Mr. Floyd Version 2.0 – A Rebuilt Teacher

This is my first blog post.  Will anyone read it?  I’m sure my wife will. Oh well.  I guess only time will tell.  I guess the writing of this blog is more for me and my reflection purposes anyways.  Although, with the thought of having an audience, I will write it with one in mind.  Mr.David Theriault @davidtedu teaches his students to write for an audience, so I will take that advice and run with it.  Ok…enough rambling (I guess I’m already figuring out that my blogging style is more of a ramble and rant style than a poetic, flowing style.  That sounds about right if you know me)

I titled this post Mr. Floyd Version 2.0 because I feel that is who I have become over the past few months.  I have been a teacher for 6 years.  Still considered a rookie by some, but a veteran to others.  Regardless, I have been reborn as a teacher over these past few months.  I can’t really pinpoint a specific event or time when it happened.  I think it was a slow realization over the past 2 years that I can be better.  A realization that I was teaching students in a very similar way to how I was taught.  I thought I was good.  Kids usually say my class is their favorite.  I think that satisfied me. The difference is that when I was in high school (mid to late 90s), I had a pager, I used encyclopedias and books in the library, and transparencies on an overhead projector were considered edtech.  The world has changed so much, but it took me until now to realize that the 15-17 year olds sitting in front of me are wired differently than I was when I was their age.  They learn differently.  They interact and communicate differently.  Simply put, they are different.  So I had to change.  I had to adapt.  I had to relearn how to teach.  I’m doing that now.  I can’t believe how much fun it is!

Version 2.0 has been built using Twitter, networking, reading other teacher’s blogs, and reading books like Teach Like a Pirate and Drive.  Where Mr. Floyd Version 1.0 relied on content, lecture, retention of facts, percentages, one size fits all, and rows of desks; Version 2.0 is all about teaching skills, coaching life-long learners, mastery, self-paced learning, problem solving, and inspiring creativity.  I think I’m going to like Version 2.0 better, and I think the students will too.  I’ll let you know as this blog continues into the next school year.  Until next time.