So this is my first OFFICIAL blog post on my very own blog. I thought I would explain the meaning of the blog title as my first post, so here you go.
There are many meanings and symbols surrounding the phoenix. Here are the ones that resonated with me as an educator on a journey to become better.
To most the Phoenix may represent a new beginning, that no matter how bad things may get you will rise out of the ashes.
I have had many “rebirths” as a teacher and all of them were hard at first. One was moving from the school I grew up in to a much more progressive and “out of the box” thinking one. To teach with freedom was scary because I had never had it. I was waiting for someone to show me how they did it and it was very clear from the beginning that they were open to me trying new ideas. It was the reason I moved schools in the first place. I felt like I could not breathe under all the restrictions and “scripted” programs at my old school yet this new freedom was frightening. BUT MY HOW AMAZING it was after the “fire” of adjusting! I was excited about trying new things and my school supported me. I was out of that box FINALLY after 13 years of trying to change a system that was still thinking like the 1950’s. The other “rebirth” was joining Twitter. I will save that story for another time.
I think the educational system needs a “rebirth.”
It’s time. It’s time for the passionate, “on fire” educators to cry out and change their surroundings. A phoenix is supposed to sing a beautiful song. I find those who inspire me do the same thing with their blogs, tweets, and conversations. We need to rethink what we have been trained to do and start doing what we need to do for students. Start looking for fires from other educational phoenixes that have already gone through this process. Read their tweets and their blogs. Check out the resources they share. GET PLUGGED IN and let’s burn off the old to make way for the new.
When you go through the process, you are still you but now you have the chance to grow.
The joy of this process is you still carry all the experience and knowledge from before but you can renew and grow again. You can teach an old dog (or old bird) new tricks. The phoenix is the same bird as before, just reborn. I love the thought of being reborn as an educator with the knowledge and wisdom of 21 years of teaching. Being an educator is exciting when you are constantly learning.
On a personal side-note:
The phoenix is also a nod to Harry Potter which I LOVE. I love that Fawkes (Dumbledore’s phoenix) was loyal and his tears could heal others. I think sometimes our hardest moments which produce many tears can heal someone else going through the same thing. Also, the early church used the phoenix as a symbol of Christ since the myth states that the phoenix rises out of the ashes three days after burning. Being a follower of Christ, I like this symbol.
Disclaimer: There are many other meanings of the phoenix symbol that are not part of my belief system.
Well Miss Mac, you took the plunge into the bloggersphere! Congratulations! I have yet to take that leap.
I like your analogy of being reborn. I’ve had quite a few new beginnings also. I think everyone that will read your blog will relate to being “on fire” to change their surroundings and continuing to grown in their craft. Excellent post! I look forward to reading more!
Thanks so much, Kathy. You are my first commenter! I have been thinking about blogging for awhile but after encouragement from a few twitter friends, i finally jumped. I have always loved writing and do not do enough of it. I hope others read it and get inspired to try new ideas and grow. We push our students to grow but so many are doing the same plans and using the same ideas from ten years ago.
Welcome to blogging. I knew eventually you would take the plunge. This post was a delight to read. I enjoyed the analogy between the Phoenix and change. I look forward to following your blogging journey.
Cathy,
Thanks for commenting and believing that I would one day start blogging. I had people believing in me before I did. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I am loving the metaphor. 🙂
I enjoyed reading your blog. I have been working in an elementary school for 22 years. (I taught 4th grade for 8 years… then I was a guidance counselor for 10 years… and now I’m teaching 4th grade for my fourth year.)
I am excited that things are changing in education – but I’m also nervous. I communicate with my students’ parents a lot – and just doing traditional planning– I put in about 10 hours a day (not counting weekends). I am also married and have two sons… how do you have the time to be innovative? … And still confident that the students are learning everything they need to learn?
Mary Beth,
I am glad you enjoyed the blog. I understand your fear of letting traditional planning go. You don’t have to throw it all out to embrace a new idea. Just try one new idea or strategy this year. One that really helped me was using kidblog in my room. I saw the potential in my 2nd graders and I was not raising the ceiling enough. Here’s what I have discovered. Many of the things I was planning was a lot of work on me. The kids were waiting for me to disperse the knowledge. I have tried new ideas that get them more involved and now they are working harder than me. I have also found the growth in their learning is higher than when I did it “my old way.” BUT nothing is done overnight. Choose one subject you want to change a little and try it out. OR try one new idea you see another educator doing on twitter. Teachers work so hard but many of us feel like we are on a hamster wheel. Or at least I did. I can tell you are a passionate educator. That’s where it starts. 🙂
Thank you so much for your response!! I just started going on Twitter a couple weeks ago… I am a little overwhelmed, but it’s nice to have the time in summer to explore. I came across some information about doing a blog with students… and I was just thinking about how I would do that in my classroom. I already have my students write me letters about books that they are reading, so I thought they could type it in a classroom blog?!? Do you have any suggestions for how to get started? I have done a blog before – but more for parents as a place to give information about what was going on in our classroom. Thanks again~
Mary Beth
Have you checked out kidblog? It is easy to use and a great intro into blogging. I did a paper blog activity first where each student made a paper blog and kids commented using sticky notes. We talked about being a digital citizen first and about cyber bullying. I think I still have pics on my twitter page of a paper post. You can also go to my wiki link and then click my class blog. There is a whole blog entry about that activity. Our tech coach shared the idea with me and he saw it from someone on twitter so neither of us can take credit for that great idea.
I would start with kidblog. Each student has there own blog and they can add pic and links easily. This would work so well with your book idea.
I can also send you my email in a direct message. Stick with twitter, it has connected me to people and ideas I never thought I would encounter.
Very well done! I am excited to see that another great educator will be sharing her thoughts via personal blog. The phoenix is a great metaphor for you. As an extension of the metaphor, a phoenix isn’t just reborn once. Neither are we. Keep up the fantastic work. Your thoughts are very important to me.
Dave,
Thanks so much and yours are important to me. I love the extension of the metaphor. It is a process we should choose to go through over and over again. Again, thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
I love your blog! Teaching for me is a rebirth each year; some years it’s a spectacular, firework kind of rebirth , both energetic and exciting. Other years, it’s more like popping a small pimple, anticlimactic but change nonetheless.
I also love using a blog to keep my students and their parents updated. Check out both my personal and professional blog.
Mrsmeyernhhs.blogspot.com
and
didmybrainfallout.blogspot.com
Happy Blogging! Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my blog. I cannot wait to read your blogs. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love the Phoenix metaphor, especially in the Harry Potter sense of it. Rebirth, healing. Those are things the system needs. Great thoughts.
Thanks John. I agree. It’s what we need and it’s overdue.
Congrats on your blog! I love the post and the message of change and challenging yourself to become something better.
Great design. Nicely laid out.
Thanks Eric. You are very encouraging and supportive. I appreciate it. 🙂
Excellent blog! The theme of the phoenix is definitely pertinent to the current state of education, and how leaders will/are arising – such as yourself – out of the ashes of old! Way to be bold and relevant.
I feel that I’m on a similar trajectory; I am a month-long Twitterer and about to launch my own blog as well. We are definitely teaching in exciting times! Great work…I look forward to reading more of you in the future!
Daniel Costa
@daniel_v_costa
Daniel,
It is an exciting time for teachers and education. I feel like teachers are starting to inspire one another locally and globally through connections made with twitter and blogs. Thanks for the compliments on the blog. It’s my first attempt and while it was scary to start, it’s nice to get it out for others to read and share their thoughts. You will find twitter is the best PD you will ever have at your fingertips. Passionate, “reborn” educators will change their own classrooms, their schools and hopefully the world of education. I look forward to your blog! Let me know when it’s up and running. 🙂
Carol