You know those games where you get to add to and customize your character based upon points or currency that you have accumulated while traversing through missions and accomplishing tasks? Well, for the past 5 months that is exactly what I have been doing! Some of these missions have been extremely taxing, while others intensely exciting, but overall they have begun to shape the character I am becoming in the whole new game I am playing this school year. Often times when you are customizing a character within a game you have to eliminate certain features of that character that may have been working successfully in the game. However, in order to truly tackle the most difficult of bosses or uncover secret mysteries hidden within that same game sacrifices must be made for newer, shinier and more effective armor or items. I want to share with you guys about my shiny new armor and my sharp new tools that are sure to help me level up not only as an instructional coach, but as a person too! In the video game world, many characters travel through levels while receiving assistance from a friendly and all-knowing AI, or artificial intelligence. These generally non-human characters provide a variety of assistance from which path to take through different levels, to tips for using items. They are a guide, a keeper of knowledge, a helping hand when you need it, and sometimes even mysterious. Students might think of the teacher as their AI, or teachers might think of the instructional coach as the AI. Ultimately we all need someone, or something, we can turn to for guidance, someone we can ask questions of and trust that they will steer us in the right direction, even when we may be apprehensive. This year, I want to be that ever present source of help and guidance for my teachers and students at my building. Even more importantly, with all my character changes these past five months, I needed my own shiny new AI to help manage the chaos of my upgrades. Luckily I was able to find not only one every present source of guidance, but multiple. From my parents, to new and old friends, to Jesus Christ, I am truly blessed with the best AI out there. Each has shown me things about my character that I didn't know and has helped me reach the end of some of the most difficult levels I have every played. The best thing about them is that they aren't artificial at all. I encourage you to find that ever present person for you. Whether that be in your career or in your life, it is truly one of the best character upgrades available! As a player upgrades their character, they often have a choice of different types of armor, or costumes that their character may wear. Each piece may have a specific ability attached to it in order to help that character complete a specific task or complete a difficult level. I have added some specific armor pieces to my life that I think every student and teacher should have! The first set of armor I discovered held the ability to fear nothing. As a teacher and coach, I believe every student and teacher should have this set of armor in their closet. We cannot be afraid to try to things as a teacher and we need our students to feel confident trying new things as well. Knowing that failure is okay and that we don;t have to fear it will lead to some quick leveling up! I have had some pretty significant failures recently and I can tell you without this armor it would be extremely difficult to try new things again. However, with the assistance of our AI's and our fear nothing armor, we can venture into unknown levels with the bravest of faces. The second set of armor I came across possessed the ability for enhanced perspective. When wearing this special armor, a character is able to use the lessons from past levels and battles in order to make wiser decisions. This skill may not seem useful, but think about it this way. Often times characters learn increasing levels of skills as they progress through a game. If that character was to forget those skills and therefor lose the perspective they had gained from their experiences, it would be impossible to complete the game. What they have experienced, and what they have learned from it MATTERS! In teaching and in life, the lessons and skills we learn from the experiences we have are important for forming our perspective on the present and on the future. Our students will have different perspectives. Sometimes that might be a good thing and other times that will be very difficult for them to overcome. As teachers we need to help them form a new perspective on learning and life. Sure our armor might not always look as fancy as what you see below. Trust me, mine has been beaten up, scratched, dented and burned. However, I continue to wear it proudly and it has helped me learn to fear nothing and always keep my perspective positive even in the face of difficulties. Cheat code time!
UTPTEP-Use The Past To Enhance Perspective FNEF-Fear Nothing Especially Failure FYAIAUT-Find Your AI And Use Them Welcome back folks! Let's not go as long without playing this next time! Happy Leveling!
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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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