Random Ramblings and Updates

I started this blog a year ago at ECET2 and I have written 12 blog posts in that year. I am not sure if that is a good number or not as a new blogger. I do know that as a reluctant writer having my writing “out there” has been scary. But it has also been good for me to share my thinking and make myself communicate my with others.

One of my writing frustrations is that when I am out for a bike ride, or a run, or just in the car driving I get great ideas. I let them roll around in my head and I play with them. Then I get home and all my great ideas seem to evaporate when I sit down in front of the computer. My goal this year is to get those ideas I have while not writing in writing. I am not sure how that will happen but that’s the plan. Maybe I need a good hands free dictation app!

So much of my thinking for the last year and a half has been around reimagining the physical environment of our 5th grade classroom and with that reimagining how I teach and kids learn in that new space. I have been happy with all of the changes and I have grown so much as an educator. I still have so much to explore around physical space and the impact on teaching and learning. But for some reason I get antsy when I stay in one place too so I am leaving our awesome classroom and school for another. I am moving to a very large and diverse middle school to teach 6th and 7th grade science and to be a teacher leader. That move means I am headed into a very traditionally laid out classroom. The good news is I will be able to continue my exploration of space and student choice.

I need to redesign this new space, learn new curriculum, form new relationships, and so much more. So I should certainly have a lot to think about and that hopefully will lead to new posts here. I am going to renew my National Board Certification for the second time and hope to make that process a bit more public here as well.

This week I am at ISTE 2016 in Denver, I can’t wait to be filled with new ideas that I will be able to explore in my new role! Maybe there is some writing there too!

My goals for year 2 blogging:

1. Blog more often

2. Blog about all the amazing challenges in my new role

3. Blog about NBPTS and my recertification process

4. Be less afraid to put my words “out there”

5. Add more resources on my resource page.

If I post it here, in writing, II must do it, right?