Deborah Varga, OWLA Immediate Past President
Spanish Teacher, McKinley Senior High School

As I write this article, I am reflecting on what works best for me in my teaching at the beginning of the school year. The first step is that I look at my handouts and digital materials to see if there are any items that need to be modified, completely changed, or sent to the “circular file.” I also do this at the end of the school year, and I still keep a “future activities” folder before summer vacation.

Secondly, I think about how every group of students is different, with different educational and social-emotional needs. This impacts activities and assessments from year to year, especially with pacing. Even gamification activities, such as Gimkit, Kahoot, or Blooket, can pose a dilemma, as some classes prefer one type of activity within a platform. I use Edpuzzle as progress or practice points in class, and I am planning to adapt it with follow-up activities of a non-tech nature. A student recently said that they just click on any answer in an Edpuzzle as they progress through the questions (even though they catch on to concepts quickly). Creating a non-tech follow-up activity, even as an exit ticket, can encourage accountability.

Over the years I have stopped using icebreakers, assigned student groups, and assigned seating (unless there is a behavior issue), as these are activities that I personally would not participate in if I were in a class.

I have also learned to leave as much work at school as possible so that I can refuel for the next day. It is so important now, with so many school responsibilities, to decompress at the end of each day at home. I used to bring home so much to grade and prep, and I felt guilty, feeling like I didn’t do what I had planned to do. In hindsight, I truly know that this was just not true. So I encourage you to make sure not to do this to yourself and to take care of yourself.

Whether you are a beginning or veteran teacher, continue to seek out your peer group at work, or even through professional development workshops and conferences, as these can be a lifeboat for you when things become challenging. Finally, I wish you the best for a smooth fall semester and hope that you will continue to participate in OWLA’s upcoming professional development activities!