Empty Boss

One of my goals this summer has been to become a bit more involved in the MathTwitterBlogoSphere and use it to try to get some new ideas for the classroom this upcoming year.  After 13 years in the classroom, I feel that I need a new spark, a kick in the pants...something to reenergize me.  Don't get me wrong, I love teaching and what I do; it's just that I feel that I can do it even better and reach more students that need it.

That's where #MTBoS comes in...the "empty boss". (get it?)

The reason I think of it as the Empty Boss is because that's the beauty of it:  no one person is in charge. It's kind of like that episode of The Office during this last season where no one knew where Andy was, and the office still functioned.  People still did their jobs.  People still hit deadlines.  The Office continued on without leadership.  That's the #MTBoS in a perfect nutshell.  We ALL are the boss, and because we all have a shared desire to see ourselves, our students, and each other do well, we keep the conversations going and sharing without a leader.

(Side note:  sometimes, don't you wonder what teaching would be like without a principal at the building?  I'm pretty sure I'd keep on keeping on...)

Another reason for the new start this year:  block scheduling.  Our high school is switching over to an alternating block schedule with 85-minute periods this year.  I'm going to be having to restructure everything for the most part this year anyways, so I am ready for a change.  New lessons, new strategies, new room layout--anything is fair game.

This year will be my 14th year with a teaching load of AP Calculus (14th year), AP Statistics (8th year), and Geometry Fundamentals (1st year).  Starting next week, I will write up my ideas for each of the classes, wrapping up with my new Geometry Fundamentals class.  I have some ideas for the fundamentals class, but would like some feedback on where it could go and how.

Keep on doin' what you're doin' #MTBoS!!