The frenzy of beginning

I always seem to be starting the new year wondering if I'm adding "the last straw" to overwhelmed teachers as they face the new school year with different expectations and a need to learn something quickly. I hold my breath as I plan how to share what this year will entail and I pray that I'm setting them up for success with the scaffolding and planning I've prepped. 

The hard part of starting new endeavors with teachers is that it usually means introducing the concepts the week before school starts when they are at their most frazzled! For the past two months I've been immersing myself in all things STEAM, PBL, and integrated units to best be the support I need to be as this new school year unfolds.

I am excited about these concepts and I hope my excitement is contagious as I extol to the teachers the benefits of PBL, the blessings of a STEAM grant, and the effectiveness of integrated units to wrap it all together. I stand amazed as I've seen the pieces come together in the last few days! 

As we plan and move forward to best meet the needs of the elementary students at CCS I am thankful for the team of educators I work with that come alongside, encourage, and challenge me to create a culture of learning that is exciting for all of us! It will definitely be a year of learning with our students... And I'm excited about that aspect. I think there is great value in students seeing that educators don't always have all the answers, aren't the smartest person in the room, and that they have things to learn about the topic at hand too. Perhaps that in itself will encourage some of our students to see the value of lifelong learning.