Maine Richardson's Blog: What Is Your Mental Momentum About Teaching?

What has to happen before you can make your classroom better

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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We have a problem in the hearts and minds of many educators everywhere. I’m guilty of it sometimes, too. Sometimes my momentum is not moving forward. I can wish for something that never will be and not do what is right in front of me.

Alvin Toeffler said,

“you’ve got to think about the ‘big thing’ while you’re doing the small things, so that all the things go in the right direction.”

What is your mental momentum about teaching?

The big thing is that students have changed. We don’t have to like it. We don’t have to enjoy it. But we do have to face it if we’re going to teach kids.

People who relate to technology by saying “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” are burning their bridges with kids before they even start the trip.

Most people want what used to be, not what can be. They spend their time fondly thinking of the past instead of dreaming about the future. If we’re going to start thinking about big things, we need to give ourselves permission to head in a new direction, break new ground and try a new way. We have to remember that there is more out there in the world than our way of teaching. We must be willing to get out there and try it out.

For those of you out there trying new things already — way to go. And for those of you realizing that you’re exhausted by trying to push a car with square wheels — no guilt. You can’t do anything about the past. If you know you need to change some things, start today by changing your own mind.

Examine your mental momentum.

Are you frantically trying to run back to a past that will never be your present again?
Or are you running towards a dream in the future of a better classroom and a better life?

I kind of think someone driving in reverse down the interstate and looking in the rear view mirror would be headed for a wreck. Live is meant to be lived looking out the front windshield, not the rearview mirror.

I love, respect, and appreciate you, teacher. We all have to struggle to grow and learn and have an open mind to new things.

But when presented with a new idea, don’t say “I’ve already tried that and it didn’t work” when you’re just making an excuse not to change. We need to reach every child in our classroom. We may not accomplish that in the end, but if we don’t start with that as our goal, we don’t have a chance.

Just want to encourage you to be forward facing today and to try some new teaching ideas soon.

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