WHAT'S ON MY MIND...
Just sharing some thoughts about education & life!
The 2016 - 2017 school year is done. I have completed my ninth year of teaching - 7 as a middle school math teacher and 2 as a high school chemistry teacher. So many things have changed; so many things remained the same.
I always take time out to do an inventory of the school year. This year is no different. I have made a few missteps and have had several successes. It's all a part of growing and becoming better. What I do know for sure is that teachers make a difference. The effort that we as teachers put into our lessons and activities makes a difference. It's easy to get frustrated and to feel that the four or five hours spent creating a lesson and supplemental activities was for naught. But to your students, it meant everything - they just can't/won't show it. They have to maintain their "coolness". Is it easy? Hell no! Is it worth it? Yes indeed!! How do you know? You know it when... ... a student smiles when they finally understand how to determine the number of molecules of AlCl3 when given a certain mass of AlPO4 and an unbalanced chemical equation (stoichiometry is THE proverbial thorn in a chemistry student's side). ... the class gets mad because you revealed the answer before they finished the problem and you now have to give them another problem to complete. ... students WANT to do the complicated, multilayered work. They want to be challenged because they feel empowered. ... students apply concepts and skills learned in your class to their other coursework. I enjoy what I do! I am an educator! I welcome this SHORT summer break; I deem it short because educators continuously hone their craft during their "off" time with Professional Development and other activities, mostly on their dime. And I look forward to what year 10 in my teaching career has in store for me!
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Renita A. BosticA Chemistry Teacher that loves the lab life! Archives
August 2017
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