I Am a Teacher Who...

On August 25, I published a blogpost about an amazing podcast called, "Design Lessons with Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore. I hope you have taken the time to listen by now. I find her strategies and resources invaluable and I know you will also.

Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to the latest episode called "I'm a Teacher Who...3 Steps to Saying Yes to Opportunities That Will Help You Grow". Staying true to form, this episode has proven to be just as insightful as the others. I was drawn in the moment I read the title. So, I decided to take notes as I listened. I am very glad I did.

In this episode, Dr. Schmidt Moore walks listeners through a 3-step strategy for refining their teacher identities by defining what they stand for, identifying what is important to them, and providing a plan for growth. Teachers who follow these steps will be well-equipped to  "say no to opportunities that don't align to who they are/what they believe and yes to those that do". I absolutely love this statement. 

The reflective work required for this strategy made me think about what I believe to be true about my Scholars as learners and what I believe they deserve from me as their teacher.

My Beliefs - My Teacher Identity

1. I am a teacher who believes Scholars should see themselves in the text they read and those read to them.

2. I am a teacher who believes Scholars should be allowed time to write freely, to simply generate ideas and put them on the page without criticism from others.

My Aligned Action Steps (to My Beliefs)

1. Therefore, I purchase and read-aloud books/text that are written by/and feature characters who represent my Scholars and their culture and experiences.

2. Therefore, I will provide daily opportunities for Scholars to write about what interests them, notebook/journal without regard to craft and rules.

My Plan - (What I will do in the next 3 months that aligns with my teacher identity)

1. I will read-aloud books from my library that represent diverse perspectives to which my Scholars can connect.

2. I will begin sharing my notebook entries with my Scholars and encourage them to start a notebook and to write something everyday.

With remote learning and district-specific guidelines, it has been a bit of a challenge to implement my action steps and plan for writing. But, I am not giving up. I continue to brainstorm creative ways to make that plan a reality. I have, however, been able to read-aloud a plethora of books that represent my Scholars. It always fills my heart with joy to see their eyes light up when they make personal connections to they story.

Thanks to Dr. Schmidt Moore, I can see my beliefs and teacher identity coming into alignment.