Bring on the Learning!

My phone chimed today to tell me that my Time Hop was available to view.  Sometimes I look at it to see from what injury I was recovering in the previous years or to remind myself I really am funny (not sure my students would agree...but I think I'm funny).  Anyway, the post from 2 years ago today was "All I want to be is done."  The song by the Band Perry had become my mantra for the last 4 weeks of school 2 years ago. Although the song is about a relationship, I viewed it as the theme song with my relationship with school at that point.

Funny how two years can literally be the difference between night and day.  In a previous post (http://spartansocialstudies.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-used-to-be-sitting-in-seat-17d.html) I blogged about how my career was saved because I started learning again.  That is still a true statement every day of my life, but seems more poignant when we have 11 days of school left and I have Seniors who have a major case of Senioritis.

Most of my colleagues have been counting down the days since March and are trying to talk themselves into making it through the last 11 days and then just getting themselves to summer break where they can walk out of school and not look back until the Tuesday after Labor Day.

I literally could not be further from that mindset this year (although, like I said, I've been there).

After I read my Time Hop, I was reflecting on why I have such a different attitude this year.

1. Right now, I am beyond excited that I am helping to plan EdCampCNY (register here https://sites.google.com/site/edcampcny2015/home) in Liverpool, NY on 7/18.  I really cannot express how excited I am to be part of this awesome day!

2. I took 20 students to a regional competition where they got to display a business idea that they birthed and nurtured to fruition for business leaders from our area.  Watching them shine today (and everyday) made me feel like a proud parent!

3. My #digcit students are creating parent tip videos that we will be sharing out with our entire community and they are turning out to be a great resource for our parents and community members.

4. My #digcit students are in the middle of creating advocacy campaigns about a topic for which they are passionate.  Some students have taken it a step further and got more involved with those causes because they discovered something they care very deeply about.

5. I will be participating in a 2 day workshop in the middle of August to network with regional colleagues while we talk creating more collaborative opportunities that extend authentic learning in our classrooms.

6. We are in the middle of unveiling our Makerspace at the HS and I am so intrigued by the possibilities that it will afford our students that I can't wait for it to be open full time.

7. I have already planned out the edcamps I will be attending virtually via Twitter over the summer.

8. I have 3 pedagogically based books that I am chomping at the bit to read this summer.

9. I have a couple new colleagues joining us next year and I am eager to learn with them as we start a new school year.

10. I am revamping a couple of my courses for next year and am actually excited about that process!!

11. I've been asked to be a virtual mentor for a grad class for preservice teachers over the summer.

I would not be exaggerating if I said in my dormant learning years, all of the above would have  depressed me more than I could handle.  I would see them as an intrusion in my summer.  Not anymore!

I think now, it would be safe to say that "All I want be is done" would refer to my time as a dormant learner.

Bring on the learning!