I think this post should begin with a story. Readers of my tweets and blog posts know that I have lots to say about parking … particularly my parking. I would argue that I work incredibly hard when it comes to parking. Sometimes I will spend upwards of 20 minutes in our school parking lot just attempting to get into a space. My back-up camera has definitely helped, but I still experience parking woes.
Okay people! The back-up camera may have seriously changed my parking experience for life! #avivaarriva is rocking it! 🙂 pic.twitter.com/EcVD6dlamv
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) August 30, 2018
Don’t worry! Even with a back-up camera, I can have some #avivaarriva parking experiences. The back-up camera might have shown straight, but as our caretaker showed me, I was definitely on an angle. I was in the spot though. Does this count as successful parking or not?! 😂
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) August 31, 2018
I experienced one such woe this past week. For some reason, I couldn’t get in between the lines. I lined up my car as I always do, and reversed, but my back-up camera had some moisture on it due to a recent rainfall. I started too far over to the left. Then I was too far over to the right. I finally got my vehicle between two lines, when I realized that despite the image in the back-up camera, it looked like I was way too close to the fence. I pulled up then and exited the car. I guess that I should trust my camera instead of my eyes, as I was too far up. Into the car I went again to reverse. I did it! This may have been the 17 minute parking experience, but I still celebrated to finally be in a spot. My spot.
At least I thought it was my spot until I went into the classroom and started to do some work. As I was setting up, I looked out the window and saw another teacher arriving. She was pulling into the first spot, where I always park. Where was my car? Did something happen to it? Just as I began to panic, I looked again, and realized that I actually parked in the second spot. Not the first one. So basically I spent 17 minutes getting into the wrong parking spot. 🙂 As I doubled over in laughter, I also made an interesting connection.
I’ve had some good conversations over the past couple of months around assessment and evaluation … particularly marks. Does hard work equate to a good mark? Marks may not be my favourite things, and I’m grateful that in Kindergarten, I don’t need to assign them. That said, I’ve taught other grades and had other experiences where I’ve had to give marks. I want students and adults to see the value in hard work, and that hard work pays off. It really does! But thinking back to my parking experiences, it doesn’t always pay off with a good mark — or even the best mark! I may never be a Level 4 parker. On the best of days, I’m probably a Level 3 parker, assuming that the Success Criteria involves making it into a spot. If straightness is part of this criteria, I’m likely a 2+ parker. I have a real knack for being able to park on a diagonal line in a straight spot.
Sometimes photographic evidence is required. According to this camera, I’m straight and in the lines. In reality, I’m diagonal and in the lines. I like this camera’s conclusion better! 🙂 #avivaarriva pic.twitter.com/I0FVYGaJRV
— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) September 7, 2018
There are probably few people out there that put more time or effort into parking than I do. Time and effort though, does not always equate to the best mark, the most positive feedback, or the greatest successes. What it does equate to — in my mind — is the willingness to keep at it, knowing that improvement is possible! On most days, I’m a much improved parker: making it between the lines at a faster rate with a straighter car and less wintertime woes. Success! Even if this may be a Level 2 success.
As an adult learner, I’m thinking about a T.P.A. (Teacher Performance Appraisal) that I had MANY years ago, when there were three levels of achievement. (Now it’s just a pass or a fail.) I knew that I was being evaluated that year, and I worked so hard to get an outstanding evaluation.
- I tried different forms of assessment and evaluation.
- I looked at ways to differentiate for my students, and I made sure that I could explain these ways.
- I took courses.
- I became part of in-school committees.
- I worked on wait time, questioning skills, and classroom management.
I passed this T.P.A., but I did not get an “outstanding” evaluation. While I wanted to celebrate the positive comments and growth noted, I also felt defeated. I worked so hard … but I wasn’t there, yet. My skills improved since then, but there are still areas where I’m not “outstanding.” There are still places that I can improve. I know this, and I make goals with my teaching partner based on some of these areas. We work together to support each other in improving.
As an educator, I will always encourage and support hard work for myself and for others. It’s this hard work that will be reflected in the learning skills, and even in some of the subject area comments. Hard work may not always be equated with success, but it’s that drive that we all need to make it through the challenging times and to persevere when others stop. I may never be an A+ parker, but I will always put forth an A+ effort, knowing that I will never get better without it. How do you support this drive, even when the drive does not always lead to the Level 4 results? Looking ahead to the weekly weather, my parking may be getting worse instead of better in the near future, but even a little snow won’t stop me! What about you?
Aviva