The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros

This blog is being resurected  to help me dig deeper into the content of the book The Innovator's Mindset.  This book is providing wonderful content that is getting me excited and thinking about the up coming school year.

Today's task is to discuss wether I am a classroom teacher or a school teacher.  According to Couros, a classroom teacher is one who does great things with his students inside the classroom walls.  A school teacher does that also, however they move beyond the classroom and engage with staff and students outside of class time.  

I can say fairly confidently that I am a school teacher.  I would actually say almost all of the high school staff I work with are school teachers.  We work very hard to emphasize the importance of cross curricular training, and share ideas, equipment, and even our own time to help each other.  I do not believe in keeping any information to myself.  Who is that really benefiting? When I share ideas, and someone else actually uses them, I receive feedback that helps me improve the activity in ways I hadn't thought about.

There are many opportunities for me to be more school centered when it comes to the students themselves.  Organization is not one of my strengths.    That being said, in the morning I am always rushing around to get ready for the day.  This is a time that I could be visiting with the students and getting to know them better.  I spend a LOT of time with the FFA members, but I do not connect as well with the general ed students.  A part of me always wishes for a 1st period prep so I do not have students coming in early to put their stuff on the desk, with then results in them staying to visit.  Really?  Come on Nicole.  I was that kid.  I needed that interaction with my teachers (who I held with such high regard).  I know how important that time can be to a teenager.  My goal this year is to have my act together in the mornings so I can spend that time interacting with my students. So fingers crossed I have last period prep to get my act together for the next day.  :-)