Opportunity #Oneword2017

(from: Google)

As I sit down this evening before returning to the classroom for the new year one word weights heavily in my mind: Opportunity. In my 45 years of life numerous opportunities have presented themselves. At 12 I attended Space Camp in Huntsville Alabama. A few years later, I attended a boarding school in Connecticut. Opportunities have presented themselves in many ways. Travel, connections and experiences. As I shopped for Christmas gifts for my 3 children: Opportunity was in mind. Opportunities to spend time with family, to travel and experience life. During break as Griffin and I spent quality time together scouting out locations for his upcoming 13th birthday, he stated that he felt lucky to have the opportunity to spend time with me. As the conversation progressed Griffin shared that his friends did not spend time with their fathers and mostly sat at home watching TV and playing video games. Sad, that their circumstances don’t make it possible for them to do ‘something”!

Do my students have similar opportunities? Over the years of asking “What did you do over break?” I know the most frequent answer is “Nothing” or “Sleep!” Sure breaks are a time for rest but also an opportunity for more. Students might have opportunities in their lives but choose not to take advantage of them. As a teacher I need to model how to see opportunities and create a mindset that makes students comfortable in taking the risk of following opportunities.

I hope to spend 2017 exposing my students to as many opportunities as I can. Opportunities to: Grow, Explore, Discover, Create, Connect and Learn. I vow not to restrict my students’ opportunities and to create as many for them as possible!