This is when it gets hard

Last week, I was listening to teachers chat in the teacher workroom, and I noticed several teachers were hoarse, coughing, and sniffling. I also noticed that many of my colleagues were looking tired and stressed, including me. Then, it dawned on me after 16 years of teaching, this is when it gets hard.

October. When summer is officially over. This is when it gets hard. When the excitement of a new school year and a new group of students has waned. This is when it gets hard. When the paperwork, emails, and meetings have become overwhelming. This is when it gets hard. When our homes and families start to feel the strain of our long days. This is when it gets hard.

All of this adds up to rundown teachers who end up sick and tired and dragging through the month trying to stay afloat. I'd like to say that eventually things settle down, and we all become re-energized. But, what really happens is we adjust to this new level of stress and activity. I wish I could offer some wonderful, innovative ideas to combat the October rundown, but I think you probably already know what you need to do. Here are things to keep in mind when you're running on empty:

Accept imperfection 
That's right. I know that is hard to hear, because a lot of educators are Type A perfectionist kind of people (I know I am!). However, perfection creates A LOT of pressure. So, pick one area of your life that you can live with imperfection when things get rough. For me, it's my house. It is messy and chaotic which I don't like, but I can live with it when I have to.

Surround yourself with good people
Friends, co-workers, and family can make or break you. If you're struggling, try to distance yourself from the ones adding to your stress. Make time to have fun and laugh with those that love you and understand how hard you're working at life. I am VERY lucky to have great, supportive friends, co-workers, and family.

Prioritize
I don't just mean your to-do list (although that helps too), but also what's most important to you. My own children are at the top of my list. I'm about to have 3 college age daughters, and I make a point to spend as much time with them as I can. So, instead of working on the mountain of laundry that is growing by the day, I make it a priority to sit on the couch with them and talk and laugh and enjoy a show or movie together. Laundry can wait. Moments like that cannot.

It might sound weird after all of that, but October is actually my favorite month of the year. The weather is beautiful, and the trees are so pretty. Volleyball, hockey and football seasons start, and this year the Cubs are doing great in the post season! So, even though this is when it gets hard, try to carve out some time to enjoy what's happening around you.

An Article Review of Digital Badging in K-12 Education

Digital Badging for K-12 Students

This article examines the use of digital badging for K-12 students. It explains that digital badging is evidence of learning and/or skills inside or outside of a traditional learning environment, such as a public school. The article explains that this is a growing interest among the K-12 education community, as it provides an alternative to the traditional college path. Given the struggle most recent college graduates face finding a job, digital badging would allow job candidates to demonstrate specific skill sets that are backed up with tangible evidence as opposed to a general degree in a particular subject area. The article suggests that a potential roadblock might be standardization for badging requirements. Without some kind of standard requirements to earn a badge, the badging system will lack the credibility necessary to give badging a prominent place in the job market.

The idea of digital badging holds interest for me on many levels, but in particular, in teacher professional development. My district has launched a digital badging program that teachers can participate in through our internal professional development classes. I think this will be a successful approach to professional development, as it gives teachers a way to focus in on their own specific areas of interest. It will allow them to become “experts” in that area, and they will then be able to provide support to other teachers who are struggling. I think it will gain more momentum if badging can be aligned with professional licensing renewal requirements. Like badging for students, I see standardization of badge requirements becoming an issue in teacher professional development. A minimum set of requirements will need to be put in place, and there will need to be qualified evaluators to review the portfolios of evidence based activities. There are many details to be worked out, but I do see digital badging having a permanent place in education in one form or another.

Waters, J. K. (2013). Digital Badges. T H E Journal, 40(5), 14.

An Article Review of How and Why Educators Use Twitter

How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the Field

This article summarizes an attempt to quantify and analyze the use of Twitter by K-16 teachers, because current research on the use of Twitter is based primarily in higher education.

Researchers gave an online survey to 755 respondents who were educators representing several grades, content areas, ages, and experience. The survey included 10 items regarding Twitter usage by the respondents. The results reflected that Twitter was primarily used for professional development. The main reason educators sought professional development through Twitter was to combat isolation and to find community around common themes. Even though educators used Twitter overwhelmingly for professional development, they used it far less in the classroom and for communication. Last, the researchers found that the sample of respondents did not represent the typical age group of Twitter users in the general population (18-30), but rather an older age group (31-50).

I immediately could identify with this article, because it reflects my use of Twitter. My initial experiences with Twitter were timid and unsure, but as I expanded my professional learning network and more actively participated in chats and following hashtags I quickly realized the amazing opportunities for learning and to share resources to use in my classroom. I also agreed with the general positive attitudes and climate that Twitter has to offer. While some educators stated that they were limited by the restricted access to Twitter in their districts, I am fortunate that I don’t face that barrier. I have been very happy with some of the ways I’ve been able to implement Twitter with my first graders. I strongly feel that social media is the future of professional development. It gives teachers choice, connection, and convenience in growing as professionals.

Carpenter, J. P., & Krutka, D. G. (2014). How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the Field. Journal Of Research On Technology In Education, 46(4), 414-434. doi:10.1080/15391523.2014.925701