This past week I have taken a couple of photos that have become a couple of my all-time favorites. They aren’t amazing shots that will be found on the cover of National Geographic or Time magazine. These photos remind me of what school and education, as a whole, are supposed to represent. Pride in your work, trying new things, and having a good time with what you are doing. I got into education because I love to learn, but hated school. It was, and still is, a goal of mine to try to make school a place that is enjoyable to go to and something to look forward to each day. I hope that the students that I had in my classroom still enjoy learning. Now that I have left the classroom and work with entire schools, my focus has been trying to help teachers learn and improve their practice.
So a brief explanation of the pictures I took this past week.
Natalie Clavon (R) and Rhyan Johnson (L) of Harvie Elementary provided a little spontaneous fun at the end of a long day. Rhyan is part of the group of teachers participating in Reflective Friends this year. These two always have a smile on their faces and help make my days at Harvie an enjoyable experience.
Apparently Chief Powhatan was a Steve Jobs fan as well. This photo was taken today in Cheryl Ives’s classroom at Glen Allen Elementary. Like Rhyan, Cheryl is part of the Reflective Friends process. Her students researched a person or topic from the Jamestown era and came up with a script that would help explain the time period to the video’s viewers. I walked into the classroom and immediately had a smile on my face when I saw the boys at the computer. This project was not only fun, but meaningful to the students.
Thanks to each of you who love to make education fun for me and especially for your students!
**Update**
Here is the final video product.
