Just a Teacher

In 24 hours, I will be just a teacher. There have been mixed reactions in my circles. Some people have asked me how I am feeling about becoming a teacher after serving as a supervisor for two years as if I have contracted a horrible disease. Others have expressed jealousy that I will be working with students, something all quality administrators secretly wish they could do. Overwhelmingly, people have supported my decision to go back to the classroom.

Let's take a look at why I am stoked to be just a teacher:

Birkenstocks. Seriously, plenty of teachers wear them. I know I am not alone. Metaphorically speaking, and also because I do have several pairs, I miss having my feet in those beauties. My arches were more supported and I had better alignment. My life had greater balance and my cup was always half full, even when I had no cup. I know it is hard to believe, but I believe I even smiled more. I also liked to take my Birks off and walk around on grass, sand, and dirt. I could reconnect immediately with what was important. I could lead from within my classroom or on a beach all because of my happy feet. The same shoes I wore on Wednesday worked on Saturdays because I was me. These might not be the shoes that bring you joy and that is OK. Sometimes what brings joy to a classroom might not be immediately identifiable on a rubric and that is OK. Sometimes it looks very different than we had imagined or what others expected. That is OK. We all need to remember what our feet feel like when the breeze hits our toes and let it go. Sometimes happy feet are more important than anything else.

I am not just a teacher. A title does not define me. It should not define you, either. What defines us is our work, our empathy, our light, and our legacy that lives on in all of the people we help.  For me, I am starting with my feet. The rest will be OK.

NGSS update from NJDOE

The NGSS were adopted by the State Board of Education on July 9, 2014. The implementation timeline is as follows:

•       Grades 6-12 to implement by the start of the 2016-2017 school year.
•       Grades K-5 to implement by the start of the  2017-2018 school year.

Resources, including professional development, will be available beginning in September 2014.  Information will be posted on the science webpage as it becomes available (https://app.mobilestorm.com/cp/redirect.php?u=ODM0M3w5MTA4MnxyZWJlbWNsZWxsYW5kQGdtYWlsLmNvbXw4NjczNDh8MTU0MzczMDk3fDExNzYwMTA=&id=22226001) and through the science list serve.

The consensus among states that have adopted the NGSS is that it is essential for teachers of science to become experts on the Frameworks for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) before making any changes to the local curriculum. The department has established a timeline that provides sufficient time to make the transition, but the work needs to be sustained, intensive, and begin during the fall of 2014.

The NJDOE's professional development plan is to focus on district level administrators during the fall 2014. Building level administrators will be the target of professional development offerings in the spring of 2015. Professional development for teachers of science will begin in late spring 2015 and focus on the model science curriculum and ancillary unit assessments.