2014-2015 School Year... Welcome Back!

Now that most of you have gotten through the first night of sleeplessness (students aren't the only one's nervous for the first day of school) and are beginning to set a normal schedule, I would encourage you to look at some promises of a new school year.

Promise #1
Just as the world turns, school always begins again in the fall.  Hopefully you have had a restful summer and are reenergized to begin a new year with new students and fresh ideas.  While the days at the beach are coming to a close, bring that beach feeling into your room everyday and energize your students.

Promise #2
Your students are excited to see you. Yes, most students lament the end of summer but you have to remember that most of their developmental years are spent in the school environment and there is a level of comfort to that.  Strive to provide your students a welcoming environment where they feel free to explore, invent, and inspire each other.

Promise #3
You are only limited by your own creativity.  While there are many standards that are imposed on schools in order to ensure that students gain specific skills, you have the ability to direct the path that you take for how you get to those standards.  Seek out new ideas and strategies to make your path different this year.  As a wise administrator recently stated as the goal for his staff, "Innovate Wildly!" Your students will thank you for not resting on your laurels, and while it may take more energy from you, the results will far exceed the effort.

I would like to leave you with one of the most invaluable videos that I have stumbled upon. I try to watch this at the beginning of every school year to reinvigorate my creative spirit! Have an amazing school year!

Start Your Engines! #MACUL13 Wrap Up

One conference. 

4000+ educators.

Endless possibilities!

It's amazing to me that one event every year serves as a major boost to the teaching fuel tank of all who attend. The MACUL 2013 conference was highlighted by ideas that we should all be better about telling our own story, connecting with students, and moving past the assessment-based field that we are currently running in.  In other words, get back to teaching the way we know works and don't mind if someone calls your crazy!

Kevin Honeycutt always has an inspirational message to share.  His message of finding a connection to each student is one that we as educators can't hear enough times.  Every time I see him, I have the first three notes of "Smoke on the Water" come into my head.  Thanks to his YouTube video, I can now play the opening frame of that song on GarageBand as well as others. Here it is so you can learn as well:

The other speaker that really struck a chord with me (pun intended) was Steve Dembo.  His message this year was to use the power of social networking to tell your own story, and to not be afraid of being called crazy.  He reminded us that there is a fine line between crazy and innovator and it is our job to push the boundaries to help our students learn! As a conference, we caught onto the latest craze on the net.  With over 13.3 million copycats created, the Harlem Shake has revolutionized the social media world since February.  Steve thought that we ought to jump on the band wagon and the result is below:

MACUL 2013 was amazing, and I can't wait to see the implications of the messages as the school year finishes.