I went on an adventure two weeks ago! An adventure that took me to the countries of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland and France. An adventure that broadened my view of the world and taught me lessons about people. An adventure that leveled up my life and one that I can't wait to bring to my students this year. I gained invaluable XP that will allow me to expand the worlds of my students beyond their classrooms, neighborhoods and cities. What would a trip around the world be if i didn't use its lessons to help level up the lives of my students? I want to talk about how the experiences I had halfway around the world can translate into ways to take risks in your classroom, connect your students to the world, and be daring as an educator! Also, throughout this post please forgive the abundance of pictures. They are too beautiful not to share and I promise they will help you understand how to level up. That right there above is the Domturm in Frankfurt, Germany. Basically its the tallest church around, 368 steps to the top to be exact. I know this because I climbed the 368 steps to the top. Now, this may not seem the like the biggest risk to some, but let me explain. From the bottom, before beginning the climb, there are a lot of questions that go through your head. How tired is this going to make me? What if it sways at the top with the wind? After climbing 368 stairs, will it really be worth it? It is hard to put yourself into a situation where the end goal is unknown. I didn't know how long it would take to climb these stairs. I didn't know the condition of the stairs or what it would be like at the top, but I took the risk anyway. It is like the beginning of the school year for teachers. You don't where the year is going to take you. You are not sure how the conditions in your classroom will be or what the view will look like at the end, but it shouldn't stop you from taking the risks throughout the year. If you don't, you may never get a view like this. I had the privilege of meeting many amazing people while traveling in Europe. I'll admit I was nervous about meeting people. Would they speak English? Would they be accepting to an American who couldn't speak more than 20 words in their language? Would they make an effort to get to know me? I was blown away by the acceptance, welcoming and grace these now new friends of mine showed towards me during my visit. They taught me new words. They introduced me to new foods. They brought me to castles and told me about history. These connections I have forged will forever change my life and my view of the world. It also helped me to realize how important these types of connections are for my students. Think about the things our kiddos will miss out on if they don't have the opportunity to connect with people around the world. We must work to provide these opportunities for students, and then teach them how to seek out connections themselves. I realized during this trip how much I don't know about the world. There are so many things that I am not capable of teaching my students because I am not the keeper of all knowledge. By teaching them how to connect globally we are opening up infinite doors of information. Finally, Europe taught me to be daring. During my visit I had the joy of exploring of number of castles. This was a highlight for me, since there are no castles in the states and I love the historical importance of them.. The knights and lords and kings that built these castles were the epitome of daring. The looked for the tallest hills with the best views. They built the largest and strongest structures around. They were daring. These castles were built to be the best, to impressive and withstand anything. Why don't we teach and learn like that? Encourage students to find their tallest hill and build their tallest tower! Let them know it is okay to be strong and encourage them to be daring in all that they do. They are the kings and knights of our schools and we should empower them to build castles.
Cheat Codes: CTTT-Climb The Tallest Towers TRABD-Take Risks And Be Daring CGCFYS-Create Global Connections For Your Students
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AuthorGreetings Readers! My name is Taylor Arehart and I am a 6th year Educator in Excelsior Springs, MO. I have taught 3rd, 4th and gifted and talented, but now I am beginning a new adventure as an Instructional Coach. I have a huge passion for transforming education and giving students the 21st century skills they need to rock the world. I am writing about my journey of leveling up! Leveling up means to constantly look for ways to improve in teaching, learning and living. This means in the classroom with my students as well as in other areas of my life. I hope you enjoy reading about my journey (and my students' journeys) to reach our highest levels and rattle the stars! Archives
October 2017
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