Teaching Tuesdays

The default setting for each new blog post is TITLE.  I love it.  It is the perfect place to begin.

My current title is RTI Specialist. Yup…I am the Response to Intervention Specialist at a small elementary school on the Oregon/Idaho border.  And this title scares me to death.  It sounds so formal.  It sounds like I have it all figured out. It seems to over promise my place in the education realm.  At the same time, it fails to describe the path that led me to and qualifies me (for the most part) for this position.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job!   It puts me in the thick of teaching and learning.  It exposes me to all aspects of education and broadens my perspective.  It allows me to look at the practice of others.  It provides me with opportunities to reflect on my own practice.  It forces me to consider best practices.  It encourages me to grow professionally and calls on me to contribute to the professional development of my colleagues.  But most importantly, it allows me to witness student learning and growth.

So I ask, what is your title?   Does it adequately describe your place in the education realm?  What do you love about your role?  What are your challenges?

It is my hope, that by examining and reflecting on teaching and learning, these Tuesdays will help us better define and magnify our roles as teachers and learners.   So if you are out there reading…please, Please, PLEASE…comment and join in the discussion.