Sunday, June 5, 2011

A Great Tradition

Today, because it's summer, I continued a long-standing tradition I started about eleven years ago. It's not that complex; it's actually quite simple. It involves a trip to Barnes & Noble, and the purchase of a book. It can't just be any ordinary book though, it has to be something in the field of education. I actually prefer books that share individual stories about teachers making a difference. I do this mainly to stay motivated and inspired over the summer. I love reading the stories about real teachers and thinking to myself, "Hey, this could be me!" I am proud to say that I've kept this tradition running since I finished my first year of teaching. I have made it almost like a hobby. It's fun for me to search for new books on the bookshelves. It's getting harder and harder though because I have purchased so many!

Today the two books I purchased were: Tales from the Teachers' Lounge by Robert Wilder and Fires in the Mind: What kids can tell us about motivation and mastery By Kathleen Cushman. I'm looking forward to reading both of these books, and hopefully I will pick up a few tips for the next school year. I believe wholeheartedly that teachers should constantly look for motivation and inspiration.

Something else has happened during this tradition that really excites me. I've shifted from being a reader to being a writer. Reading all of these different books has inspired me to want to write one of my own. I guess after eleven years of teaching I've logged some great experiences and stories that might just be valuable for others to hear. And shouldn't that be the ultimate goal for a teacher! Create something good, something worthwhile, and share if with others so the process will continue for many others. The catch phrase nowadays is Pay It Forward. The book I am currently working on seems new and innovative, and I haven't seen anything like it on the shelves at Barnes & Noble or anywhere else. Perhaps one day someone will be inspired by my words!

2 comments:

  1. Hey Lemmo!
    I'm pumped that you are blogging! Now, I can be encouraged by you even though I'm not at Booth anymore! It's funny, there really aren't very many positive teacher blogs out there (at least that I've found...and I've looked!). My blog is just a smorgasbord of life, but I did recently write about my teaching journey, check it out if you like!

    Leming

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  2. I really appreciated our chat this evening! it's really great that you remembered my first and last name after nine long years.

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