Life Lessons

I am 37 years old and I learn something new just about everyday.  At the end of my day I try to think back on my interactions with people and reflect...could I have done things better?  Did I say the wrong things?  Did I make the right choices?  I try not to over analyze... that would just make me go crazy!!  However I feel that its important to reflect and review the events in your day and make necessary changes.  I am formatively assessing myself...the same way a teacher does with her students and then makes calculated adjustments based on her findings.  Nobody is perfect and I have definitely made some mistakes in the past and always try to learn from them.  Sometimes I feel that we are defined by our mistakes more often than our successes.  Why do mistakes out way our successes?  Why are mistakes never forgotten and successes hard to remember?  Maybe at the end of the day I should be reflecting on what went right in my day and how I can continue to make it better!!  I started searching for inspiration and came across this quote...“Many times what we perceive as an error or failure is actually a gift. And eventually we find that lessons learned from that discouraging experience prove to be of great worth.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich.  I think she says it perfectly!

New beginnings!

I love the start to a new school year and it always reminds me of the Staples' commercials with the reset button...starting over!  When August rolls around each year I start reflecting back on my school year and write down things I will change, tweak, or do again but just do them better! Being a teacher, I put a lot of pressure to do my best and be my best and now being a Math Coach this pressure is more intense....at least for me.  I want each interaction with a teacher to be meaningful....for both parties.  The biggest action step I have for myself is to enhance my listening skills. Really listen to people and have interest in what they are saying not just waiting til they finish to add my two sense to the conversation...what I contribute to the conversation should value what the teacher is saying or trying to say.  Isn't that what everyone wants...just to be valued.

The choice to blog

I created my blog last year during the Encompass Summer Institute in June 2013.    I have not posted since then:(  This past year I have experience a lot of changes...moving with a family of 4...ugh!, leaving my position at one building as a coach to work for my school district as an instructional coach and servicing a variety of teachers, working on different projects, creating and implementing professional development and completing other tasks.  With all this change I feel the need to capture it and use it as a reflection tool.  I have learned and come to appreciate reflection, both personally and professionally   This week I am again attending Encompass's Summer Institute and have made a decision....I will start blogging on a regular basis!!  I feel a sense of relief...after talking to many Encompass fellows about their experiences and their own personal choice to blog,  I'm not scared to write about my thoughts.  I am choosing to blog for myself and use it as a reflection tool.  I want to better myself personally and professionally and I know that I will make mistakes along the way...I just hate to make mistakes a second time.  So I am hoping that by blogging and capturing my thoughts and experiences that I learn and grow.