I really admired the way Mr. McClung began his blog post with a "stay postive" picture. I can only assume that his simple, yet effective way of setting the tone for his readers is telling of his creative teaching abilities.
His article emphasizes the need for first year teachers to keep our priorities in line-- open pathways for student learning. We must do this by keeping students engaged with exciting lessons, staying flexible if those lesson plans don't go exactly as planned, integrating technology into our learning experiences, setting examples for our students by looking for new ways to remain a lifelong learner, and using our communication skills to share exciting news, seek advice, and resolve problems.
All of Mr McClung's tips are helpful, but the one that stood out most to me was-- Be Flexible. I think that one of the important challenges I am going to face as a teacher is learning how to turn every stumbling block into a learning opportunity and doing it with a smile on my face. This is the most significant for me because I believe that mastering that skill will best help prepare our students for problems beyond academic walls. Moreover, teaching them how to master that skill is equally important in their growth.
***Notes
1.) When I commented Mr. McClung's post, I left him a question, "Technologically speaking, what was your most useful tool as a first year teacher (software, freeware, smartboard,.. anything)?"
If you asked me I would say blogs. But you didn't ask me! So we'll see what Mr. McClung says.
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