Take a Chance

The Last Time
When was the last time you took a chance in teaching?

Reflect on the past six months and look ahead to the new year. When did you last "go for it" in the classroom? Did you try a new class activity, work in a new personal story, or attempt a new lesson twist for the sake of learning? When did you last go out on a limb to see if an idea might work?

The Next Time
Take advantage of the next time you can try something new.

Be a role model for taking calculated risks. Students like to know teachers tried something new, and they also want to know if you think it worked out. Explain ahead of time that the students are guinea pigs in a new activity, or reflect afterwards and let the class know you did something you've never tried in all your years of teaching. Either way, put yourself out there. Worst case scenario? Scrap the idea, live and learn, and try something else another day.