Professional Reflections

There are different sizes of pumpkins. Some are small and easy to carry like a traditional student teaching program, while others stand out from the patch like PDS. This PDS pumpkin can be a heavy load because it has established it’s roots. Those who have the desire to pick up this challenge will have endless opportunities to make the pumpkin theirs. This pumpkin is solid; there are no windows to peek through, no instructions, and no guarantee that the inside is as beautiful as the outside.
Anxiously, you begin to cut around the stem. This may take a while because you have to rotate it and look at the pumpkin from all different sides. Is this really the right pumpkin for you? Now that you have made it all the way around the first phase of carving a pumpkin, you can lift up the stem and take a peek inside. You see lots of loose ends that need your attention. You also see millions of little tasks that stick to your fingers. You can’t seem to get the tasks all in order. They are getting all mixed up as you try to pull them out of the pumpkin. There are so many, that some may fall to the floor and you forget about them.

Next, you begin to draw what you envision the outside of the pumpkin should look like with your with a felt tip marker. You have drawn two triangle shaped eyes because you want to see education from three different angles. You value the perspectives of your students, dedicated parents, as well as administrators. Your nose takes the shape of a circle because there is no end to your learning. How big should your mouth be? Should it have a smile? How much are you willing to communicate?

Now you can set the pumpkin aside for a few minutes. Scoop up as many tasks as you can carry in your hands. Set them down on a table and organize them. Reach into your bag of tricks and pull out some of your spices. Season your tasks so they are more enjoyable for you and the children you share them with. The children will probably ask for seconds if they were tasty enough. Did the children commit this experience to memory? Can they relate it to anything else they have tried?

Now you can turn back to your pumpkin and cut out your face. Your carvings were not exactly what you envisioned they would be. They were a little off, the same way some projects turn out. Not everything in the pumpkin can be perfect. You tried your best, you are satisfied.

Now it is time to add light to the pumpkin. You reach into your candle cupboard and pull out a delicate tea light. You carefully strike a match to light the wick just as you light the wick inside your student’s minds. You turn out the overhead light and watch your pumpkin glow. Your light is shining so bright because it is reflecting the rich color of the inside. You have made that inside so rich because all the loose ends are under control and all the seeds have blossomed into engaging lessons. Now you can sit back for a second and reflect on how blessed you are to have picked up the PDS pumpkin.

Everywhere I look, I find a variation of the same recipe for successful cookies. I love the taste of the successful cookie, but I’m not always sure how to get it. As a beginning teacher, it’s important to learn many different strategies. Some strategies will work well one year, but may need a revision the next year. I have decided to give one a try.

A large yellow mixing bowl will provide an opportunity for all students to be involved and add brightness to my classroom. Butter is the foundation because curriculum is the mortar that everything depends upon. A careful selection of flour will provide the best series of textbooks. Next, I will add sugar because the classroom should be a sweet and comfortable place. Molasses will add patience while baking soda provides consistency. An egg will help the cookies develop a strong bond among each other. Chocolate chips are added to challenge my students to overcome the mountains and valleys they may endure. Oatmeal cannot be forgotten because the connection will keep them eager to learn more.

Scooping the cookies out of the bowl is the biggest challenge. Each cookie needs all of the ingredients but not necessarily the same amount. They need to be handled with care.

Now I can bake them. I bake them long enough so they grow on their own. However, I do not intend to burn them out. Sometimes, I might put a few back in if they need extra attention. The oven provides the flame to spark the cookies to become individuals. Each one looks unique because the ingredients affected each one differently.

I have talked to other teachers about their recipes and feel that each recipe has the potential to be successful. So, I decided to differentiate the recipes and make a few small batches rather than one large. The differentiation allows me to see the strengths in each one; just as I do in my students.

Perhaps I will reflect deeper on my recipe in June, July, and August.