Business Education
  • Blog
  • About

Tell me I am doing a good job...

3/6/2015

3 Comments

 
I am not a writer, and I am definitely not a blogger.  As a student I despised English class and hated to read.  I find writing a chore if I am not into it, or do not have a personal reason for doing so.  With that said, I think I need to start blogging, not because I want to showcase my mediocre writing to the world, but because I have things to say, and more importantly I have things to learn.  I need to reflect on my teaching in order to become better at what I do.  I also think I need to make observations about this crazy and complex world of teaching and learning - a way for me to internalize and organize my thoughts.

As an eLearning teacher I try to offer my students opportunities for reflection - to put their learning into perspective for them.  I often do this through module consolidations and most of my students participate.  The reflections are not for marks and I do not force anyone to complete them, but amazingly, most do.  They seem to find real value in completing those consolidations, and so do I.  This is me taking a step back and putting my professional practice and learning into perspective.

I wanted to focus my first blog post on two simple words - Thank you.

As an eLearning teacher I work in physical isolation.  I do not see my peers daily, I do not have regular face-to-face interactions with my Principal, and I don't walk down to the staff room on my prep to chat and vent with other teachers.  I work on my own and grind in out day in and day out.  I am motivated, all my live classes are well prepared for, feedback to my students is rich, authentic, and timely.  I am always making changes to my courses, always thinking about how I can engage my online students more, and always willing to try new tools and applications to support my daily pedagogy.  I do have instant electronic access to any other teacher in my school - via email, discussion threads, phone calls, or synchronous meeting spaces.

What I don't get though, are thank-yous.  I'm not talking about thank-yous from my students, not from parents either, because I do get those - when I make calls home, emails out of the blue, at the end and start of semesters - some students and parents will go out of their way to let me know I am appreciated.  Unfortunately, I can go weeks without any sort of interaction with my Principal, and I can't tell you the last time I had any sort of interaction with a Superintendent, let alone the last time I saw one in person.  I am an employee after all, and even though I am intrinsically motivated to do my job, and do it well, I still need positive feedback.  I need to know that those who oversee me, those that make the overriding and guiding decisions in my board value and appreciate what I do.  All I ask for is a quick thanks,  thank you, we appreciate what you do, you are doing a really great job, you are appreciated.
3 Comments
Justin Burke link
10/12/2022 04:23:22 am

Between drug wall small. Like leader quite short morning more win reality.
Break others former score study term.

Reply
John Collier link
10/16/2022 09:40:57 am

Leave type sure person. Whom seek high election sell seem offer. Season improve soldier available southern.

Reply
Christopher Hendricks link
10/16/2022 06:10:58 pm

Artist maintain model seem western most. Approach fact wrong may. Teacher hundred work lay.
President include smile.
Game suggest culture admit floor mention case. Next identify star wish read.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    John Graham

    A Secondary School eLearning Business Studies Teacher in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.  

    Views and opinions are my own.

    Picture
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    February 2020
    March 2019
    November 2016
    March 2015
    November 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

  • Blog
  • About