Low-Bar Teachers: Because Setting Yourself on Fire to Keep the World Warm is the High Bar.

Hey there, reader.

I have said that I would start a teaching blog for years, but I have let every possible excuse stop me. Mostly, I felt like I didn't fall into one of two categories: EduBros or Pinterest/Instagram teachers. For several years, I have worked to perfect my craft and finally feel like I am not an imposter in a profession that demands perfection at all times. My messy desk, scattered attention span, and constantly feeling like I'm flying by the seat of my pants perpetuate the feeling that I'm not good enough. After years of hanging out on EduTwitter, I realized I'm not alone in these feelings, and it's time I stop letting doubt hinder me from sharing the great things I do. An exchange this weekend with someone who taught for four years and has seen an entire generation of students attend and graduate from the K-12 system made me realize I am just as qualified, intelligent, and have just as much to offer to the profession, but I often lack the audacity. The truth is: my voice has value in this field, and that's where the idea for a blog finally came to fruition.

With all that said, let me introduce myself. 

 

My name is Katelyn. I have been a classroom teacher for eight years. I made a home for myself in fifth grade, but I recently transitioned to teaching middle school ELA in a program with a STEM emphasis while also coaching VEX Robotics. I graduated with my M.Ed. in EdTech Leadership in December 2021, and I am currently seeking out doctoral programs. I affectionately refer to my husband Brett as Mr. Katelyn (since my entire professional identity is Mrs. His-Last-Name). I also have two daughters: Aubree (13) in seventh grade (who is actually in my ELA class!) and Avery (6) in kindergarten. We reside in south Louisiana where the air is almost always too warm and way too humid, but the food and culture are quite rich. 

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I have way too much knowledge of alligators (call it being raised in the swamp), and I am a HUGE fan of NCAA Gymnastics, particularly LSU.  I have a reputation for controversy, but the controversy is largely over the most asinine things...most notably my disdain for Teachers Pay Teachers, cuties made to look like Jack-O-Lanterns, pencils, and calling out toxic positivity and working environments.

For far too long, educators have been expected to do more with less and essentially set themselves on fire to keep the world warm. We are greeted with toxic phrases like, "A good teacher is like a candle: it consumes itself to light the way for others" or "I do it for the outcome not the income." The reality is that teaching is still a job that requires professional licenses and at minimum a four-year degree. Additionally, candles eventually burn themselves out because they run out of fuel to continue lighting the way, and all too often, those teachers have burnt themselves out and leave the profession entirely. Personally, I would rather be a flashlight--because I can change my batteries and continue lighting the way. Sometimes, a "sick day" is just the perfect way to recharge the batteries and refresh the spirit. When you carry the mental load of the classroom, your own children, and the home, a day alone is just what the doctor ordered. 

Since you are here, I do want to share some things I am doing in my classroom. As I shared earlier, I teach ELA in a program with a STEM focus. A question I get asked fairly often is, "How do I make ELA STEM?" One thing I took away from a conversation with a dear friend of mine very recently is how to connect the engineering and design process to the writing process. I'm currently finishing up our unit on Hatchet with my sixth graders, and we are working on our end-of-unit essays. As we go through our prompt, we want to define the criteria: what do we need to be successful in this writing? After we define the criteria, we represent and plan, which is just our brainstorming and pre-writing. I model this with them. We write our thesis statements together, and then we find the evidence from the text to effectively support our answers. Next, we implement the plan. As we are writing, the "implement" step is the drafting, revising, and proofing. I always reiterate with students that rarely should our first draft be our only draft, and the writing process is cyclical. Sometimes we have to go back to the "planning" stage. As we go through each paragraph, I remind them to relate back to their thesis statement and include adequate text evidence to support the claim they're making. 

And as always happens: I have the question of, "Why do I need to write?" The reality is, the ability to communicate effectively is more relevant than ever with the rise of social media, a landscape that is quite familiar for students. Often, this formulaic writing allows me to find ways to make it just a little more engaging. Creating a Podcast, character confessionals, and blurbs on slides meant to look like Netflix trailers are just a few ways I try to "spice up" an otherwise dry, scripted curriculum. I hope to share these ideas in upcoming blog posts.

Thanks for reading my inaugural blog post, and I cannot wait for this journey with you all!

Katelyn