Letting Go

When I picture where we are going in education, I don't see a long road or a map with an X that marks the spot.

I actually picture teachers and administrators with their arms piled high with everything they carry with them every day into the classroom--not the coffee mugs and canvas tote bags filled with graded papers, but their belief systems of everything thought to be absolutely necessary to teach school--the desks, chairs, vis-a-vis markers, grades, dictionaries, textbooks, rulers, worksheets, paper, calculators, grade books, lesson plans, bulletin boards, the computers on their desks, workshops, walls, tardy bells, and staff meetings, to name just a few. Then I see them dropping it all, and taking that first step out of the clutter, empty-handed and open-minded, walking with a renewed purpose and vision, connecting with others on this journey, and recreating their belief systems about teaching ---- together. I don't think we can move forward until we allow ourselves to let go of the things that tie us to an archaic belief system about education.

There are a few things we have no choice about hanging on to. We are public servants, and because of that, we are held accountable to whatever the public deems important and necessary.

What is noticeable to me is that we are becoming a very creative bunch. We are required to teach our students using a curriculum based on standards, but we don't have to do that alone. We can utilize the strengths each of us has to offer, and strengthen our standards-based curriculum and deepen the pockets of our tool belts by reaching out and helping each other.

The trick is finding ways to make those connections. You have options with My Lesson Planner to connect with teachers in the next classroom, or across the globe, sharing lessons or ideas, and deepening your toolbelts. We are working for you, so let us know how we can help you to make connections with people who can help you teach smarter.

Help us help you by talking to us and taking the time to give us feedback. We love to hear from our teachers.