The Importance of Sharing Part 2: Share Your Struggles

After writing my post last week on the importance of sharing, I kept thinking of my current situation and what I choose not to share.

Currently, I have been struggling with a new English Language Arts adoption. I have been trying to figure out how to make it work in my combination class without going insane bouncing around. It seemed like each week I was trying something new, based off of new feedback I was given. Then there was finally a light when we received some grade level time with a trainer from the company. Let me tell you, that room was bright with all the "light bulb" moments going on. Does that mean I'm set now? Nope, not even close but I at least have a better idea of how to implement the new adoption.

Did anyone online know I was struggling? No way. I was not going to share all of this craziness that was going on with the new curriculum. I posted in a Facebook group asking if anyone was familiar with it then was referred to another group that had more experience with the curriculum, but I NEVER shared I was struggling. You know what's sad? I wish I had shared my struggles because it would have reached a lot of other teachers and we could have formed a great support group for each other.

So many times we want people to only see the happy, rainbow, light bulb moments in our classrooms, that we forget teachers are people too and we make mistakes, get confused and struggle. We have a tendency to hide that from others and to stay on our "Island of Isolation" when it comes to struggling. By doing this, hiding our struggles, we make others feel like it should be sunshine and rainbows in their room too!

We need to share our struggles and our failures. Throw it out there on Twitter, talk about a lesson that flopped, or ask for help with something you are struggling with. IT'S OKAY TO STRUGGLE!

If we are expecting our students to believe that struggling is learning, we, as teachers, need to accept that as well. We need to practice what we preach.

You are not alone. We are all struggling with something in our classroom.

**See this post and more on my Techie Tuesday newsletter**