I hesitated on the timing of the launch of this web site. The idea has been germinating for quite some time. Now that I have almost 20 years of teaching (over 10 of that in the IB) under my belt, and several student textbooks to my name, I finally feel like I have enough experience and resources to share with fellow educators. Not that I claim to be an expert; I don’t know if anyone is. I am constantly reflecting and refining my craft and absorbing and adapting ideas from other educators. But hopefully I have something unique to add to the discourse.
I was all set to launch my web site — and then a global pandemic hit. Not only did it suddenly seem inappropriate to engage in anything that looked like self-promotion, it also seemed unrealistic. Like many teachers around the world, I am adjusting to remote teaching, which comes with many challenges in the best of circumstances. Add 3 children between the ages of 2 and 11 who I am now childminding/homeschooling (with the help of my husband, of course) to the mix and the days just seem never-ending. It has been hard enough keeping my head above water and meeting the standard I am used to in my day job. How could I possibly find time for anything other than work?
But in the end I thought: this could be the best time to launch. On a personal level, writing — in any form — is therapeutic for me. It might just serve as a beacon for now, to be ready and waiting for me when the mental fog clears. Professionally, we are all in the same boat. This is our new normal — at least for the time being. We are all trying to do the best that we can for our students under extraordinary circumstances, whilst also, in many cases, prioritising our own families. One of the things I love about teaching the IB is being part of a global community. In a time when we are physically isolated, we need this opportunity to connect more than ever. Over the past few months, I have been particularly inspired by fellow educators Laura England, Kathleen Waller, Lenny Dutton, and Alison Yang — just to name a few outside my inner school circle. So if I can provide any wisdom, support, ideas, or just solidarity, then I will consider this a worthy endeavour.
I can’t guarantee when the next post will be, but please be patient with me. I’ve got lots of content brewing. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.
Conceptually Driven 