This past winter I have been doing a lot of thinking about curriculum and collaboration. More than anything else, these two words have been the focus of my professional growth – this past year in particular. If you’ve been following my posts you know that I started this blog almost a year ago now, and my enthusiasm and drive for enhancing/improving my curriculum has increased exponentially. I am also networking with teachers at school, nearby, and far away so that we can share ideas and perhaps collaborate on future projects.

Lately, however, I found myself being side-tracked and moving away from this good growth and the goals I had set for myself. My biggest problem had become my own indignation. The definition from Dictionary.com describes it as “a strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base.” It could also be described as “righteous anger” with the following synonyms: “resentment, exasperation, wrath, ire.” What raised these extreme feelings? Often times it was because collaboration was not happening, and instead decisions were being driven by personal gain and personal agendas. I find that I can quickly become judge and jury, convicting anyone who doesn’t “play fair.” Teachers who seem to only be thinking of themselves and their own personal satisfaction were really getting to me, but then I realized I was letting them get to me.

The antonym of indignation is calm. This will be my new goal. Just creating this post has already helped me vent and refocus. Will I always be able to remember this new focus? Heck, no. But at least it’s a start . . .