Deep In Revision
I am a little distracted by revision. I have let chapters rest while I worked on school activities and read books.
Books About Books…
I had already read a few books about writing fiction/picture books, but none on nonfiction. My amazing husband helped me order two books and I am enjoying them. On Writing Well is old, but so easy to read. It is filled with thoughtful perspectives and ideas to implement that are already helping me become a better writer.
Now that I have sat with my draft for a bit, I have really thought about the order. Pieces have shifted again and I feel like I might be close to a final outline. It feels like the right flow and the book tells a story, even as it teaches people how to design hands-on cross curricular lessons. I have made mistakes in my career, so you don’t have to!
New (Possible) Title
Transforming Your Teaching
A guide to becoming an expert at designing hands-on cross curricular lessons
Introduction to Part 1: How did I transform?
I always wanted to be a teacher. I watched my teachers carefully and kept notes on what made a good teacher. I was voted most likely to be a teacher in grade twelve. Life got in the way. I ended up with a partway through a Master of Science before I realized, my favourite part of my week was running experiments in tutorial with first year geography students. I applied for the education program and found my path again.
I worked long hours during my education degree. I followed the rules and learned the buzzwords. Looking back, I can see bits of me in hands-on lessons and overarching cross curricular units, but I also did very traditional things. My math assessments, for example, were tests, which is not the case today! The first few years in the classroom were tough. I jumped between different grades and schools, which meant I had to uproot myself and learn new curriculum every year. I took advice-some good and some bad. I called kids ‘attention seeking’ and was frustrated when they derailed my beautiful lessons. I did not realize at first, that it was me who had to change and grow. But I did learn. I tried things that didn’t work and learned strategies that I still use today.
I became a better teacher because I reflected on my practice, attended professional development, and took risks. My teaching transformed because I focused on the curriculum (Chapter 1), I leaned into change (Chapter 2), and I developed pillars that underpin everything I do (Chapter 3).
Why do you want to transform your classroom?
What do you think of the new title? If you have a better suggestion, let me know below.