very strongly about this and have begun to encourage the teachers in my department to do it.  We all have areas in education about which we are super passionate. For some that might be union leadership/policy work, for others it could be educational research.  For me, it has become developing and collaborating with my PLN via Twitter and my blog.  Whatever it is, having this passion-based project in your work life will give you something to pick you up when the chaos of education has knocked you down. When I am having "one of those days", I know I can turn to Twitter for encouragement or advice or even clear my head through writing on my blog.  So, find that project for yourself and invest in it: you will be a better teacher for it.

5.  Have fun
If you have read any of my blog posts before, you probably aren't surprised to see this one listed.  I FIRMLY believe that we must have fun.  We must take risks, we must embrace our failures with a smile and open mind, we must cry when things get really tough, we must laugh when things are funny...but we must do all of this WHILE HAVING FUN.  Teaching is more than a job or a profession, it is a way of life; in fact, it consumes our lives (who out there doesn't struggle with work/life balance).  So, if that is the case, we might as well have fun doing it. So, no matter what else, I challenge you...no I encourage you...no I IMPLORE you to have fun this year.