Progress is addicting

Today, I embraced a 30 minute window of a gift of time.  I unwrapped this gift frantically and told myself, I am going to do this.  I pulled the iClicker base and flash drive, plugged them, made sure that I had indeed entered student rosters and had "loaned a clicker" to each student in room 402.  Before the class returned, I approached the teacher's computer and chanted "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."  I chose this classroom strategically because the teacher is fabulously flexible and helpful.  And with her help and support, we did it.  I passed out remotes in alphabetical order and as expected made last minute adjustments for the kids who had moved in and moved in since I had entered the classroom roster.

Then it was GO time.  I never did read through each of the 146 page user guide but I got the jist of it and truthfully, I just had to DO it to learn how to utilize the iClicker system.  After realizing that I had to start and stop the poll for each question, I realized it really will work.  There were a couple problems with three remotes not registering their answers but 19 of the 22 worked!  

I really wanted to rush back to my room, plug in the flash drive and see it right away.  Instead, I rushed to another classroom to teach a lesson, inhaled my lunch and then rushed to teach anther lesson.  As I glanced at the clock, I realized I could sneak a peek before for my last counseling session of the day.  Voila, there it was.  After I better learned to navigate the iClicker and iGrader menu, I quickly was able to see everyone's responses.  Amazing!

The rest of my time at work wasn't so amazing.  The usual duties, meetings, and bits and pieces to deal with.  I try to end each day by finishing up my Notecounselor documentation because honestly, I won't remember the day before.  With the nature of my job putting me in litigious jeopardy, documenting my sessions and accounting for my time gives me another gift.  This is surely not a gift of time but rather the gift of peace...peace of mind.  I'm not just talking about having good documentation to cover my behind either.  This peace comes only from reflection.  When I reflect on my practice, I critically evaluate and consciously push myself to question if I did my best for the kids today.  Many times, I concluded the answer is no.  I never can do enough to help and support my students in the ways many desperately need me to.  So honestly, I often feel inadequate.  But this is one occasion where Mya Angelou's belief that "when you know better, you do better" is true.  When I can reflect on where I went wrong, I can begin to find another approach to move in the right direction.