Kim wrote last week that she hopes her students will become wiser, kinder, and more thoughtful in the coming year. What a good wish for all of us!
Let's see ... how can I do that in my work as a mentor?
I'll start by becoming "wiser." My tattered little Webster's defines wisdom as "knowledge -- and the capacity to make use of it." I like thinking of wisdom in those two parts: knowledge and the capacity to make use of it.
I really enjoy gathering knowledge about teaching and learning -- and there's so much out there! One of my favorite sources of knowledge right now is Middleweb, a listserv I faithfully lurk at and occasionally contribute to. The folks who make up that group are so professional, thoughtful, creative, and dedicated that I always learn by catching up on their postings.
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Of course, after the knowledge comes the real work -- making use of it all. I know from experience that if I try to work on improving too many areas at once, I won't make lasting changes in any of them. But I really do want to get better at assessment and differentiating instruction ... at implementing strategies for improving reading comprehension and teaching problem-solving ... at classroom management. I really do want to set up a program to provide all our new teachers with mentoring support. I really do want to learn how to better use technology in my university class. I really do!
What a wonderful time to be a teacher, with so much new information about teaching and learning available! I would love to be able to read and use it all! But I can't, so how do I decide where to begin?
Whew! I'm already falling behind in keeping my New Year's resolutions -- and I'm still only working on becoming "wiser." I haven't even started working on "kinder" or "more thoughtful" yet. Wow! I'd better get off this computer and get to work. Hmmm ... let's see. I think I have an article about setting priorities in one of these piles. It must be here somewhere.
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Article by Laurie Stenehjem
Education World®
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