We often discuss how to move our students' thinking forward and how to structure lessons to produce student growth and development. That being said, how often do we ask ourselves about our own personal and professional growth? What are you doing to develop your own professional learning? This was a question my cohort members and I tossed around recently. It seemed a bit of an odd question posed to a group of professionals in a Doctoral program, however, the more I thought about the question, the more I understood that growing as a professional educator means more than taking classes, even in a Doctoral program. Becoming someone who has a sharp toolbox means one is consistently questioning, wondering, researching, reading, and honestly reflecting on one's own personal practice.
Remaining energized or renewing yourself emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually is vital. If you are not personally sharp, energized and rejuvenated, it can become hard to be those things for the students before you and for the colleagues with whom you work. Because this is a professional blog, I want to focus on sharpening the mental toolbox, or continuously improving and growing in specific skills and knowledge.
As an instructional coach, helping educators continue to grow and learn is something I do every day, but it is also something I need to be sure I am engaging in as well. In the consistently changing world of education, it is important to me that I stay current and on top of my game. I would like to share my game plan for staying mentally sharp:
My Reflection Sandwich (think of this in SMART goal fashion):
Remaining energized or renewing yourself emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually is vital. If you are not personally sharp, energized and rejuvenated, it can become hard to be those things for the students before you and for the colleagues with whom you work. Because this is a professional blog, I want to focus on sharpening the mental toolbox, or continuously improving and growing in specific skills and knowledge.
As an instructional coach, helping educators continue to grow and learn is something I do every day, but it is also something I need to be sure I am engaging in as well. In the consistently changing world of education, it is important to me that I stay current and on top of my game. I would like to share my game plan for staying mentally sharp:
My Reflection Sandwich (think of this in SMART goal fashion):
- Reflect & Create: I honestly (probably brutally honestly sometimes) reflect on my own teaching and coaching practices, and professional goals by using sticky notes or a journal. I do much of the thinking in my head, but find once I write the thoughts down on paper, I commit to working through this process. Seeing the reflection also helps me to put things into perspective and create more appropriate goals.
- Prioritize: I am one of those eag e r people who wants to take it all on, learn it all, fix it all....yesterday. Sound familiar? In my position this year, however, I have had to force myself to be realistic about my expectations and focus my attention on specific priorities - one at a time. Yes, I may really want to have 25 goals, but does that make sense? Am I getting the most professional bang-for-my-buck so to speak? Therefore, I now make very specific and realistic goals (yes, think SMART goal!) When goal setting, we encourage our students to think this way, and we just need to take out own advice! Tackle one, small thing at a time and do it extremely well.
- Make Time & Track Progress : Make the decision. Carve out time. You must place time on the calendar to accomplish your goal. I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but think about all the things that vie for your time each and every day. If the steps you need to take to achieve your goal are not on your calendar, they won't get accomplished! I have found carving small pieces of time, such as 15 minutes prior to bed, have made a significant difference in helping me to accomplish my professional goals. Decide on check-ins with a friend or colleague, share your learnings with your students. These quick check-ins not only boost your spirits but also hold you accountable for your progress.
- Celebrate & Reflect: Celebrate your success! Take the time to think about not just the goal, but also the process. One of my favorite quotes, by the great Henry David Thoreau, is "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."