One of my first teaching mentors told me that she got her best ideas from “careful stealing” from other teachers! I know, I know, it sounds kinda bad, but really think about it. How many times have you walked into a colleague’s room, like something, and asked him or her if he or she minded if you did the same thing in your classroom? How many times have you purchased something from TPT? And even outside of the classroom, how many times have you seen something on the Internet and replicated that idea/ project? That’s ” careful stealing”! I’m sure we all do it one time or another, and it’s okay. Maybe I shouldn’t use the word “stealing”, but my mentor used it first and it sounds so much better that ” careful borrowing”!
Well, getting back to what I was saying,over the years, I have thought about that and have taken her lead – why reinvent the wheel? Using her “careful stealing” technique, I have observed and learned, and added to make things my “own”. As a mother, I find that I do that same thing! I find things that interest me, things that I feel my students can profit from, and things that my own children enjoy. I replicate, and then add a few twists and turns ( if they are needed), and then make it my own. I never take full credit for my “creations” because I almost always get help and let’s face it – coming up with an idea in the first place is a tremendous help!) So here is my disclaimer! I am not taking full credit for anything here that I post. I have had wonderful mentors, have had and still have the opportunity to work with wonderful teachers, have access to great websites, which help me get ideas, create, and, make them my “own”. I simply have a talent of copying ( ha!), and then having a vision of making better suited to my needs!
So have fun – get started on your way to becoming a master copier!
Lisa
Special Edu-Crafter 