Smiling from ear to ear!

As I am writing this blog, I am smiling from ear to ear! I look back at this past year and think...am I the same person? Is that me?

I have always been a goal oriented person. I set goals each year, two goals, and work hard to accomplish them. These goals are not grade level, but personal...professional!

The way I am teaching today, is very different then the way I was teaching at the beginning of the year. I have far exceeded my goals of:

Using technology at least once a week: I am using technology daily!
Making my math lessons more engaging: My students are cheering when I put up 3 act math, or Which One Doesn't Belong (WODB).

In fact, a class that I only have for the subject of Science is asking for me to use these programs/lessons with them. They even justified the activities by telling me that these lessons would help them find patterns and increase their ability to reason. Scientists need to be able to reason and find patterns in their findings. I agreed. It made me smile. They didn't want to be left out. They hear the cheers and laughter coming from my room and they want to be apart of it.

I love it! I caught the passion for math from John C. Baxter. He is a Teacher on Special Assignment for Math (TOSA). He loves math and you only need to be around him a few moments to see that. I now have that passion!  I am smiling more. Kids entering my room are smiling! Math, do I dare say it, is fun...not easy, but worth while. Kids are willing to persevere!

A few nights ago, I had the opportunity to share how I give assignments using the computer component of the series adopted from the district. I brought ten students to demonstrate to the School Board and district personnel. The excitement was in the air! It didn't matter that we waited two hours to share, the kids were excited. I was nervous! I didn't want my nerves to mess up or take away from the presentation. I wanted the School Board to see the love of math that my students and I had!

You should have seen it, the kids were confident!! I had to be too. When I stood up there with my team (students), my fear went away. I was sharing something that we had found to be successful. Was the presentation perfect? No, but the School Board and other participants were left with a feeling of passion and excitement from the presentation! My students entrusted me to take them on a journey, not knowing if we would find success or anything worth while. We did! In fact, we found confidence in our ability to use the technology, vocabulary to express ourselves, and higher test scores even while the material was increasingly difficult.

I am grateful for this year! It is not over!!! In this year, I found my passion, love of learning, and confidence to do something completely different and out of my comfort zone. I have found that it is okay to make mistakes. There are people around me to guide me on my journey. I am grateful for my students. They have helped me create an environment where it is okay to make mistakes...we learn from them. Their is a respect and trust between us! I never want that to end! I am sad that the school year is ending and I want see them as much! I know that I am a memory. I know that when they think of me...it will be about the journey, Board Presentation, and love of Diet Coke and chocolate!

Now...if only I could become perfect at Twitter, especially the #s. I think Cori O shoud present a class, just on hashtags..

.I love this journey!