Small Victories

Another school year has come to a close. My 21st year, in fact.

My final day of work was Thursday, but today felt like my first day of summer. Friday featured a trip to Knoebel's Grove, so that felt like a field trip. Saturday and Sunday were weekend days, which never quite feel like a summer day. Yesterday was, well, weird. It had the feel a driver gets when first getting off of a highway: the acceleration and braking aren't quite right for a few miles.

Today, though, had the relaxing feel of summer.

Let's get back to the school year that was, though. It felt very long. However, the slack that emerged in the last few weeks is threatening to obscure the accomplishments of what was actually a good year. There was one big setback: a section that I never connected with. But in other regards, it was a year filled with victories and I want to share them with you now.

First, the compliment. A student in my one geography class said to me "I like your style of teaching." Really? Really. Geography is an elective, and electives aren't my strong suit. I hadn't prepared enough for the course, and it showed at times. I was a rookie teaching it. Her comment, however, validated an approach I took with the classes, an approach that by and large resonated with that section of the geography class. It was a class where we learned for learning's sake. It was a breath of fresh air. And it compelled me to do something silly: bring in a 20' x 30' map of the state.

Oh, and that class made final course presentations that were spectacular. Topics included the interstate highway system, Masada, the Berlin Conference, trans-oceanic internet cables, Michigan's funky border, Kashmir, and filming locations in Episode IV of Star Wars.

Second, the screencasting. I adopted the screencasting model some time ago in economics. Essentially this involves putting content that would otherwise be a lecture on the web for students to watch. Then have students watch that instead of me in class. It might sound silly, but I've found it to be a remarkable means by which students can assert more control over their learning.

It wasn't my intent to see screencasting take place in my AP U.S. History class this year. But pretty quickly I surmised that assigning textbook readings with this group was going to be a non-starter. So, over the course of October, I trained the class in how to use my screencasts as a way to learn what the textbook offered. Basically, I created 15- to 20-minute summaries of the textbook sections and assigned those as homework. It worked. They did the homework and I was freed up in class to go beyond summarizing the fundamentals.

Third, getting a member of my department who one wouldn't have ever expected to be one to offer a training on educational practices to do just that, showing his colleagues a gear they didn't know he had.

Fourth, seeing my World War II and Korea work infuse the classroom. It certainly made its way into my room during the Civil War and World War II units. But it also inspired my friend, Josh, to do some very meaningful work with archival sources with his class. And a colleague at another school paid me a great honor by citing the influence I had had in spurring her to undertake a Civil War primary source project.

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This was the first year in which I was conscious of how retirement is closer than the beginning of my career. In some ways it was a year in which I felt more tired than before. Older than before. Hitting limitations I hadn't seen when I was younger. But it was also a year that affirmed much of what I have been trying to do in my career, and I find myself in 2019, after my twenty-first year teaching students, in a position where I have earned a reputation that makes me proud.

By the way, I leave Saturday for another World War II adventure. Time to make reference to one of my other blogs: https://mrjohnsoninnormandy.blogspot.com/. I guess I better start posting there.