Break

                     

    Many people question the number of professional development days and holidays that are built into our school year. In terms of PD, the purpose is based on the belief that as lifelong learners, teachers need time to collaborate and play with ideas. Attending PD, especially as a lead teacher which demands more of my time, means that we can bring new ideas and strategies back to our classrooms to improve student learning. I'm loathe to leave the classroom because I feel that it disrupts learning and our routines, but the trade off is the opportunity to bring something back that makes learning better for our classroom communities.

     In terms of breaks for students and teachers, such as this week, the benefit is time away to refresh and catch up, which may look different for everyone. Even when there is a non- PD break, know that the majority of teachers continue to engage in education-related activity, whether that is marking, planning or researching. Students benefit from a change in routine and an opportunity to participate in different activities.

     I'm particularly excited for the opportunity to be part of an audience of 100 people who will see the spoken word poet Shane Koyczan perform. Several teachers in our school use his poetry in class to touch on the themes of identity and kindness, with "Troll", "To This Day", "We Are More", and "Instructions for a Bad Day" being the most often referenced and analyzed. I encourage you to watch Koyczan's TED Talk, listen to his spoken word albums and watch his moving animated versions of his poems. I feel fortunate in particular to be sharing this moment with our son, who is also a fan of the poet.

       

     Looking at the remaining school year, we don't have any significant breaks, with three and four day weekends interspersed with regular work weeks. By June, students will feel stressed and will struggle with positive interactions with peers due to the amount of time spent together. It will be import at to continue to integrate mindfulness into our routine as well as practice our social skills. I am eager to see what the remaining days of the school year will bring!