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This week is busy at school, well, really when is an independent school not busy? I’d argue Christmas day. We are 7 school days away from March break and everyone is trying to wrap up units and minimize assessments that need to happen over the holidays.
I feel like I am doing some exciting things in my room, but I have not been great at allowing the process of peer-to-peer feedback this week. #teacherfail
How easy is it for us to get pushed into a time crunch and sacrifice the very thing we have vowed to work towards improving. I know that one week does not mean this is a failed venture, and I know my students are OK not grading each other on appropriate activities this week as I try to increase their resiliency through the giving and receiving of feedback, and some are happy as they see it as one less step before they can submit their own work.
I also know I need to give myself some grace. It’s a new week next week and there is a whole term left once we return from March break. I have big plans for a cell unit where students need to gather clues and prepare a presentation as an end of the unit project. I also have another group using the makeymakey board to create interactive ears and eyes. Both of these projects will need feedback and multiple drafts before students can submit. We can use peer feedback there.
I thought I’d put this out there in the interest of being transparent and as a way to remind each of you, in the crazy lead up to March break to give yourself some grace and kindness. We are all superheroes, but even a superhero needs to wash their cape.
This makeymakey board sounds very interesting. I cannot wait to see and hear how it goes! Opportunities for peer review and feedback definitely get pushed to the back burner during crunch times, especially if progress reports are due. It sounds like you have a lot of cool learning opportunities going on in your classroom, and to be fair, not getting peer feedback on absolutely everything mimics the adult world fairly closely. How often do you just have to make a decision and go for it? I feel like I do this endlessly and only know that I must be making some good ones by virtue of not being called in to the office to explain myself! You’ll get back at it after March break. Have you tried the 30 Day Happy Teacher Challenge on Teachers Pay Teachers? It’s a free download and I’m giving that a shot to keep myself cheerful in the final crunch time before March break. A colleague, Jen Freele, suggested it. Perhaps it could help you too! 🙂
I’ve had almost the inverse. I’ve been feeling in a near constant state of #teacherfail this year, trying to balance my mental health, my commitments, and my PG goals. I only made my 1st blog post this week and that was due to a number of stars coming into alignment. You’re very much not alone in these feelings, and I’m glad you’re part of the movement of sharing honest, transparent insights into the stress of being a teacher. I SEE YOU!