Welcome, November!
If the last week has demonstrated anything to us, it has been that staying calm, focusing on a goal, and being consistent with methods works. It may not happen as fast as we would like, but the systems and structures created long before this moment will bring results.
So much of the last nine months of teaching has tested our abilities to stay calm, focused, and consistent. And it has shaken our belief in ourselves and our classroom communities. Rather than staying consistent with our methods-we’re trying to reinvent the wheel everyday in our classrooms, and it’s leading us to burn out.
The methods and strategies we were implementing to be present with our students pre-pandemic created the empowering force that supported our students in using and acquiring the second language. Those same methods and strategies transcend the roadblocks in our way this year in the hybrid and virtual classroom. When we empower ourselves by trusting our students and ourselves to create a classroom built on student driven content and intrinsic motivation, the roadblocks become but small bumps in the road to true, authentic connection and communication.
This month, as we refocus ourselves towards self-empowerment, check-in with yourself using these guiding questions:
- How can I give myself permission to be present with my students in the moment?
- How can I empower myself to let go of the “shoulds” and unnecessary constraints I’ve put on the classroom?
- How can I reimagine activities I currently use to circumvent reinventing the wheel?
- How can I let students have the control?
As we go through the month of November we’ll be providing strategies, discussions, and support on social media, as well as virtual trainings to bring empowerment back to the forefront of your classroom practice. OWL is here for you, every step of the way-and in whatever way you feel fits your need.