Reflections

Winter break is always a good time to catch up in the office. It allows me time to reflect and readjust at my own pace. I have to work hard at being organized. My mind works faster than my body and my thoughts and ideas can take me on tangents.  Keeping a physical space organized and kept up is important to me. In the book, Explicit Instruction (Archer and Hughes), the authors devote an entire chapter to " Organizing for Instruction ". They write: "Have you noticed that when you step into certain classrooms, you get a feel for the "climate" of the room that is mirrored in the teacher's enthusiasm and students' engagement? The climate doesn't occur automatically(109)". I feel the same way about an entire school. I took a walk earlier this morning around the building. I created a quick bulletin board to fill an empty space. (It's one I like to keep up to date with student photos throughout the year.). I fixed posters and student work ...

I really like the "On This Day" memories feature that Facebook has. I enjoy seeing flashbacks to past thoughts and ideas. Mostly, I enjoy the walk back in time through photos of my son. I am guilty of using Facebook as my personal family scrapbook.  I can remember when Sam was little and I'd hear people say things like: Don't blink. Time moves so fast. You're going to miss these days. It will get better. I'd listen and nod to the well meaning speakers of advice but in the back of my mind, I didn't fully believe them. My son hasn't followed the general path of development for a child, much less a boy. He's never fit into boxes and because of that it hasn't been always been a smooth or linear ride.  He's half way through 8th grade as I write this and I've become more and more aware of how much he has grown up over the last few years. I've noticed how much his confidence has bloomed. Fewer of the worries I had before can be f...