Reflection on Self-care

Writing has encouraged me to think deeply about my craft as a teacher. In addition, my break has given me more time to reflect on my way of working. Combining writing and time away has helped me to further reflect on my previous post I wrote about taking time for myself to both enjoy my work and avoid burnout. An extension of this reflection is the connection to a few articles, this one in particular, I read about a changing the presentation and delivery of professional development to engage more teachers on a meaningful level. Basically, no one looks forward to a lecture at the end of the day-- no one wants to watch someone else click through a Powerpoint after a long day at school.In this digital age, we have changed our way of learning. Most learning happens through our individual drive to learn (as it always has), but it looks different now. It has become more accessible from home, which results in less face-to-face interaction. Teachers seek on their own what they know they want to know. The problem is that teachers want (and need) to talk with other adults who share their interests and have similar experiences-- it can be done online, but there's value in being able to converse with colleagues in a physical setting. Being able to be fully honest in a place where confidentiality is not broken is important.What can motivate teachers to want to have PD after school within the school community? There's no question in my mind that teachers want to learn; that's not the issue-- it's everything else on their plates-- being stuck in the day-to-day, hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute and missing out on the bigger picture. It is only natural for many teachers to work like that, but there is a need for exposure to new ideas, bigger ideas, conversations, and reflection.Here's the test idea that we'll try: a small group of teachers will meet regularly to continue a school-betterment project that was started by all the teachers earlier this year. This smaller focus group will continue work on the project, which will deepen our understanding of the flow of academic goals for children and will help create a more consistent reference for the curricular goals for reports, IEPs, conference notes, etc.The project is intense and will require dedication, motivation, and energy. What's going to be different is the presentation-- we'll have snacks, coffee, and even a little wine. So, instead of a forced collaboration with only goals and checklists, we'll get together and work on the bigger ideas-- our common interest fueling our learning in a more social and fun context. It seems like it will be more productive this way, and we'll also feel better about it-- not dreading the time we will spend on the project but looking forward to the time we spend on it. The sense of accomplishment at the end will hopefully also come with an interest in doing another project of the same magnitude. We'll see!