This is both a personal post and a post for the masses.
I'm still pretty young when it comes to my life and educational experiences. This youth and lack of experience have definitely humbled me on more than a few occasions.
One thing I've learned the hard way is that I'm not alone and I'm not nearly as good as I may think I am. This lesson has been learned through dedication, commitment, and a little bit of confidence. All of which are great traits and qualities to have, however when you are a part of a team, which we ALL are, they can blind you from seeing the truth.
It's really quite simple when you think about it...
No matter how much we think we contributed, no matter how much work we feel we did, and no matter how much credit we received, we couldn't have done whatever we did alone.
Think about the presentation you gave recently... somebody made sure the room was properly set up; somebody helped to arrange the logistics and location of the presentation, and somebody most likely made sure the WiFi and audio were working properly.
Think about the great activity you did or plan to do with your students... somebody most likely had a conversation with you about this lesson that made you think or see it from a different perspective; somebody might have even offered their assistance and/or some resources to make this activity even better. Lastly, chances are you got the great activity idea from somewhere else because there really isn't such a thing as an original idea any more... right?
Think about pretty much every single thing you do and encounter on a daily basis. At some level, someone else has either contributed, helped make it possible, and/or directly or indirectly affected what you are working on.
There is no such thing as being a lone ranger who is able to work in isolation without the assistance and help of others. Those 'others' are always and will always be involved, regardless of whether you can easily recognize it or not.
So, as you look toward the future, be sure to not only recognize the contributions of those 'others' who make so much possible, be sure to thank them and give them the credit they so rightly deserve...
I'm still pretty young when it comes to my life and educational experiences. This youth and lack of experience have definitely humbled me on more than a few occasions.
One thing I've learned the hard way is that I'm not alone and I'm not nearly as good as I may think I am. This lesson has been learned through dedication, commitment, and a little bit of confidence. All of which are great traits and qualities to have, however when you are a part of a team, which we ALL are, they can blind you from seeing the truth.
It's really quite simple when you think about it...
No matter how much we think we contributed, no matter how much work we feel we did, and no matter how much credit we received, we couldn't have done whatever we did alone.
Think about the presentation you gave recently... somebody made sure the room was properly set up; somebody helped to arrange the logistics and location of the presentation, and somebody most likely made sure the WiFi and audio were working properly.
Think about the great activity you did or plan to do with your students... somebody most likely had a conversation with you about this lesson that made you think or see it from a different perspective; somebody might have even offered their assistance and/or some resources to make this activity even better. Lastly, chances are you got the great activity idea from somewhere else because there really isn't such a thing as an original idea any more... right?
Think about pretty much every single thing you do and encounter on a daily basis. At some level, someone else has either contributed, helped make it possible, and/or directly or indirectly affected what you are working on.
There is no such thing as being a lone ranger who is able to work in isolation without the assistance and help of others. Those 'others' are always and will always be involved, regardless of whether you can easily recognize it or not.So, as you look toward the future, be sure to not only recognize the contributions of those 'others' who make so much possible, be sure to thank them and give them the credit they so rightly deserve...