Category: Friday Note

Posted in Friday Note, General Inspiration, Get Psyched!, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, You Are Awesome!!!

‘Twas the day before break…

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I hope you have the best break ever!  You deserve it.

I am going to leave you with a little poem.  Have a happy holiday season and stay safe, get rest, and get ready for 2014!

A Break from Your Classoom

‘Twas the day before break, when all through the classroom,
Each creature was stirring; the teacher, too, I assume;
The students were antsy and moving here and there;
In hopes that the clock would move faster if they stare;
The administration was nestled all snug in their offices;
With having visions of no calls about students from all of us;
And you in your holiday sweater and matching cap,
Just want to settle your brain for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the hall there arose such a clatter,
You sprang from your chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the door you flew like a flash,
Spun doorknob and moved the door with a crash.
The fluorescent light from the hallway gave off quite a glow,
You looked left and right to see what you could know,
When the noise that had traveled to your wondering ear,
Helped you realize that it was the bell that you did hear.
The end of the day really did come so  quick,
It was just like a present from dear old St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles the students they came,
And they hustled and shouted, and you called them by name:
“Now, students! bye-bye students! Bye you wonderful children!
Bye, students!  Do be careful as you leave this dear buildin’!
To the top of the hallway! to the top of the hall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As papers and dust in their happy wake fly,
When they meet with their bus they jump in not shy;
And back to their houses with them the bus oh it flew
With all of the girls and boys, and their energy too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard you so true
Your prancing and dancing to your door as you did shoo.
You got in your car without turning around,
Down the parking lot you and your car were home-bound.
The school, in your rear view got smaller by  sight—
“Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night!”
Saw this on Facebook this morning…I had to use it!

You are awesome!  You are amazing!  You are a teacher!  Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

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Posted in Friday Note, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Pep Talk

Friday (it’s okay to smile)

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

It sounds like, from the feedback I have gotten, that this week has been a rough one for most of us.  Too many things to do.  Too many obstacles to overcome.  Too many problems to solve.

You are worn out.

You are beat up.

You are spent

And now it is Friday.

A smile is deserved.  Go ahead and do it!  You know you want to.  🙂

No matter what happened this week.  No matter what you were told.  No matter where you messed up.  No matter what, there was some “up” for all of the downs this week.  Look back and find it and then celebrate it!

(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)
(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)

You were able to get some things accomplished.  Celebrate.

You were able to get some light bulbs to turn on with students.  Celebrate.

You were able to connect with some students in new ways.  Celebrate.

You were able to get some traction on the content you are teaching.  Celebrate.

You were able to get students to learn a little more on their own.  Celebrate.

You made a difference with at least a student or two.  You helped a fellow teacher feel encouraged.  You made someone’s day brighter.  You did something for someone they could not do on their own.  Celebrate.  Celebrate.  Celebrate.

Do go back and see what did not work and what you need to work on.  That is important.  Just don’t forget to celebrate and smile for what you did right.  That is equally important.

You got to Friday.  Smile.  Celebrate.  It is okay.  You have earned it!

You are awesome!  I know that you see what needs improvement.  Just remember that you also do somethings well.  You are amazing and you are making a difference.  Keep on teaching, Teacher, and keep on celebrating the good!

Love, Teacher

 

 

Posted in Friday Note, General Inspiration, Pep Talk, Reason for Teaching, Teaching Power, You Are Awesome!!!

Some [funny and inspiring] Thoughts on Teaching

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)
(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)

Dear Teacher,

This week was full of some heavy posts…inspiring and encouraging, but still heavy.  I thought I might make today a lighter day and celebrate some of what we love about teaching!  And because my post have been longer this week, I am going to have you do more watching than reading.  🙂

Our job is difficult.  We try to use innovative methods and strategies, but sometimes it just doesn’t seem like the kids are getting it.  Sometimes it feels like this…you may or may not remember this Saturday Night Live sketch from the 90’s.  If you have seen it, watch it again and enjoy.  If you haven’t seen it, watch it for the first time and laugh your socks off!  It is hilarious, but it is amazing how it actually feels this way sometimes!  The only difference is that in real life you don’t give up…you don’t give up because you are AWESOME!  🙂

Now, unfortunately, the world at-large thinks that it is really always like this and that we are just flying by the seat of our pants.  But we don’t.  We plan.  We fight.  We do all that we need to do to make the biggest impact we can on students.  It is hard work, and we don’t get paid enough to do it.  That doesn’t matter to us, in the big picture, though because we know we do this for more than money.  Sometimes it is hard to get other people to understand why, though.  Here is another video you may or may not have seen; but you most likely have heard the dinner party story before.  Taylor Mahi does an awesome job of telling the story and showing the passion of why we do what we do.  Have a watch.

To round out this all out, I want to go back to the first video.  That was a comical look at what we do, but I want you to see a teacher’s perspective, someone like us, on what we do day to day…and why we love it.  I found this while I was looking for the Taylor Mahi video.  This is another one by him, and I really think it sums it all up nicely.

You are so awesome.  What you do is hard.  It takes time, it takes heart, it takes grit.  You are good at it.  You are making a difference.  You are a miracle worker, and you are amazing!  Never give up and never surrender to stress that we swim in.  Keep going and keep teaching, Teacher!

Wait…before you go.  I want to give a weekend homework assignment.  Homework over the weekend?  Yes, home work over the weekend!  I want you to go through and find three of your favorite posts here at Dear Teacher/Love Teacher and share them with someone (or a lot of someones).  Share on Edmodo, Facebook, Twitter, email, or how ever else you can.  Then come back here and tell us all the response.  Encouragement is hard to find in our job sometimes, so when we find it we need to share it!

Thank you, Awesome Teacher!  You are the best!

Love, Teacher

PS…Oh, and for those of you who use Edmodo, I have started an Edmodo Group for the daily updates.  This way I will be able to make the “Edmodo blasts” in the Communities few and far between…I don’t know that everyone “loves” them.  🙂

Posted in Friday Note, Get Psyched!, You Are Awesome!!!

There’s the Door

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

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Dear Teacher,

It is Friday. The day is done. You nailed it! You ended the day in awesome. You ended the week in awesome. For most of you, it is a long weekend. Enjoy it. You’ve earned it. Stop what you are doing. Look at the door. Go to it. Go through it. Go home! Get yourself recharged for next week!

There is the door. What are you waiting for?

You are awesome! Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

For more hope and encouragement: @DearTeacherLT (Twitter) and Dear Teacher/Love Teacher Facebook Page.

Posted in Cheer Up, Friday Note, You Are Awesome!!!

Friday of Awesomeness!

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

It is Friday!  You have survived the week.  No, you did not survive it…you thrived in it.  You made a difference in the lives of your students, even if they don’t know it yet or not.  You inspired.  You set mental fires.  You perspired…but it was worth it.  You got your students to think…and got them thinking more on their own.  Your students learned because your taught them how to learn.  You taught your heart out, and now your students can even teach others.

You hit milestones with somestudents.  You crossed educational thresholds with other students.  Some students reached the benchmarks set…some students surpassed them.  Because of this week, some of your students will never be the same.  Because of you.  You taught them to think, learn, love others, have compassion, believe in themselves, and the goodness that lies in the hard work it takes to reach goals.

Teacher, you did not just make it through the week, you made the week yours!  You took the week, you tamed it, and you made something awesome out of it.  Celebrate!  It is Friday!  You came, you taught, you conquered!  You awesomed the heck out of this week!

You are so awesome!  You are doing a great job!  Your work with your students DOES matter, and don’t ever forget that.  You are a difference maker!

Keep on teaching, Teacher!  I believe in you!

Love, Teacher

PS… Here is a little video I found this morning.  I hope it inspires you like it inspired me.

For more hope and encouragement: @DearTeacherLT (Twitter) and Dear Teacher/Love Teacher Facebook Page.

Posted in Cheer Up, Friday Note, Hope for Teachers

Fridays of MORE

Posted on by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Today is Friday.   Though most people, even some other teachers, view Friday as a day to coast until the weekend, you don’t.  Friday is one of the toughest day of the week, second only to Monday.  For great teachers like you, Fridays are make-or-break days.  They determine how you can evaluate your teaching for the week.  Have the students learned everything they needed to?  Have you taught in a way that makes everything tie together and give your students long term understanding?  Will they know enough to move on in your content for next week?  If they don’t have it by Friday, you’ll have to backtrack and lose time on Monday.  Sometimes you even have to backtrack and reteach until Tuesday…and all because the previous Friday did not go well.  Friday is big.  It is huge!

More than teaching and learning, Fridays are big because your students want to coast until the weekend.  The later in the day it gets to be on Friday, the less focused your students become.  They are thinking about the weekend.  More so, if this is near the end of the school year for you, the students are thinking about the weekend and the summer.  It gets harder and harder to contain the students and keep them engaged.  Fridays are hard because you have to be MORE together with your plans, MORE engaging, MORE patient, MORE understanding, and MORE intentional about every second of class time.

DearTeacherLT2015 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)
DearTeacherLT2015 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)

No, Fridays are not easy.  Not for you, Awesome Teacher.  Fridays are important.  You know today is a huge day for your week.

I believe in you, Teacher!  Even though this is the day of MORE for you, I know you have MORE to give.  Pour it out!  Give it all you’ve got!  Go big!  This is your day, and you’ve got this!  You can make this the best Friday that you’ve ever Fridayed!  (Yes, I just made up a word, but I am a teacher and I am allowed to do that.)

Teacher, you are AWESOME!  Give your students the MORE that you have in you for this Friday!  Keep teaching, Teacher!  Consider yourself believed in!

Love, Teacher

For more hope and encouragement: @DearTeacherLT