http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/06/05/reinvent-or-die/ The life and times of an English teacher in Mexico City Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:52:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/06/05/reinvent-or-die/#comment-428 Tue, 06 Jun 2006 09:05:06 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/06/05/reinvent-or-die/#comment-428 i couldn't agree more with the last bit...your leadership ability has nothing to do with the longevity of your programs...they are totally things that have shelf lives....programs can be tweaked and refined, but sometimes we need to just toss em. I know it is hard; in a way it feels like your brainchild. I have similar experiences in the classroom where unit ideas I have seem to hit the mark initially, but then student interest wanes. The other day I mentioned something about updating the class blog, and got a lot of puzzled faces and students saying they hadn't checked it in months. So glad I spend time updating it! I really agree with your wife's advice - these things are for a time, and when it passes, it is time to let them go or refire them into something newer.... It does, however, provide a great opportunity for you to innovate and come up with new ideas!! i couldn’t agree more with the last bit…your leadership ability has nothing to do with the longevity of your programs…they are totally things that have shelf lives….programs can be tweaked and refined, but sometimes we need to just toss em.
I know it is hard; in a way it feels like your brainchild. I have similar experiences in the classroom where unit ideas I have seem to hit the mark initially, but then student interest wanes. The other day I mentioned something about updating the class blog, and got a lot of puzzled faces and students saying they hadn’t checked it in months. So glad I spend time updating it!
I really agree with your wife’s advice - these things are for a time, and when it passes, it is time to let them go or refire them into something newer….
It does, however, provide a great opportunity for you to innovate and come up with new ideas!!

]]> http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/06/05/reinvent-or-die/#comment-427 Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:10:40 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/06/05/reinvent-or-die/#comment-427 I think that failure, like success, is applied by our minds to any given situation. Something that is in reality fluid, has to be made static by the mind in order for it to be labeled good or bad. So, I think it is wise what your wife said. If we focus on the changing reality (which we too are a part of) and respond with awareness and sensitivity, then the future will take care of itself naturally. The good and bad is extra. I think that failure, like success, is applied by our minds to any given situation. Something that is in reality fluid, has to be made static by the mind in order for it to be labeled good or bad. So, I think it is wise what your wife said. If we focus on the changing reality (which we too are a part of) and respond with awareness and sensitivity, then the future will take care of itself naturally. The good and bad is extra.

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