Mel Rainey 201005 wk4 Readings

Chapter 10. Being the Board: It’s not them. It’s not the circumstances. It’s me. It’s my choices. Now what do I do?

Changing, everyday is what I want to do to keep my framework approachable. When I am the happiest as a teacher, is when I work with my students, not against them. If I create my classroom environment to be negative then it will and or positive, it will. The I in my class is what will control my directional pull. I have definitely seen this this year. The direction of my classroom has been a bit more structured and business like. When I first started teaching they were the best times and times kept moving I became and adult that had pressure from all side to perform and become the ultimate teacher or "Hall Nazi." I am a mixture of both.

Chapter 11. Creating Frameworks for Possibility: How do I take this flash of insight and make it into daily thing? And how do I share this with others?

I change constantly so that my possibilities can be endless. Allowing for multiple changes, gives me an opportunity to grow with my students and to see how they will react and adapt to the goals of each less and how they can appreciate art more. Sharing is one of my biggest suits to wear. I have shared everything in my school for the past 6 years over half of my teaching career I have had to share everything, let me tell you not having your own classroom has been difficult. Especially when I started with my own. Learning to interact and be apart of the school is how I get others involved. If you show you care, then they will come. More coffee!! More Coffee!! Food!!!! Makes great gifts.



Chapter 12. Telling the WE Story: I told you it wasn’t about you. Have you been able to tap into the power of combining your expertise and passions with someone equally gifted? Have you had the pleasure of lifting a teammate, student, stranger up enabling them to realize their dreams and exceed anything that you could have imagined?

Being a mentor for the past 6 years has been that experience. Equally gifted and unique, a teammate, fellow colleague and a complete stranger are those that I have mentored. WE as a whole is a hard concept when so many senior teachers have been burned by their districts. I hear the term WE and I have nothing but hope, but it will be the I and me teachers that bring me down. Sometimes to me, I think that it is practice for what is coming in the future. Another WE altering event, something that will change the course of public education. A change that will define, who are we as a race?

Peace! Rainey

Coda: Now what do we do?