Amanda Bingham - Can't believe I'm getting paid for this!

Sailing is my passion so my best day teaching was last year when I took my class on the R. Tucker Thompson. They were able to steer the boat, climb the rigging and hoist the sails. I work in a decile 1 school and it was the first time any of them had ever been on a sailing boat. They were buzzing for weeks and still talk about it whenever I see them!

Ann Sielaff

Ann Sielaff

Third Grade Teacher

When finding out I needed to write about “My Best Teaching Day Yet”, I jokingly told my friend and colleague who is here with me, “I haven’t had it yet.” I’m having a very difficult time thinking of one specific day in my years that was my best. I have some days that stand out because they were bad, some were sad, some had fun or funny events that took place. Like everyone else, we have good times, bad times, and in-between, and they all blend together like the paint spilled on our too-old carpet. But one day that stands out in my mind was a day when I went to school and implemented my version of Pernille Ripp. If you don’t know Pernille Ripp, I would recommend reading her. I heard of Pernille through a blog: Forever in First. Tammy, from Forever in First, has some of the best ideas I’ve stolen to date. She has introduced me to so many people (all virtually, of course). George Couros, Carol Dweck, Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome, to name a few.

    That day, I gave my kids voice. They filled out a simple survey. It was a survey of “What would you change”, “How do you like our classroom?” type questions. But that day led to a paradigm change for me. My classroom is about the students, not about me. It’s about growth for us all. Not that it wasn’t before, but I’m not sure it was. And this learning, from these professionals around the globe has led to places and activities I would never have imagined.