Day 3:
“If for any reason there is a change in the cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will be dislodged from the overhead compartment. Please ensure that you adjust your mask first before helping others”. In thinking about this perpetually shared safety message, I couldn’t help but make some comparisons between the need to ensure that we, as educators are taking care of our own intake of a learning diet in order to properly support the learning of our students.
This morning, as I was listening to my latest audiobook, I became enthralled with the melodic cadence that the author was using and her command of the English language as she was describing scenes which were so realistic that one could smell the dampness in the old boathouse and taste the sardines on saltines that the main character was inhaling. It became apparent to me that by listening to other authors, my repertoire of phrases and symbolism was being expanded and stored in my memory bank ~ to be retrieved one day when communicating an idea. As educators, we want to ensure that our learning environments are rich in literacies for our students to access. But more importantly than just providing a literacy rich environment for our students, we need to be enriching our own literacy diets. What are we reading (both for pleasure and professionally), what are we watching, what are we listening to, who are we engaging in conversations with and what are we writing about? When we think about our professional learning needs and how meeting those needs impacts our students, what are the essential components? Do they change over the course of our career? Do they change as we transition roles?
Inhale, breathe deeply and reflect on your learning diet.
Come write with me…..
Sue,
My learning diet is quite diverse – I have many interests professionally that I often have a hard time just focusing on one area – I don’t want to miss anything. That being said by reading diet lately has been lacking in the personal interest zone. I keep telling myself that after I finish this next professional read that I will allow myself a book for fun, and I have quite the stack accumulated waiting for me. What happens instead is that another amazing professional resource gets dangled in front of me and I just can’t help myself. More balance is needed for sure. Thanks for the reminder!
Sarah
Your post comes at a good time for me. I am feeling slightly overwhelmed with the fact that I have a book open, face down on a table in all three levels of the house.
The one in my bedroom is a YA novel recommended by a teacher librarian. These are quick to get through and help me feel confident about suggesting books to students.
The book on my living room table is by Jo Boaler, What’s Math Got to Do with It. Fascinating research that I feel is instrumental in supporting and promoting the makeover math classes need.
In the basement I have Quiet, a book recommended by a close friend. Within the first few pages I’ve already begun to see my tendency to be, well, quiet in a more positive light.
I am going to try to not be overwhelmed by all that I have on the go. This post helps me see that each of them has a purpose in my life right now. I have a balanced reading diet, learning something from each one of those selections.