Success = Work

A song that often comes on my favorite Pandora channel is First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes.  It's a catchy song that I enjoy but never really listened to.  However, today I heard a lyric that stood out and spoke to me:  "I'd rather be working for a paycheck than waiting to win the lottery."

This fits many of the things I have heard from teachers lately.  They want to use more technology.  They are unhappy with classroom management in their classrooms.  They wish the others knew about the innovative things they are trying. They simply wish to be a better teacher.

It seems, however, many of us are wishing.  We are waiting to win the lottery, instead of getting out there and working hard to make things happen!  Want to have better technology integration?  Don't wait for a magic PD to come along.  Sign up for EdmodoCon or an EdCamp.  Is your classroom management in need of refreshing?  Many successful teachers have shared their classroom management techniques on Pinterest; complete with pictures and free printable  Want others to know about the amazing things going on in your classroom?  Share them on Twitter.  You can create a classroom Twitter account to share all of the wonderful things that are happening in your classroom,

Why are you waiting on someone or something to come along and transform your teaching?  Taking charge of your own professional growth is the key to success. You are the one who determines the success or failure of your own classroom.  Go ahead, read that professional book that you haven't had time for, follow up on some of those ideas you have Pinned, participate in a Twitter chat (the first one is always crazy, but after that you get the hang of it).  After all, the only way to win the lottery is to buy a ticket, and the only way to change your classroom is for you, the teacher, to grow!

Amy