SWBAT...

Student Will Be Able To

I am busy working on my first ever lesson plan, and that phrase is the all important, encompassing idea. The Student Will Be Able To. Every lesson plan will start that way, outlining a learning objective. On Friday, at Einstein Charter School, Students Will Be Able To solve 2 step algebraic equations with positive integers! That is the objective, anyway.

Student Will Be Able To

I love the idea of orienting everything around our students, most importantly, empowering our students. The students TFA will be teaching next year will see, thousands of times, SWBAT. It may not mean anything after a couple of weeks, but maybe, it will stick and resonate in them. SWBAT. When our students read it, they will see "IWBAT". Each individual student will be empowered by the objectives and goals they set for themselves, and the goals we as teachers set for them. We have to believe in our students and ourselves, that they can get to the places we want to go.

Induction has been fast paced, but it is exciting! I have had schedule changes, false alarms, actual alarms, almost missed alarms, and a lot of inspiring conversations with motivated individuals. I am so humbled to be surrounded by this talented, passionate group of people. They believe in New Orleans and the students like I believe in New Orleans and the students. They trust the impact they can make will be real and powerful. Far reaching.

Students Will Be Able To

I just hope to empower each of my individual scholars with the idea that THEY WILL BE ABLE TO. Whatever it is, that they can and will achieve it through the right amount of hard work and dedication. We aren't too far behind, but we have so much ground to make up. We aren't too far gone, but we had better recognize that we have to work hard or we will fall farther.

When I think the task seems so incredibly big, I think of Jesus, speaking to Pharisees, telling them "My Father is always working, and so am I" (John 5:17). Jesus' task was huge; earth-shaking; life-altering; essential. Jesus recognized that he could do enough to get by, or enough to impress others with his work ethic, but that wasn't enough. He could not be satisfied by the small things he was doing. With so much need and so much death and so much poverty of spirit around him, Jesus decided not to be constrained by standards, or by expectations. He wouldn't be slowed by social standards or traditional interpretations of the Jewish law. Did people need what Jesus had to give? Yes. Even on the Sabbath? Of course. So he gave it.

I pray that I can be more like Jesus. I pray that I would not be satisfied by the amount of work I do, because the problem is so big. I pray that I can be empowered to advocate for my students in and out of the classroom. That I can do not what is expected, but what is right. That is the example of our gracious and loving Jesus, who is the image of the Father.

Students will be able to... if we believe in them. If we work with them. If we set them up for success. If we don't take "no" or "slow down" or "stop being so idealistic" for an answer. They deserve my best, and they will get it every day, because the Lord will strengthen me.