Don't give up forming routines

I have starting subscribing to a new weekly educational research summary email / blog called Evidence Snacks. It is written by Peps McCrea, a UK based engineer turned teacher. What a swell pathway he took! He boils down educational and cognitive research into nice "snack sized" reads. I have also started reading his book Motivated Teaching, which is also very concise and a great read.

I seem to always think about Snack Packs when I read the title "Evidence Snacks"

One of his posts that I reminded myself of this weekend is titled The valley of potential. He talks about when we implement a new routine or strategy we expect a linear path of growth. We expect it to work right away and slowly get more productive over time. In reality it is more of an exponential curve where we see little, or no, or even backwards progress at first and then the potential explodes once we get things going. 

As we work our way into week 3 of our new semester with our new classes and routines, I think we need to be reminded of that curve right about now. I think this is the point where things might not be paying off yet and we are thinking about giving up. We need to remind ourselves that the routines and new strategies will pay off eventually, don't give up in the "valley of potential". If we persevere through this valley the dividends will pay off greatly, and soon.

Peps also wrote another Evidence Snack about routines in our classrooms titled Routines redeploy attention. He, and research, says that if we build habits / rituals / routines into our teaching that we can reduce the cognitive load on our students and free up their brainpower for thinking about the content instead of the task. This has really gotten me thinking about the first bit of the semester as routine building and classroom culture building instead of diving right into content. I think this links well to the principles of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics book by Peter Liljedahl. Peter talks about a more specific strategies around thinking in a classroom but it is still centred around setting up the routine, making it predictable and then pushing the thinking.

In SNC1W this semester I spent the first week on non-curricular tasks and then the next week or two will be focused on the Earth and Space unit. I really like this structure, at least so far I do. The space unit is not content and information heavy and it allows me to spend time each day building routines along side the content. I also really like space and am hoping it can excite students into a love of science before we get into the weeds of atomic theory, electron transfer and food webs (to name a few).  

Maybe this is the people that I follow and learn from or a good case of confirmation bias, but I like how I am getting a very similar message from many directions. Get students into a routine and comfortable enough so they will think and not be afraid to make a mistake. Then the learning really happens. I am also very excited to see what next snack Peps has in store, they are always a thought provoking and easy to digest read.

Coaching the Destreamers

 Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to not only teach grade 9 destreamed, but also help coach teachers as they navigate through this process. As a result, I've put lots of time and devoted effort into reflecting on what has worked, and what has not. This is a set of lessons I have learned over the last year about helping myself and others in the destreaming process. 

Don't do it alone

First and foremost, don't let anyone do it alone. 

In June 2020 when all the math teachers were freaking out, I had a conversation with a colleague. He told me "in my 20 years as a teacher, this is going to be the biggest shift in education I have ever seen". I think he was right. So why would we let anyone do this alone? If we let people do it alone, there will be burnout. I have seen this and experienced this.

I also believe that some of those who are trying to do this alone are those who do not think this is a monumental shift and have not gotten themselves to the point of realizing the philosophical and pedagogical shift in teaching that needs to be done in order to properly destream. 

Your team matters

Since we aren't letting anyone do it alone, we need a team. How you compile that team matters, for many reasons. In my opinion, forming a team of people who are willing to take risks is the most important characteristic at this point in destreaming. If we aren’t taking risks and trying something new, are we not just doing the same grade 9 courses we've always done? This is not the point.

I think keeping a team of like-minded risk takers will allow your team to move forward and feel like they're making headway. We can and will have lots of discussions about the “right” way to destream, and likely they are all somewhat right, but at this point making progress in one direction is important. If we form a team of people who are pulling in many directions, we will go nowhere and everyone will feel like they are spinning their wheels. That is not good for teacher morale or our destreaming efforts.

Experience is not always best

As I said above, I believe risk taking is the most important characteristic in formulating your initial team. A lot of people's first reaction is to select the most experienced teachers. This MAY be the best option, but experience can also mean inflexibility when it comes to taking risks. Having teachers who are stuck in a “this is how we have always done it” way of thinking can be detrimental. This can have lasting impacts on your school's implementation of a destreamed curriculum, and on generations of learners. It can contribute to a negative vibe within your team. This is not the same grade 9 course. Ensure your teachers do not make it the same grade 9 course.

Not everyone is ready

I have alluded to this above. Not all teachers are mentally prepared or ready for the pedagogical and philosophical shift needed to implement a destreamed course successfully. I am still working on how to address that as a leader and coach. I think realizing that fact, and meeting our teachers where they are (just as we do with our students) is an important conversation to have with teachers before they embark on this journey. 

Team 2.0

At this point in the year as a department head, I am planning for the next school year. Risk taking might be top of my list for my initial team, but as we move forward there are many other things to consider. Here are things I am trying to balance as I form a team for year 2 of destreaming efforts:

• Keeping some consistency in your team to allow for institutional knowledge, transfer and ease of progress

• Allow new players into the team to infuse new ideas and expand the breath of available teachers

• Keep the group small, more hands usually means more ideas which may fracture your team into inefficient groups

• Who has the energy and capacity to do this again?

• Who might be crushed to not have a fresh start or a second kick at the can?

• Get teachers involved who traditionally teacher grade 10 (if we change things in grade 9, the next teachers should be intimately aware of what is going on)

Make a plan

As a leader, it is vital to help your team make a plan. Not a lesson plan or unit plan, but a long-term implementation plan. This plan should be three to five or maybe more years long.

I split my plan into semester goals. Semesters are a nice way to chunk the year, and gives us a finite point to stop and reflect. It might also mean you have a different team from one semester to the next, so a clear plan is key for transfer of duties. The plan should include what are the big overarching things that the team is going to attempt to accomplish in that semester.

The semester 1 plan might simply be to survive. That's okay! The semester 2 plan might be to make sure everything you do is documented so that you can reflect back on what worked and what did not work over the summer, or next year.

Most importantly, make the plan with your team and make sure they are involved. Make each person accountable to that plan and modify it as needed. This is also a great way to celebrate a win when you complete something from the plan!

Take baby steps

Implementation of a destreamed curriculum is a big deal! A big freaking deal! So it's okay if it doesn't all happen at once. Like I said before, make a multiple year plan.

When making your plan, it's okay to take small chunks. You cannot feasibly implement a new curriculum, pedagogy, instructional strategies, assessment techniques, and all that other stuff that comes along with a new course all at once. Pick one thing at a time. It's okay if your focus is different from another school's focus, or that of a teacher you see posting things online.

For those in math and science who have new curriculum pieces to attend to, certain parts of those may deliberately shifted to later in your plan. That is also okay; you have a plan to get there eventually.

Be the coach

We all need a coach or cheerleader in our corner once in a while. That is you! Take time to celebrate the wins. Buy your team coffee or donuts or that silly treat they like. Involve the team in deciding how to celebrate.

Sometimes the coach has to delegate too. I find it hard as I am not anyone’s boss but I am trying to lead the team. This is a fine line to walk. Sometimes I find I just need to specifically “ask” someone to do a certain piece or get something done in order to make things progress. Sometimes people just need that leader to delegate. On the other hand, sometimes the team just needs someone to do the work too. I have also been trying to take on some bigger planning pieces and making any overarching new projects to get things rolling and let each teacher fill in the small pieces to fit their style. 

Get the team together

Teaching can be a very isolating job. As I said at the beginning, formulating a good team is important. But keeping them working as a team is equally important. 

Make meeting on a regular basis a priority for your team. Our science team met once a week at first, but then paired it down to once every two or three weeks once we got going.

Meet as a school wide destreaming team too. We are all doing the same thing in different subject areas, all at the same time. So let's learn from each other, commiserate with each other, and celebrate each other's wins. I have tried to get the bigger school-wide team together a couple of times a semester to keep ideas flowing. 

We can do this

Destreaming is hard and will be hard for a while. We need leaders to keep the progress moving forward. We owe this to our students. All of them. I know that coaching teachers can feel like a thankless job, especially when most of them are just trying to keep their head above water. Know that your role is important, necessary and that forward motion is the win some days!

Destreaming is Hard

 The first semester of destreaming science is coming to a close. If you were someone like me who was involved in math as well, you might be 3 semesters deep at this point. Regardless, semester change is always a great time to reflect on what has happened. If you are destreaming, a lot has likely happened.

This year I've had the privilege of being a leader in my school, working to iron out the kinks in the destreaming process in both math and science. This has given me the opportunity to work with many teachers, and also the time to reflect on what the wins and losses are so far.

For those of you deep in the destreaming weeds right now, I have compiled some of my reflections, lessons learned, and some advice that hopefully can help some of you. 

Focus on Relationships 

This semester I focussed heavily on the relationships in my classroom and building an environment where students are engaged and doing math. This was a big win. I know we hear this all the time in education, but setting that culture is a huge deal. I have read and am embracing the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl. This book has helped my practice immensely and I can't recommend it enough for any math or science teacher. 

One thing I keep reminding myself about is that a Thinking Classroom is not a set of tasks that make students think, it is a culture where students learn to think about tasks. I think we can all mull that over a bit. 

Know that it takes time to form these relationships and create a classroom culture where students are willing to take risks and think. In my class we take about the first week of class to do non-curricular tasks focusing on getting to know the students and set the expectations of risk taking, thinking and group work. If you haven’t done this before there are tonnes of examples of “first week of SNC1W” plans online. 

As we return to school after the 2 week break, I have been reminded that we need to continue to focus on those relationships. We have not been together for 2 weeks so taking some time to reinforce those expectations is important. This reminder is sometimes needed throughout a normal semester. A few times I have taken a couple of minutes out of a class to talk about and remind students of the expectations. We all need a reminder sometimes, especially those 14 year old hormonal brains we work with!

Don't do it alone

I have tried and watched people try to teach alone. It does not work. I think this is true for every day teaching, and very true for destreaming grade 9. 

I realize not all teams work well together and the team you were given might not be the best fit for you. Find your team. It might be in your building, it might be at another school in your board, it might be a friend at another board, or it might be online. Find your team. Personally, I have found lots of great educators through Twitter, but to each their own.

This is a process

When I first jumped into destreaming I thought I could do it all. I think that was true when I started teaching as well! 

In June 2020 when all the math teachers were freaking out, I had a conversation with a colleague. He told me "in my 20 years as a teacher, this is going to be the biggest shift in education I have ever seen". I think he was right. So, how would I be able to do this on the first try and by myself?

Destreaming grade 9 is a monumental philosophical and pedagogical shift that requires lots of time and effort. That cannot all happen in the first try. This leads me to my next reflection and piece of advice, make a plan.

Make a Plan

Since this is a process, and we all think like scientists, then we let’s make a plan. This plan is going to be a three, five, or more year plan. Get your team involved, get everyone on the same page. Plan your work, work your plan. 

I work best with semester goals, it is a natural break and reflection point in our school year. Break it down into small chunks. Maybe the first semester is just writing down what you did. The second semester can be reflecting on what worked and what did not work, so it can be refined over the summer or in semester 3. 

As a team, decide on your bigger goals. Think about instructional practices, assessment practices and integration with grade 10. These are all bigger things that need to be included in your plan, and revisited multiple times.

What do I focus on First?

Do we focus on instruction, assessment, lab skills, or just getting through the day first? This is a complex question, I'm not sure I have the right answer, but I'll attempt to let you know where I have landed on it. 

First and foremost, survival. As I said earlier, this is difficult. If that means, semester 1 is simply focused on getting a lesson planned and executed each day, so be it.

In my opinion, next comes instruction. In my experience with destreaming, we need to meet the learners where they are. We also have a huge range of abilities that we are not used to as high school teachers. Meet them where they're at, and adapt your instructional strategies appropriately. For me personally and other teachers at my school, the thinking classroom has paid dividends as an instructional practice in both math and science.

Although I put assessment second on the list, it does not mean it is more or less important. Coming up with and executing appropriate and equitable assessments is incredibly important. This is where I am at in my practice. Starting in February, I will be digging into and exploring more alternative assessment practices. 

Don't compare journeys

Everyone has a different journey. Everyone has a different set of students and circumstances surrounding their progress. Don't compare what you did to what someone else did.

Be weary of things posted online. Some people have circumstances that allow more time, or have a bigger team, or just give up more of their personal time to advance their practice. Some people just share the wins and not the losses. Some people might just have a different plan. Don't compare yourself, learn what you can from those posts and keep moving.

In my world, if I made a plan and am making progress on that plan then I’m winning!

You're the expert now

Realize that you are one of a few people who have now successfully made it through a semester of destreaming science. You may not feel like it, but you are a leader, an expert, the one who made it through! Share your experiences, positive and negative. Think about yourself in September; would you not have loved to have a fellow teacher be able to at least tell you one thing that was good about destreaming? Be that spark for someone who is just starting that journey.

Keep moving forward

You're almost there! You've got this! One last push!

Whatever motivates you, harness that energy. Keep moving forward, even if it is two steps forward one step back.

Notes to my September 2021 Self

As we come to the end of quadmester 1, I have been asked about how tough is it to teach 2 out of 2 classes. This is a hard question to answer. Everyone's class schedule, personal life, teaching experience and comfort with unknown are different. As I have attempted to diplomatically answer "Is it that bad?" I end up reflecting on my quadmester and thinking about what advice I would give myself if I could go back to September and some other things I have learned along the way.

Background

In our board we are currently operating under a quadmester model where we teach one class for 2.5 hours in the morning and another class for 2.5 hours in the afternoon. This means that a normal 3 course semester for a full time teacher is split into two quadmesters that are very different. One where you teach two classes (essentially all day) and another where you teach one class and cover other teachers breaks during the other half of the day. This makes the workload quite different between the two quadmesters.

Is it that bad?

The short answer is yes. The last 10 weeks have challenged me in totally new ways both professionally and personally. As cliche as this sounds, I think that is the theme of the pandemic, there is always something new around each corner. New waves, new variants and new ways of teaching and learning. Here are a few things I was not expecting when I went into this year and quadmester teaching model:

1. Teaching the same class for 2.5 hours straight brings a host of logistical and lesson planning challenges we are not used to facing
2. Every one of us is bringing more baggage into the classroom. This means us as teachers are spending more time and energy checking in with students and making sure that we are recognizing those challenges 
3. I have a young family and that is taking up more of my personal time to keep things afloat at home
4. I forgot how hard doing new things can be

So, in short, yes this was not great. The good part is, I think there are some things I could have done or realized earlier that would have reduced the stress of the past 10 weeks.

This is still not normal

After over 1.5 years in a pandemic, life somehow just feels harder than normal. I know teachers are feeling that, and so must our students. Some days it just took more effort to get through the day, or there was less energy left at the end of the day to plan, mark or do what needs to get done at home. If I am feeling this way, so must my students. 

If I can't keep up, they likely can't either.

Curriculum is not king

As teachers, we often get hung up on preparing students for the next step. Sometimes that is the next grade or the next step in life such as work, college or university. As I reflect on the skills that have benefited me in the last couple of years, and even beyond, it's the soft skills that have carried me along. Now, don't get my wrong, there are important pieces of information that we need to talk about but taking some extra time to talk about time management or how to best learn is better than adding that one or two extra pieces of content into their brains. 

Also, how many times, pre-pandemic, have you asked a class about a concept or skill they learned a year or two before and they stare blankly at you? It then only takes you 15 minutes to reteach an entire unit to them. Maybe being a good learner in the future will makeup for those couple of missed pieces of information not taught today?

Be specific and targeted

In grade 11 physics we work on lab skills and lab report writing leading into a larger lab based project in grade 12 physics. In the current format, time was not on our side, so we were not able to complete as many labs as in the past. The labs we did do focused on one skill or outcome they need to develop. I reduce the normal lab output to be only focused on the specific skill we were working on. For example in a lab that was focused on creating and communicating data collection procedures, I only asked them to write the setup and procedure sections of the report. This reduced the output needed from the students, and also reduced how much I had to review or mark to asses that skill. 

Set appropriate expectations

As students progress through the grades we increase the expectations around learning skills and assessments. Students have had very different expectations in the online or hybrid learning environment than they would have in a normal school year. That means that the normal expectations for their current grade may not be quite appropriate right away. For example, my grade 11 students had their grade 9 and 10 years during a pandemic and never wrote any type of exams. Expectations around assessments and learning skills can still increase this year, but taking a minute to chat with you students to get their experiences and think about what might be appropriate will save everyone headaches and stress in the end.

Collaborate

This quadmester I had two essential collaborations that kept me going. They were each quite different but both provided me needed support and took some weight (mass) off my shoulders. The first was another teacher who had taught this course many times before, as had I, and we talked daily about the progression of topics through a format like this. Having someone to bounce ideas off of reduced my thinking time and gave me ideas that I might not have ever thought about.

The other collaboration was with a teacher who will be teaching this course later this year. They recognized that helping to develop a plan and lessons now will benefit them in the long term and were happy to help out in this process. This took many forms such as brainstorming lesson progression and ideas for lessons, to collecting up resources and helping to make a handout. 

Both of these relationships were out of the goodness of the other teachers' hearts and for that I am thankful. You may or may not be lucky enough to have such people at your fingertips. It is worth the effort to reach out, ask around. You might be surprised who is out there and who is helpful when you start looking around.

Set digital boundaries

In a digital environment it is much harder but even more important to set boundaries. Students are working at night and have a question, so they fire off a quick email. In the last couple of school years we, as teachers, have been more likely to respond right away. We are all just working in our basements, so it's not a big deal, right? I think it is. Setting a time that you respond to emails or are available for extra help is important. Students will always push boundaries, that is how they learn what the boundaries are. Be clear in your boundaries and expectations and stick to them. 

Scheduling emails to send at a certain time can be a life saver. It is also valid to respond to a content question with an initiation to talk face-to-face about it. Teaching in person, or at least part in person does not have this same challenge as our colleagues who are working in a fully online format. 

Take a break

In this model having two 37 minutes breaks is not the same as one 75 minute break. Once you answer one last question or give last minute instructions as you tiptoe to the door then go to the bathroom and talk to someone in the hall you are left with 15 or 20 minutes of your break left. This is not enough to get into anything meaningful like marking a set of papers or planning the next day. If you find yourself with that time, have another two sips of coffee or tea, write one parent email, sit and stare, but don't write off those 20 minutes and just stay in the classroom. This is tiring and not what you need right now.  

Does it spark joy?

This last idea is stolen from the organizational guru Marie Kondo but applied quite differently. There are so many extra things that happen around a school or that are part of a teacher's normal life. I have started asking myself "Does this bring joy to my life". For some, coaching, running an extracurricular club or being on a school committee is part of what they normally do at the school. Seeing students engaged in a sport or activity or organizing convocation is rewarding, but sometimes not. So take a minute and think about if it is bringing you joy. Maybe you do one committee, team or club and not another and that's okay. Marie Kondo your activities, not just your sock drawer.

Is it going to be okay?

Of course, it is going to be okay. Take time to check in with your students and colleagues. Set reasonable expectations for your students and yourself. This is not normal in so many ways, so your teaching and learning will also not be normal. Reach out to leaders in your school and friends and family. You got this!

It’s okay to be an okay teacher in 2020

This year I feel like every time I turn around there is a new social media post or email from my favourite teaching organization or vendor, introducing or highlighting a new innovative or creative covid friendly teaching practice. It is great that so many people are reaching out and sharing ideas to help advance us all as a profession. 

In any other year, I have enjoyed scrolling through social media to see this sharing. I have utilized many good ideas and resources from those who share. I have always been thankful for those who take the time to share their ideas freely online, and sometimes I even try to contribute my own ideas. However,this year I am finding that seeing this sharing is more stressful than helpful. After some self-reflection I came to the conclusion that I only have the time, energy and mental capacity to be an okay teacher this year. I also decided that I’m okay with that. 

Let me clarify what I mean by being an okay teacher. Normally I have a desire to grow and improve my practice and try new things. This school year, I’m not taking on any new and creative learning opportunities, I’m leaning on my tried and true lessons, handouts and textbook work. Sure, I’m recording myself to create online lessons, but it's just that; me recording myself going through my traditional notes/activities/handouts. I am however, taking the time and energy to be present for my students. I’m also using more of my time and energy to check in with students and colleagues about mental health and wellness. 

Ultimately I had to remind myself that everyone has a different situation. To help you think about why someone else might have the time or energy to continue innovating in their teaching, I have developed a list of reasons to consider.   

1. Teaching Schedule; If you are teaching all the same course you might have that extra energy to still be creative in your lesson planning. Some of these teachers may only have a part-time teaching schedule due to the organization of their quadmester or octomester system this year.
2. Experience; Depending on their teaching schedule and discipline, some teachers have taught the same senior level science courses every semester for the last 10, 15 or 20 years. At that point simply going through the motions of the course does not require a significant amount of energy or time. Taking time to do something creative is not a stretch then.
3. Home Life; I am currently in the thick of having two young kids and my time at home is primarily dedicated to them. I know when I was first starting my career and had a quieter home life I had more time and energy to dedicate to creative lessons. Some people might enjoy, and have partners that enjoy, sitting on the couch talking about interesting lesson ideas on a Saturday night.
4. Paid Planning; Some teachers are given time out of the classroom to be a curriculum leader or instructional coach or they can be hired by companies to create those lessons that incorporate or promote their products. You can’t compete with paid time to plan. 
5. It’s 2020; We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. Some of us are coping with this better than others, and that’s okay. 
6. The Power of Online; The good and bad thing about social media and online information is that you are getting the polished, reviewed and edited version of everything. This takes time and energy and might make you feel bad when your attempt isn’t that pretty, but remember, learning is messy. Also, when you scroll through an email blast from your favourite teaching organization or search online, you are getting an aggregate of everyone on the internet (many many people) and you as one person cannot keep up with that. 
7. Burn Out; What you and I might (likely) not see is those same educators who are sharing these great lessons burn out shortly after. Most people who post on social media post their polished work and don’t always include the later burnout. I know this is happening to some teachers. We are no good to our family or students if we are burnt out. P.S. We are not even half-way yet!

For those of you who are posting these lessons, thank you. I know all of this sharing is done in good faith and with the intention to help those of us who might not have the time or energy to come up with these creative lessons. If you are one of those people I would like to urge you to acknowledge your own personal circumstances. This is not to allow others to judge you, but to allow us to recognize where you are coming from. It allows those of us struggling to keep up to be okay with being not as awesome as you. 

Next time you see a social media post or get an email with a new creative lesson idea think about what might have allowed that person to be able to create it. Also think about how that might be different from where you are and that it is okay to be an okay teacher in 2020. 

Personal disclaimer: This is my first year as the minor head of science. I’m teaching 4 different courses (between math and science) this year. I have 2 kids under the age of four. I do not get paid to write this, but I have a passion for helping fellow teachers, especially new teachers. I’m repeating one course this quadmester so I am fending off burnout so far. I’m forfeiting a few hours of sleep to write this at night and it took me two weeks!

 

When does Innovation Happen?

It's the end of June and I'm reflecting (well it's July by the time I posted this). It seems like this is a good time for reflection on the year, or maybe the only free time for reflection on the year. This last semester I think was the busiest in my now complete first four years of teaching. All three of my courses were new, I was in my second semester in a new school, new department, the list goes on.

About three-quarters of the way through this semester I met with my previous department head about some interesting innovations I had made to the grade 9 course and the new style of final assessment I piloted the semester before. It was a great conversation not only about the innovations but about the pedagogy in general. This left me energized and feeling good about some advances that I had made last semester. That feeling soon turned to guilt as I had done nothing but the status quo yet this semester.

I took me quite a bit of reflection and thinking to rid myself of the status quo guilt. I came to the realization that sometimes the status quo is actually new for you and that's okay. After teaching three brand new courses and two of them being senior physics, I decided to give myself a break. This is also a message that I am going to incorporate into my new teacher mentoring program. A new course can be your innovation this semester.

Looking forward, I have ideas for innovation for these courses for next year which I think is important. Innovation and adaptation of teaching needs to happen, but sometimes that has to happen the second time around.

Professional Learning During Social Time

During one of the initial meetings for our new mentor program one of the fellow mentees leaned over to me and said "we should do this over drinks". I think he had a great idea (not that I am promoting drinking). I have worked on teams where we were social together and teams where we weren't social. together. I know that having that more personal interaction helps with the everyday grind and maybe even introduces you to someone you didn't know very well, especially in the isolating career of teaching.

So as we are moving forward with the first semester of the new mentoring program I decided to incorporate two or three social outings. Last week was the first outing. When I organized it, I purposely didn't ask people to RSVP, I just told them where and when. As expected a couple of people stopped me in the hall or sent me an email with their regrets but I didn't hear many "I'm coming" so I wasn't sure how it would go. In the end there were over a dozen people who came and socialized after school (close to half the group). I think that's a win!

By my observations there seemed to be good conversation between many people, some social and some professional. I also heard many introductions around the table so I know some relationships were new. In the end as the crowd started to thin I was talking with a fellow mentee and he told me that he learned more than one thing that night. I also had a couple of good conversations and confirmed a couple of things about our upcoming interim reports. I think that's a double win!

Learning doesn't have always happen in the classroom or at a PD session and sometimes is better if it doesn't! Plus, it's also nice to know a bit about the person you pass in the hall everyday.