At the end of each school year, I take some time to just consider my surroundings. Alone, in my room, I contemplate the furniture. Do I have too many chairs,desks or tables? Do I have enough? Are any of these in need of repair? I don't want the "stuff" in my classroom to interfere with the learning. Desks, tables, chairs, bookshelves, and cabinets should enhance the environment and enable me to teach effectively and facilitate learning. I don't want anyone to confuse my classroom with a storage shed...lol.
I refuse, for example, to pack away handouts that I might use someday if I teach a particular grade. And just because a colleague is giving away "goodies" for free, does not necessarily mean that I need them. Sure, a counter full of giveaways is tempting (sooo very tempting), but if I don't have a foreseeable need, then I force myself to keep walking. If I'm Spring cleaning on the one hand, but hoarding on the other, then I'm not making strides.
My clutter is not limited to what I can box up and pack way. There is also the clutter inside my mind. To make room for a new year of learning and professional growth, I find it helpful to discard old ways of thinking and misconceptions. Our profession is dynamic and exciting. Science is uncovering new realities that can powerfully change what we thought we knew about teaching. Of course we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, but we need to make room for new learning and new understandings to take root.
Last week I attended my first meeting of the district's MTSS Task Force. I'm new to this well-established group of professionals and I'm humbled by the wealth of experience and knowledge these educators have. I think it's wonderful that we are embracing what we know to be good for students without tossing out those initiatives, strategies, programs, etcetera that have proven themselves to be successful.
Lola Jollie
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