A Day on Shore Late...

Please Know this blog was published 7/3/2020, however I received an alert on 7/17/2020 it did not. 

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to do my daily writing for my blog. You know what that means? More thoughts for today! Truth be told, it was not a good day personally, however I was able to lean on the shoulders (and arms, hands, backs, ankles etc.) of a few friends that got me through. It also helped that I had a lot of work to do so I was able to stay distracted from the few personal issues that were occurring around me. 

Today, I was lucky enough to take an adventure trip to the beach with a friend (much needed might I add!) to just kick back and let the sand sift between my toes. While we were there, we got into a conversation about a few things related to KDP, our beloved honor society.  

Our discussion, if featured in a movie, was more like a car driving up and down hills, turning left and right, stopping at times, and then going full speed ahead. One of our main sources that kept the gas going along this ride was the idea of mentor teachers, and how KDP resources are a great help to pre-service and early educators. 

I cannot be more proud as a leader of my chapter to hear from a former officer (my beach bum buddy today :) how the resources were a help to a few new teachers at her learning center. We also spoke honestly about how some resources, while they retain their value always, are not geared for more seasoned teachers who wish to be mentors. This of course started my gears and away they spun.... 

It's not my place to say for sure what would or what would not work, or that projects we've tried in the past weren't successful for any particular reason. However, I feel personally that we all need to offer constructive criticism in order to grow.  A wise KDP leader said to me recently "we are never short on ideas, just on people to carry them out." This I explained, is the pure essence of my work with the society. I explained to my beach bum buddy today that although brainstorming is great, and the feeling of having an idea is nothing short of euphoric, the true joy is the smile and small head nod at the end when a project is carried out. When others turn back and say "that was worthwhile" is when I rejoice the most. 

There are so many avenues we can take with mentoring, and recently KDP has been preparing some preliminary stones to build the diving board of mentoring so we can jump in the deep end. What perhaps makes the idea of mentoring others in the field rewarding is watching them grow as they progress along their path in the classroom. Of course, I feel that veteran teachers also have a valuable opportunity to bear witness to the great new generations of teachers that come with a "magic carpet bag" of ideas, resources, and technological skills that frankly make mine look archaic at this point. It is rare that the developing relationship between a mentor and mentee only have an exchange of learning that is one sided. 

That said, I feel resources need to continually be developed for the novice and the veteran. It's trite to say that a veteran teacher does not need support on how to be an effective mentor. I can attest to many cases and stories I've heard where the relationship was nothing short of toxic, and neither party profited from the work constructed together. I hope to share some of my skills in this area, having served as a mentor teacher before, so we can generate (as always) the best education has to offer when it comes to mentors for new teachers. Simply said, this is not an option! 

The beauty of a mentor program is the underlying core value in the learning process for both teachers. For me personally, I always ask a teacher I mentor or serve as a buddy teacher for what new ideas the have, resources they use, how they foresee them being implemented in the classroom, groups they belong to, and of course what new technology is out there?! It is here that I learn where I have to catch up on the speedway of education. It almost makes me wonder, is it truly harder to swim against an average paced tide, or swim along with a tidal wave that could possibly engulf you and throw you into deeper waters where you have to struggle to figure out your place, and how to get back on course? 

Nonetheless, the ideas in the works for assisting new teachers along their journey is part of my job (and newfound passion in teaching.) Growing as a teacher-leader is what makes every microscopic piece of my own developing journey explode with color, vibrance, challenges, and rewarding feelings of self- satisfaction knowing I too am continuing to grow and become closer to who I wish to be in the field of education. 

I supposed I'll look at the grains of sand that gently sweep along my feet and picture them as possible early educators I can help one day and they will pay it forward, and this process will repeat endlessly so all grains on our shores can be touched by the kindness and confidence someone else has for them, and toward them. Whenever you might feel you are alone, or perhaps got burned by the sun of another blinding you, just remember there are many others out there who are willingly to serve as your mentor and uplift you, help you apply sunscreen and continue with your day to erase the burns and make to feel whole again. 

Find your mentor and support group and you'll truly never be alone or washed out sea..... 

Until next time, stay focused on the horizon, it'll always be there.....