It's hard to believe that school is almost staring....it's that time again. (frowning/smiling) It seems like every year, we spend a little/lot out of our pockets for our classroom "start-up"...that's how I justify it! And it seems it's always money I don't have; yet it's kind of an unwritten rule that as a teacher, you have to spend it to start your year! Maybe it's that giddy feeling you get when you walk into the office supply store, or "just gotta have" that new gadget. Either way, in 20 years, I've never been able to to stay AWAY from the supply store before school starts. I guess it's like having coffee in the morning: it's my back to school drug. Either way, I know I will not be reimbursed for these purchases,.but I take the hit anyway. Why do we do this? What if one year we all said, "Enough!" And started our 9 month journey with only the supplies the school gives us. Which, in my case, would be a pair of scissors (recycled), a tape dispenser (with one roll of tape), one post it note pad (yes, I said one), some rubber bands (???) and SMALL paper clips (clearly unusable), and 2 pens (one red, one black). Now, I know i should be grateful for ANY supplies, but usually we can agree that teachers desire more to start and maintain all the cool projects that we may want to partake in! So.....what do you think? Are you gonna do it? Have you already? Let the craziness begin!
Prayer Rally Dwarfed By Texans Who Flock To Nearby Convention Center, Desperate For Free School Supplies
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"Education is life itself." ~ John Dewey
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Last night, as I was falling alseep, I noticed a lump next to me...it turns out it was a fake grenade my son was playing with earlier in the day. He's 7, and obsessed with WWII. How did this happen?? I'm not really sure, honestly; but I do know that we have fostered his imagination by role play, gadgets, props, costumes and anything else we could discover through a parent's "aha" moment. It got me thinking...what will his future be like? After all, he is the class of 2022. Yikes! Are we prepared for that? More importantly, are we preparing our students for their future of work, college, a trade, or a family? What is our goal in today's classroom? Is it preparing them for college? 21st Century skills for the workforce? Or innovative thinking to prepare for the global economy? If we really think about it, some of our schools portray an old model of education. John Dewey proposed that education should be a seamless integration of activity and relevance. He realized, in his writings, that sitting behind a desk and receiving instruction from textbooks was outdated and inapplicable for most students. He was born in 1859. Pretty progressive, huh? Is what we are teaching relevant? Is it preparing them for 2022? Maybe this video will tweak your interest to think about it more. (It's not the latest version, but it's my favorite)
