Lately, I have been returning to the belief that teaching is an art. Particularly in today's society when so many new demands are being added to education, I find a "recipe," even a good one, cannot be used too often. Sure, we have procedures and routines that continue throughout the year, and that is a good thing. However, my teaching practice and what my students need from me is an ever-changing work in progress.
Since we began relying so much on testing, I am much more intentional in my teaching and much more accountable for basic things that every student must learn. However, because I also want to differentiate, I am still bringing multiple extension activities to my classroom. There is no way everyone can be given the same three or four part lesson everyday. Finally, the academic basic education and testing focus ignores the multiplying number of students who need a responsive, caring environment. The "recipe" approach is at best a tasteless dish that does not bring inspiration for new efforts and lasting memories that stay with you for the rest of your life.
I want to create things that my students and I love! Learning with an everlasting taste for more; more math, more history, more stories. What worked well last year, last month or last week is going to be different from what will work well in the future. This is the challenge.
