“The gods are best served by those who want their help the least“. This quote is from the classic film of Jason and the Argonauts. In the film, the hero Jason has the opportunity to meet with the gods on Mount Olympus. When they ask him if he wants a ship and a crew for his voyage, he shocks them all by declining their offer. He shares that he will rely on the courage and skill of men. He will announce that the ship must be the strongest ship every built and that the crew will be selected from an Olympic contest and only the bravest and strongest will be allowed to share in the great adventure. At this point, Zeus says that he has chosen well with Jason and shares the quote above. As educators, I feel that we are best served when we follow Jason’s example and take charge of our own development in the following areas.
Professional Learning Networks (PLN): There was a time when educators were limited to connecting with only those they worked with in the same building. For some, this meant being the only person at a grade level. It can be challenging to be isolated in your own classroom or building and not have the collaboration that educators so desperately need to grow. Fortunately, with the advent of social media, teachers are only as far away from other educators as their mobile device. Through blogging, Twitter, Voxer, and a host of online educational resources, teachers can connect with like-minded professionals across the district and across the globe. If you are fortunate as I have been, many of your online PLN members will develop into support networks and even friendships as you meet in person at conferences!
Professional Development: Throughout the year, teachers are offered building and district PD sessions. While they are great opportunities for growth, they are rarely individualized and may or may not be relevant to all the professionals in the room. Fortunately, teachers today have a myriad of options for professional development, literally at their fingertips. Through Twitter, TED talks, podcasts, and online resources, educators can access information on any topic they desire. In addition, they can connect with their PLN through Skype, ZOOM, or Google Hangouts to discuss topics and seek advice. Even book studies (both online and in person) can be done anytime by those who wish to know more about a subject. We truly live an amazing time for individualized learning!
Attitude: There are many things that we don’t have control over in the world of education. Fortunately, we DO have control of the most important thing: our attitude. We can choose to look at obstacles or find solutions. We can choose to dwell on our failures or celebrate our successes. We can choose to succumb to negativity or rise above with optimism. Every day we have a choice!
Education is a calling and it’s a tough calling. It’s exhausting, challenging, and ever-changing. It also can be the most important and rewarding profession in the world. If you’ve answered the calling, remember when things seem overwhelming that you have control over the most important factors and never hesitate to take charge of your relationships, your learning, and your attitude. The power lies within you!
“People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” – Thomas Sowell
“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there would be a shortage of sand.” – Milton Friedman
“Take charge of your life! The tides do not command the ship. The sailor does.” – Ogwo David Emenike
- Monday, December 16: REED (Trantham) 8:15 AM, Students of the Month Assembly (EMPATHY) 9:05 AM
- Tuesday, December 17: REED (Ringler) 8:40 AM
- Thursday, December 19: Staff Holiday Celebration 8:00 AM in the LMC
- Friday, December 20: iReady Window 2 closes
WINTER BREAK!!
The Spark of Learning 