curriculum day

Today was curriculum day at my school, which I both love and hate. I love, love, love that I have a chance to STOP and reflect on what I am doing. I am so programed to teach young adolescents that I sometimes forget about adults. Also it is a fabulous day when we have a chance to share and collaborate with our colleagues. But there seem to always be a series of "meetings" that are disguised as essential, but really are not.

We started with the All School meeting in the chapel. I guess, it is nice to gather as an entire group instead of our various sections. But I have to admit, I zoned out when our President was talking about board meetings and upcoming trustee events. I love my school, but I am not from Hawaii, so names and "culture" is foreign to me (even if I have been here 5 years). Although I did hear that we are getting a "raise". Anyway about 1 hour of my time.

Then our guest speaker, from a group called iDeo. I'll have to check them out, but our speaker was entertaining and spoke about what the company does. But it wasn't meant for me, but the 2-5 teachers who will soon be deciding what is an ideal campus for their age. They will have a private meeting with the group.

Then as 2-5 left. Those remaining did Yoga. I love Yoga, in the quiet and peace of my house...where I can mediate for 5-10 minutes depended on when I drag myself out of bed. Not scrunched up with my colleagues. How can I focus on my breathing when I keep bumping into the people next to me. Whatever. I can deal.

The highlight was a TedTalk by Dan Meyer. 11 minutes.



This spoke to me! I need to be less "cookbook" and more about solving science problems.

But then I had to go off to another share with my colleagues. Good yes, our school is huge and there are all these unfamiliar faces. Talking story (aka discussing in small groups) was great! I posed a question and got some feedback, but I wanted to think about Dan Meyer and how I could be more like him. Then it was off to a lunch meeting with my team, before I had a chance to digest what the 7 members of my "talk story" group shared. Sigh! I really wanted to think about ways to organize kids and how to teach kindergarteners. Or how to be more like Dan Meyer.

Lunch again great! I love my new team and we came up with a list of "essential things 8th graders need to have before we see them". But before long the hour had past and it was time to move to science department meetings. But I really wanted to think about note taking and research skills. Or about organization and kindergarten. And at this point, I have forgotten about Dan Meyer.

Thankfully the librarians were there to show us some cool resources. Have you ever used SweetSearch? We were walked through the various databases our school subscribes to, and allowed to search on our own. I can see potential when 8th graders get to their Human Body Project.

But then at the very end of the day, when energy is low, and I am checking out the clock - we have to talk about the sequence and scope of 8th grade science. Ugh! I mean I enjoy teaching chemistry and biology. I am a chem major after all and at this point in my career, I have honed my bag of tricks with each subject. But chemistry and biology are not age appropriate, nor do they fit the sequence at our school. But the school is not going to change. I will be LONG gone when that happens. So why discuss, if no significant change will be made? Ugh!

When am I to find the time to digest all that I learned today?