Author: Dawn Mitchell
Hello everyone!
Many of us have made New Year’s resolutions about having a better year in 2020. Maybe your goals are related to better health or more opportunities for growth. In this post, we want to highlight one of our favorite blogs from Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy website that provides excellent advice for improving our professional growth by intentionally choosing with whom you surround yourself.
This advice is especially helpful for new teachers. In her blog, Find Your Marigold, Gonzalez encourages us to surround ourselves with positive people. She explains that marigolds are the best companion plant for many vegetables because they make the plants that surround them even stronger.
Many of us grew up hearing the old adage, “Bloom where you are planted.” In this post, Gonzalez makes the point that who you plant yourself beside has an impact on your growth. She writes, “Many experienced gardeners follow a concept called companion planting: placing certain vegetables and plants near each other to improve growth for one or both plants. For example, rose growers plant garlic near their roses because it repels bugs and prevents fungal diseases. Among companion plants, the marigold is one of the best. It protects a wide variety of plants from pests and harmful weeds. If you plant a marigold beside most any garden vegetable, that vegetable will grow big and strong and healthy, protected and encouraged by its marigold. Marigolds exist in our schools as well – encouraging, supporting and nurturing growing teachers on their way to maturity. If you can find at least one marigold in your school and stay close to them, you will grow. Find more than one and you will positively thrive.”
If you want to improve your professional growth in this new decade of 2020, find your marigolds, and, if you can’t find any, then be the marigold!
Please join us at our South Carolina ASCD Spring Conference on Thursday, March 5, to hear Jennifer Gonzalez in person! Come network with fellow educators who learn, teach, and lead together in supporting the Whole Child. Visit this www.scascd.org for conference registration. Early bird pricing ends February 1!
Sincerely,
Dawn
Dawn Mitchell
South Carolina ASCD President