Note to Teachers – Page 4 – Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

General Inspiration, Get Psyched!, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk, Perseverance, Teaching Power, You Are Awesome!!!

Do What You Do…

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Today, step out in faith. You know your students. You know what they know, need to know, and how to get from point A to point B. This is what you do. This is who you are. You are a teacher. You teach. And you’re good at it, I might add.

I know, I know. There are a lot of voices. There are a lot of expectations. There are a lot of opinions, best practices, and researched-based strategies. But…you are the one that knows what you do best and what your students need from you.

I am not saying do not try what you learn in PD, from books, and the latest post from Edutopia. By all means, try strategies and ideas to make your teaching better. BUT, I am saying, be guided in your decisions by the one thing you have that is better than anyone else’s ideas or opinions…knowledge of your students.

You know what you need to do. You know what resources you need to seek out. You know what needs to be tried for the sake of your students. You are the key to it all.

Be confident. Take a stand for what needs to happen in your classroom. Do what needs to be done. Advocate for your students and teach the way that they need you to teach.

Will you have to defend yourself? Yes.

Will you have to take a little flack? Of course.

Will you be worn out, beat up, and beat down? Probably.

Will it be worth it? Eventually…and you may not see the payoff yourself.
Why do it then? Because you are a teacher and this is what you do. You care for your students. You want them to reach their potential. You are willing to pour yourself out for your students.

Teacher, you know how to teach YOUR students. Teach them well. Do not be afraid to teach the way that needs to be taught. You’ve got this!

You are awesome! You know what to do. Do it. Teach your heart out today and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

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A Sorta Message for the September Slump

Posted on September 27, 2014September 27, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Only teachers understand the September Slump. The newness of the year has worn off and we are into the thick of things. We are tired and worn out, but we are still fighting strong. Here is a little rally message for your Semptember Slump.

Keep on teaching, Teacher! You are awesome!

Love, Teacher

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What You Are Today…

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

(c)DearTeacherLT2014 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)…oh, and I made this using http://www.piktochart.com…check them out, too.

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It’s Go Time…

Posted on September 8, 2014September 8, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Movie break. This one of my favorite scenes from the movie Tommy Boy. Give it a quick watch and then read. I promise, there is a point.

“Why did I just watch this?”

I will be honest, when I went to write, I had this idea of writing about Monday being “Go Time” for teachers and I went looking for the scene when it was said in this movie. However, watching the clip brought a message to mind for me that I need to hear (even if it is hearing it from myself). This clip has a lot to do with teaching.

So often we feel like things are going well in a class or all of our classes. We have done all of the right things, as far as we know. We are using the best strategies. We are integrating. We are differentiating. We are rigorizing (yes, I just made up a word). We are doing everything a teacher should be doing…then…

BOOM!

Something hits us out of left field and destroys the classroom peace and joy that we thought we had. It could be a student meltdown. It could be a parent issue. I could be an administration situation. It could be a number of things that suddenly send us in a tailspin and weave us all over our little teaching road.

Before we know it we are in a fight for our teaching lives.

Then the chaos dies down.

We survived.

The dust settles.

Blame gets assigned.

Usually, the fight is with ourselves. What did we do wrong? What could we have done different? Why did we not think of the issue that happened? So on and so on and so on.

Sometimes the fight is with others. A power struggle with students. A disagreement with parents. An accusation from administration or other teachers.

Who ever the fight is with, it usually starts at the blame game.

The part of the scene that hits me the most is when Tommy said, “I am trying my best. I am not my dad.”

How often do we feel that way? Okay, probably not the “dad” part, but we do compare ourselves to others, especially to the teachers that seem to make being a great teacher look easy.

When we get to that point where we feel like we can’t do better than we are because we are trying “our best” is when we need to pause, take a deep breath, and think before we act.

This is where we are most defensive. Because of that, we are also at the point when we can be the most stupid. In this movie scene there was a literal fight. But in teaching we can make bad choices when we feel this way…choices we may regret later.

Our “go time” needs to be different.

We need to make choices that will help and not hurt the situation. Choices that we can learn from. Choices that our students will see and learn from. Choices that will help us not get to this point in the future.

Sorry for the vagueness here, but every has different situations and triggers that get us to this point in teaching on any given day.

Luckily, the solutions are pretty much the same for most scenarios.

There are some steps to take to help us get in the right state of mind.

Like I said, pause and breathe. Most of the time, reacting immediately leads to those poor choices mentioned.
Remind yourself that it is not as bad as it feels. In the moment, things are blown out of proportion. You need to keep them in perspective…even if the other person/people isn’t/aren’t. When everything is sorted out in the end, you never regret having kept thing in perspective…but you almost always regret not doing this.
Remember why you teach. When the going gets tough, it is easy to forget that you actually love teaching. Look for the silver lining or just remember that teaching is your passion…the little hiccups to teaching are always short and small in the long run.
Take as much time as you can. Delay making a decision or action on the situation as long as you can. Be like the Ents in Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Ents are tree-based characters and they are known for the lack of moving quickly. They try to never be hasty. One of their leaders, Treebeard, said in the book The Two Towers, “But I spoke hastily. We must not be hasty. I have become too hot. I must cool myself and think; for it is easier to shout stop! than to do it.” When you move to quickly, your choices lead to more. Stop and stay stopped before you move. It really is much easier to say stop than actually do it once you are moving.
Put the students and their needs first. When you come to decision time, focus on the student/students. What do they need most from the situation. How can you turn a negative into a positive for them.

If you try to take these steps, your “go time” will be well thought out and meaningful in the end for all that are involved.

Teacher, things come up. We face hard times. Never forget that you love teaching, and the hard times never last forever. The tough things will pass eventually. Keep on teaching your teaching best, even in spite of the difficulties sometimes.

You are so awesome! I know that the challenges don’t keep you down long. I know that with every “go time” you have you get better and better at doing them well. I sincerely hope that you have the best day ever! Never give up and always keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

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A Message for Those Rainy Days

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

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Sometimes it only takes one…

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

We all have good days. We all have bad days. Most of the time the days are somewhere in between.

The worst, though, are the days that are great…until…that one student. That one attitude. That one event. And the apple cart is overturned.

We don’t like to talk about it, but we all know that it happens. One student, one administrator, one parent, or one situation…and our day turns south quickly.

Good days become bad days. Mediocre days become awful days. And bad days become the worst day ever.

Our attitudes are soured. Our teaching becomes less effective. We stop wanting to deal with people altogether. And it only takes one thing to cause this.

Admit it, you know what I am talking about.

It is human nature. It happens. We deal with it. We struggle to get better at not letting it happen the next time. We do get better the longer we teach…but it still happens sometimes.

I don’t have a solution here…but I want to use this as a jumping off point. One negative thing can turn our days negative.

Our students are people just like us. And, like us, sometimes it only takes one thing to change their day.

Sometimes it only takes one…

smile to make a bad day into a better day.
kind word to make a mediocre day a good day
little time and attention to make a good day a great day.

One bad thing can make a day worse, but sometimes it only takes a good thing to make a day better.

We have no idea what our students experience from day to day. We don’t really know what is going on at home. We don’t know what happened on the bus. We don’t know what they are always feeling. We can’t control this.

However, we can control the experience we give our kids from us.

I am not talking about every thing in our classroom right now, I am just talking about trying to do one thing. One positive for every student you can get one to. Who knows if that one thing can be a catalyst to brightening up their day!

If you are elementary, try to reach each student in you class with a few positives today. If you are middle or high school, try to reach each student with a couple of positives over a few days…and then start to cycle again.

It is hard some days…but you can do it. I can do it. We can be those “ones” that turn a day around (in a good way).

I know you can do it! Are you willing to take the challenge?

You are so awesome! I know that you try to be positive every day…so keep going. Try to give as many “ones” as you can today. The more seed that you plant, the more is likely to grow. Keep up those positives and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Challenge, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk

Cutting to your Core…

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Yesterday’s post, Tugging on the Common Thread, had more response that I have received in a long time. The frustration over the ever-changing landscape struck a chord with a lot of people. The idea that great teaching is great teaching and connecting with students and growth seemed to one thing that teachers can agree on. I decided to follow-up and expand on this just a bit.

This is one of those times that I am writing more than to talk to myself than to you…but feel free to listen in on my personal self conversation.

It is one thing to say that students and student growth matters most, despite what is common in education at any given time. But what does that mean. How do I cut to the core of this for me, my students, my classroom, my school, and my community?

Standards matter. We are paid to teach students what they say. The test at the end matters. Developing students to the point that they understand the standards to the level of my test is our job.

How do we focus on student growth and this at the same time? We all know that most of our students need growth and instruction that falls outside of the standards and the test.

I think the biggest key is simple in theory but difficult in practice.

Teachers, know thine students.

You have to know those little rascals in your classroom. You have to have a rapport. You have to understand what makes them tick. You have to have some knowledge of how and why they think they way that they do.

I think it is that simple. This is only way to grow student understanding and create life-long learners.

When you know students, you know their interests and deficits. You know their strengths and weaknesses. You know what they need before they know they need it. You are able to see growth where other people would see a stagnate learner.

When you know what growth looks like in a student, you can foster that growth. You can differentiate. You can push them to deeper understanding. You can scaffold. You can remove scaffolding. You can see smart and intelligence where even the student and his/her family doesn’t, and you can bring it out for everyone else to see.

This is the core of it. Knowing those young people in your room. Getting to know and understand even the ones that drive you insane. You have to know and want to know the students!

Does this mean that they will love you and students will all appreciate the work you put into this? Goodness no! But you will know what is best for them and give them what they need…even if they don’t want it!

Will this make you teacher of the year?

Maybe, but probably not. This is not being your students’ best friend. It is taking the time to get to know them, though. It is hard work, but it is worth it in the end.

Will your students see your awesome all of the time? Nope.

But will your awesome shine through in the end, no matter what the educational system is like at any given time? Yes!

This is the core. This is the common thread. Know your students and you will make them grow!

Grow those students, Teacher! I know you will! You are awesome! Keep on getting to know those kiddos and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Challenge, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk

Tugging on the Common Thread

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

So…this week I have been a part of writing curriculum for my district. It has been fun. Yes, I am a nerd. However, more than fun it has been a challenge and quite enlightening.

We all come from different states (and possibly countries), and every area has their own set of standards and fight with or against new standards. I don’t know how it is where you are, but the state I am from is in constant flux.

One thing is clear: nothing is clear.

We are “for” things one minute. We are “against” things the next minute. We have a plan for testing in one breath. No clear plan in the next one.

I have been in education long enough to see that the only thing you can count on is change. The change can last a while or be quick, but you can always know that things will change sooner or later.

There will be buzz words. There will be “current” research. There will be best practices. There will be education trends and fads.

There will be change.

There will be unclear goals.

There will be a test at the end.

This is clearly the only clarity we get as teachers.

And that is okay. I think.

Yes. It is okay. I know it.

You know why I know it? Because there are teachers who teach well NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND THEM.

True. It is not every teacher. However, we all know at least one or two of them that are spectacular no matter what the trends and legislation going on. They are consistent. They are constant. They are uncanny.

They are the great teachers.

What makes them great?

They found the common thread of teaching before it got cored. They focus on what is always, not what is now. The set their eyes on one goal. Students. Students and what it takes to help them grow.

Simple.

Students.

Growth.

Period.

Will the latest research and methods help them do this? Of course. Are these teachers life-long educational learners? You bet. Do they keep up with new ideas and strategies? Most certainly. Do they change and move from one generation to the next that comes through their classroom? Yes, yes, and yes!

One thing remains the same throughout the change for them. The students.

This is how you keep your sanity. This is how you stay a great teacher. This is how you stay the course even when the waters are choppy. You keep your eyes on the point of teaching…students, growth, and creating learners.

Can you do this if your state is Common Core? Yes. Can you do this if your state rejects the common? Yes. Can you do this if the test changes every year? Yes. Can you do this no matter what? YES YOU CAN!

So what does focusing on students mean to you? How can you make this your goal despite the ebb and flow of current educational mandates in your area? What changes can you make to be more and more consistent in this focus?

You are awesome, and I know that you already have this focus! You will grow every year in make student growth your goal. Think more about this as the school year looms ever closer! Keep on teaching, Teacher, and keep on focusing on what is most important!

You can do it!

Love, Teacher

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From one teacher to another…

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

You are awesome. I know that I say this a lot, but that does not make it any less true. I say you are awesome because you are awesome. You need to hear it more often than you do, so I will keep saying it.

So. You are awesome, Teacher!

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

One of the reasons that you are awesome is because of the difference you make for others. You change lives. You make things better. You put yourself on the line for the sake and betterment of those around you.

I am not talking about students this time. I am not talking about their families. I am not even talking about the community or society at large.

No, I am talking about us. The teachers. Those you work with. Those that you meet. Those that just hear about you.

You make a difference for other teachers.

You know what we do. We watch each other. We look and see what other teachers are doing, saying, and how they are acting and reacting. The good and the bad, we watch to see it all. We make choices based on what we see. We change what we do based on what we observe.

You know the old saying, “Great teachers beg, borrow, and steal.” Or something like that. We all do it, in some way, shape, or form. We look around to see what the other teachers are doing and make adjustments in ourselves.

From one teacher to another, thank you for being a teacher worth watching and modeling after!

I saw you, you made a note about something for your class based on what you saw or did on vacation. Thank you!

You bought some supplies with money from your own pocket because your students needed it and it was on sale. Thanks!

You went to a seminar and/or workshop while on summer break. Thank you so much!

You made time for planning even though you are not “on the clock.” Thanks, again!

You kept your teacher brain on even though school is not in session. I needed to see that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You do a thousand little things day by day, in school and out of school, all of the time that we all see. These things make you a great teacher, and they are making all of us better teachers.

(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use this picture if you link back to this blog.)

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are awesome, Teacher. Education is better because of you! Keep on doing what you do and keep on teaching!

Love, Teacher

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Baby Steps away from Insanity

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

As you reflect and start thinking about next year, what is it that you need to change and do differently?

Classroom management?

Teaching/Learning paradigms?

Use more technology?

Use less technology?

Brain-based strategies?

What is the area of your teaching that you feel like you get the same results every year?

It is easy to get beat up by these things. Don’t beat yourself up.

In the coming weeks, choose one thing to work on…and then work on it. Come up with ideas. Make a plan. Find a way to be, act, and react differently. Just one.

Oh, and I don’t mean pick one thing like “classroom management.” We all know that is not one thing. That is about a million things. Pick one aspect of the area you need to work on most. For instance, if classroom management is the area you have to work on, pick something like how you react to students blurting out and/or disrupting class. One thing.

When you work on one thing at a time, you take baby steps towards the goal of ending Einstein’s definition of insanity in your teaching life and classroom.

Baby steps.

One at a time.

Little movements away from insanity.

Summer is a great time to think and work on your baby steps…so get stepping, Teacher!

You are awesome! I hope that you are enjoying your summer. Keep recharging your batteries, but don’t forget to think about the little things you can try to change. Keep stepping and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher