Last night I was out until the very early hours of this morning with a group of friends, celebrating the end of one successful year of very positive changes and accomplishments. This morning, I am taking a little time to set some 12 month goals, both professional and personal.
As a teacher I have spent my life planning, writing out goals, forming measurable objectves, aligning activities, and developing pacing charts. It wasn't until recently that I saw the correlation between my classes and my life.
Hey, if I can use my organizational and planning skills to effect positive change in the lives of one hundred and seventy teenagers each year, what could happen if I applied those same learning tools to my own life?
Lo and behold! Those parts of my life that for so long existed only in chaos, began taking a direction. In areas where I had been merely a participant, I gained control.
Birthdays used to be a date to bemoan the fact that I was not as young as I used to be. Now they have taken on a new signifigance.
October 3rd has become like the first day of school. Today, I begin a new twelve month cycle of learning and accomplisments.
I look out of my window and see the sun is shining in a cloudless sky.
In Cleveland, Ohio; that is a very good omen.
About Me
- marybeth
- Since 1987, I've taught high school in the inner-city public schools of Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Municipal School District is a system fraught with the challenges inherent to a large district and an impoverished city. I am publishing this journal in response to those who are quick to criticize "those lazy, greedy, teachers". I offer you a glimpse into my world. I have always been a student of behavior. As a child, I would tame wild creatures and befriend strays. When I grew up, my natural empathy helped me become adept at observing, understanding and predicting human behavior, as well as discovering and studying what inspires and motivates people. Especially fascinating, are relationships; who we choose to associate with, and why; how we interact with one another, and how we affect each others lives.
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1 comment:
Great idea. I love my birthday. I totally don't understand people who don't observe their start in life. New Year's is another type of celebration worth observing -- sort of like a societal birthday.
Happy recent birthday to you and thanks for teaching our kids.
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