Why I Broke Up With Twitter

I’ve stepped away from Twitter for a bit. Life got busy-2 little boys and coaching 2 sports is no joke! But if I’m being honest with myself (and with you), the Twitter world has been intimating! Every time I open up the app, I see all these amazing things that my teacher friends are doing and I’m like, “uh that’s so amazing why didn’t I think of that?!” And then I close the app, looking at what I’ve done in my own classroom and I tear it apart, one critical comment at a time. It has closed me off from my learning community—which is the most crucial point of Twitter in Education! So instead of feeling all the emotions from this, I just closed the app. For a really long time! It was a Twitter break up. :)

In my little hiatus, I realized:

+ Everyone has a voice that needs to be heard.

+ There’s strength in numbers and power in community.

+ My lane is just as valuable as someone else’s lane.

+ Also, stay in my lane :)

+ Don’t reinvent the wheel

+ It’s time to design learning for my students, and for no one else!

+ I have a part to play in this learning community, too.

So, here’s to refocusing and embracing what the future holds for my students and our classroom! I’m back in action, y’all...and I’m so glad to be back! My students have been up to some amazing things in the last few months, and it’s about time I share with my community once again. You all offer me so much. Together, we lift each other up and support each other in becoming lesson designers and creators of significant learning experiences!

Please accept my sincerest apology, Twitter friends. And I hope you accept me back with grace and arms wide open! ;)

A Growth-Minded Learning Environment is Intentional

In high school, I was involved with several honors-type courses; Pre-AP Pre-Cal and Calculus, Chemisty, Physics, and even AP Psychology, English, and US History. On top of extracurriculars...man, some of those classes were hard! 

I never felt that I was a "top" student, even though my ranking would have said otherwise. My friends around me were constantly competing to outrank each other, beat each other's test scores, and complete work the fastest (yeah-clearly we didn't have social media at the time to occupy us in other ways). I remember having to work and fight for the grades I received. I tried to ignore the pressure of my friends around me, and the pressure to prepare myself to get into a good college so I could go to medical school. I remember questioning often if I was cut out for all this work...if it was all worth it.

My AP English teacher taught with patience and finesse. He had ways to navigate hard text and literary critiques like they were a piece of cake. He provided critical feedback that allowed me to understand where I did not excel AND how to improve. I remember Ms. Finn, my Calculus teacher. She was such an amazing coach and taught me tenacity when academics got hard. She gave me a different mindset.

"Nothing is yet in its truest form." 

-C.S. Lewis