Change:The Only Constant in Life

Plato once said, "The only thing consistent in life is change." 

I love this, and I love the simple truth that it relates to us. In our classrooms this will be eminent. As we go from day to day and year to year we will always be changing things. We will be changing our methods of teaching; we will be changing our students. Differentiation is one of the things that will help us to change things up constantly and keep our students engaged and successful. 

In a recent article I just read, titled "Different Learners, Different Lessons," it discusses our opportunity to transform. It states how it is a curiosity of teaching that no two days are the same, but if we become careless, all of the days can take on a deadening sameness. I don't know about you, but I'm not becoming a teacher to "kill" my students (even if some days I really want to....figuratively of course). This is just another reinforcement of how important it is to differentiate. I know when I become a teacher if I am teaching the exact same way every day and never changing anything up I'll go crazy, and trust me you don't want to see that side of me. I want my students to come to school excited to learn and not in that deadening mode of "I'm here because my parents are making me be here." Learning is something we should all be excited about. As teachers we will also continue to learn. We will learn new ways to teach, new ways to inspire, and new ways to touch hearts both big and small. The article also related that we must remember that we have the opportunity to transform ourselves and our practice, but just the same we have every opportunity to stagnate, remaining much the same teachers we were when we began. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT become THAT teacher!

One of my favorite quotes by David Roppo, reads, "Floundering in a pool of hesitation and trepidation constitutes stagnation. You can't rise from the ashes if you refuse to walk through the fire." 

The truth is sometimes our job is going to be hard. Sometimes you're going to want to quit and give up, but that my friends is when we are being changed into something magnificent. Stick it out, brave the storm, and allow that change to happen. You'll be so happy you did. I promise.

Chau for now,
Laurel ( like Carl)