I used to think that if I explained things several times to students they would eventually learn it.
Now I know that talking is learning, so I try to talk less so my students can learn more.
I used to think that I had to fill up every moment with activities or kids would get bored.
Now I know that students and teachers need some down time to move around and talk informally before moving on to the next thing.
I used to think that assessing kids was separate from everything we do in the classroom.
Now I know that I am assessing all the time.
I used to think that I needed to rush to decorate my classroom to show students I cared enough to make our classroom look pretty.
Now I know that the classroom needs to be owned by all of us – teacher and students – so the walls are bare at the beginning of the year and slowly get populated with student work – finished and in progress.
I used to think that only published authors had the right to call themselves writers.
Now I know that we are all writers, whether or not anyone ever reads what we write.
I used to think the best teachers were the ones who always said yes to every initiative, committee and request from admin.
Now I know that to accomplish anything important you have to set goals and priorities and sometimes that means saying no to things that don’t advance those goals and priorities.
I used to think I was a victim and that I had very little control of the outcomes in my life.
Now I know that I create my own reality through my thoughts and feelings.
I used to think that giving kids time to read and write where they had lots of choice, was important.
And, I still think that.
Cross posted to the Two Writing Teachers March Slice of Life Story Challenge.
Elisa Waingort 
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