Stay Hungry

When we sign up for classes towards becoming a teacher the question is always ask, why? The answer more often than not is that we want to make a difference. A difference in young people's lives, a difference in our communities, and dare we say a difference in the world as a whole. Now take that same question and ask it to a 15 year experienced teacher and see what answer you get. Some will definitely repeat the same answer, others will talk about summers off, stability and feeling trapped. Why is this? How do we loose our hunger? It is simple, we must feed ourselves the right way. If we become complacent than we do not grow and in turn our passion wilts. 

I hear and read about administrators  ranting and raving about the need for  teachers to attend or be a part of professional development. The truth of it all is that it is not about professional development. It's about developing as a professional, we as educators need to continue to grow. That is our expectation for our students and we need to hold ourselves to the same standard. 

What are we eating? Are we getting bogged down with discipline and formal lesson plans. Or are we continuing to find ways to inspire kids and connect to their way of learning because it is where our focus needs to be. If our diet consist of ways to energize us as educators then the students will feel the same. Professional development doesn't have to equal traveling to some far off place and missing a day with students. What are you reading? Who do you follow on Twitter? Are you using Pinterest? What's the latest TED video you've watched?These are just a few of the ways that you can eat the right things on a simple, free and regular basis. 

In conclusion do not simply listen to a speaker that has never seen the inside of a classroom one day in June and expect to grow. Feed yourself regularly so that you can "stay hungry" and in turn keep the passion burning.