There's something to be said about sitting on a marble step that is thousands of years old in a piazza in Venice on a warm June evening with homemade pistachio gelato (the closest thing to heaven on earth) creating sticky trails down your forearm. Or about eating an entire pie of pizza, topped with a swirl of olive oil and a basil leaf...just because you are in Naples, in the FIRST pizzeria in the entire world (how could you do anything BUT eat the whole pizza?!)
There's also something to be said about the unfamiliar chaos of an Italian train station, not quite sure where you are going, hearing every language but your own, and on the brink of tears because there is nothing scarier than not being able to communicate...and then the sweet taste of victory when by the end of your trip you flawlessly punch your ticket and navigate the train station like a seasoned pro.
I could also talk about unexpectedly catching the most breathtaking sunset while the most active and dangerous volcano in the world sits so peacefully on the horizon, or eating pizza (yes, I ate A LOT of pizza in Italy) on the rooftop terrace of your hotel, counting the constellations and wishing on the very same moon we see in tiny Delaware, four thousand miles around the globe.
While in Italy, I was so eager to learn the language, the history, the culture. I was a walking sponge, soaking up every bit of information (and olive oil, and gelato...) that I could. Although I tried to plan as much of the trip as possible (I am a teacher, after all), some of the best moments were those that just happened. I need to start the school year with this in mind: that sometimes our best lessons happen when the original plan falls through. I need to cherish the unexpected little moments that sneak up on us during our school day. I didn't plan on eating that entire pizza or catching that incredible sunset, but those little unplanned moments were the highlights of my trip. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and watch the magic unfold in front of us.
I want to take my students on a learning adventure like my Italian vacation this summer. I want to awaken their senses, excite them so much about learning that the next day of school can't come soon enough. That's what learning should be, putting yourself in new situations, taking risks (without the fear of failure), and experiencing life.
The beauty of being a teacher today is the wealth of resources we have at our fingertips to connect with the world. For example, at EdCamp Leadership in Philadelphia, I learned about Periscope and the ease at which I can take my class live to any part of the world. (More to come on #edcampldr in the future). I consider myself a connected educator - and I hope to help my students become connected learners alongside me. This might take the global form of blogging (virtual pen pals?), or something like connecting with the community to give back to our little coastal town. Overall, my ultimate goal this year is to foster a student-centered learning environment rich with learning experiences - both planned and unplanned.
How do you plan to connect your students to the world this year? (And where was the best pizza you ever had?!)
There's also something to be said about the unfamiliar chaos of an Italian train station, not quite sure where you are going, hearing every language but your own, and on the brink of tears because there is nothing scarier than not being able to communicate...and then the sweet taste of victory when by the end of your trip you flawlessly punch your ticket and navigate the train station like a seasoned pro.
I could also talk about unexpectedly catching the most breathtaking sunset while the most active and dangerous volcano in the world sits so peacefully on the horizon, or eating pizza (yes, I ate A LOT of pizza in Italy) on the rooftop terrace of your hotel, counting the constellations and wishing on the very same moon we see in tiny Delaware, four thousand miles around the globe.
While in Italy, I was so eager to learn the language, the history, the culture. I was a walking sponge, soaking up every bit of information (and olive oil, and gelato...) that I could. Although I tried to plan as much of the trip as possible (I am a teacher, after all), some of the best moments were those that just happened. I need to start the school year with this in mind: that sometimes our best lessons happen when the original plan falls through. I need to cherish the unexpected little moments that sneak up on us during our school day. I didn't plan on eating that entire pizza or catching that incredible sunset, but those little unplanned moments were the highlights of my trip. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and watch the magic unfold in front of us.
I want to take my students on a learning adventure like my Italian vacation this summer. I want to awaken their senses, excite them so much about learning that the next day of school can't come soon enough. That's what learning should be, putting yourself in new situations, taking risks (without the fear of failure), and experiencing life.
The beauty of being a teacher today is the wealth of resources we have at our fingertips to connect with the world. For example, at EdCamp Leadership in Philadelphia, I learned about Periscope and the ease at which I can take my class live to any part of the world. (More to come on #edcampldr in the future). I consider myself a connected educator - and I hope to help my students become connected learners alongside me. This might take the global form of blogging (virtual pen pals?), or something like connecting with the community to give back to our little coastal town. Overall, my ultimate goal this year is to foster a student-centered learning environment rich with learning experiences - both planned and unplanned.
How do you plan to connect your students to the world this year? (And where was the best pizza you ever had?!)