Going Fishing

School culture has become a hot topic in education during recent years because of the focus on proactive measures in behavior modification and effective learning strategies. Fish! is an organizational philosophy that I was introduced to years ago which I am revisiting with a different perspective – as a classroom teacher. My first introduction was as an employee, and my second reading was to prepare a professional development I gave to my school campus. This time there are a few concepts speaking to me more than others . . .

Adults spend a lot of our lives at work so we should consider what we want that to look like. Do we want to spend as much as 75% of our waking hours bored and feeling like time is dragging on? Or do we want to be engaged and stimulated by our tasks? More importantly, as a teacher leading the culture and climate of my classroom, I have to consider how my students want to spend their time as well as how I will help create memorable experiences. For example, can we make tedious and repetitious tasks less so?

Choose Your Attitude

Like the quote says, we may have no choice about the tasks we do, but we can choose how the work is completed. Yes, some students find lectures boring, but a simple change in how the information is delivered could be more engaging. I find similarities in how the fishmongers call out and repeat each other in the book describing the philosophy to some of the basic practices of the methodology called Whole Brain Teaching. Another similarity is the happy face/sad face menu created by the third floor staff to Whole Brain Teaching’s behavior scoreboard. But those are topics for another blog. Also mentioned were how people want to be creative and continue to learn and grow. As a teacher, it will be me who must lead by example in choosing my attitude each and every day.

Play

This is an easy one for middle school students! The tricky part is finding a way learn while we play as well as attend to our business with purpose. Can we do this while having fun? Luckily my students will have access to some of the coolest software and equipment available in education, so our work will often seem like playing.

Make Their Day

Effective learning is best achieved by creating memories. I see myself as less a teacher and more a facilitator of learning by developing and implementing engaging opportunities. Students have often commented on how animated I am while teaching, like acting or hosting a show. The idea is to bring the students into my crazy classroom and find ways to make it unforgettable. My excitement will be infectious to my students.

Be Present

Another focus in education is building relationships with students, and this ideally should happen with coworkers in any work environment. Being engaged with others and being there for them when they need us is essential to build those connections. We should always looking for the next opportunity to do so. But we must find balance and be present to ourselves too.