Here I Go

Yikes!  I am doing it...I promised my Personal Learning Network (PLN) I would try out this blog thing...and I am @philgriffins and @robertdrb!  Thanks to the #educoach Twitter chat for making me step out of my box! Wahoo!

My first challenge began with deciding on a name for the blog.  I decided on When I Grow Up because I remember wanting to be a teacher from a pretty young age.  Of course, I changed my mind a few times in the middle, but I ended up back at teacher before college started.  Another reason behind my name is that I really think I am continuing to learn new things and grow as a professional all the time.  So, When I Grow Up seemed appropriate.  Enough procrastinating...here it goes:

My husband and I went on a double date with some friends of ours this weekend.  We went out to a new Japanese restaurant in town and then went to a movie. The movie was a standout for me...Here Comes the Boom.  It is about a teacher who decides to start competing in a mixed martial arts boxing-like sport to raise money to save the music program in the school.  While being a really funny movie...it actually had some moments that really stood out to me and may have inspired me.  So, here are my thoughts... 

The movie starts out with the main character, Kevin James, acting like one of those teachers that give us all a bad name.  He was late, he didn't teach anything to the students, his classroom looked sterile, and he was overall lethargic in his job.  Needless to say, I was cringing in my seat.  UGH...I hate it when we see teachers portrayed so horribly in movies.  But, of course, it was hilarious...so I stayed (plus I paid $9 to see this...I wasn't about to leave, I am too cheap for that).  Somewhere in the movie you learn that this same teacher actually had won teacher of the year several years in a row.  So...he used to be good?!?  Well, that interested me.  What changed?  What could possibly cause a good teacher to become so poor?  The answer wasn't exactly given, but he did give a speech to his students about regenerative cells (he was a biology teacher) that gave some insight.  These regenerative cells help restore the cells and help it all come back together, reconnect and get back to work (okay, that was clearly not as scientific as it was even said in the movie, but you get the point).  This teacher played by Kevin James had given up...he had decided that what he did really didn't matter and it was easier to be like others he worked with and not care.  How sad!  But, I do think this can happen.  Maybe we need to spend more time supporting our good teachers and help prevent them from feeling like this teacher.  Because, what we do DOES MATTER!

Toward the end of the movie, one of the main characters played by Henry Winkler said to Kevin James' character, "That's all we're supposed to do as teachers.  Inspire."  THAT is what I want to do...I want to INSPIRE!