School's Out: A Reflection on the Year

 To all those who just finished this school year- congratulations! I think all of us are breathing a sigh of relief, and feel some of the invisible weight that has been on our shoulders (backs, hands and hearts too!) finally release. To say that this year was unprecedentedly stressful would clearly be an understatement at this point, and frankly bland. Personally, I have been reflecting on the year and I realized many things, but perhaps a summary would best suffice as a way to contribute my thoughts: 


For me, this past year has elevated my teaching in ways that I never thought possible, because I was forced to take matters into my own hands for both my students and myself. I tried new technology I might not otherwise have, infused more evidence-based practices into my teaching from my own self-directed learning, listened to my students and creatively met their needs as best as I could, and I met with other like-minded individuals in the field to work with as thinking partners and develop a support system. 
So although this year past year was not a particular first choice for how to teach, I must admit that I have taken away many valuable lessons, and feel more motivated to grow and learn. 
Taking my own advice, I will have a small break from my blogs for about two weeks, but I am excited to be thinking and reflecting, and taking notes on what topics to generate more blogs for this summer. Please feel free to make suggestions; remember we are a team! 
So for this short time I leave you with some final thoughts: Keep your goals in mind for yourself and for your students. Keep reading and researching best practices to implement. Keep being creative and visualizing your class next year... we now have a wealth of strategies to teach students in a variety of ways and with different platforms/technology! Keep building your networks and reaching out to other educators. Finally, keep up your own journey of lifelong learning; when you feel empowered, so will your students, and we set the example for them to cherish learning as much as we do! 


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