Dear Teacher,
We live in an interesting time to be in the field of education, do we not? This is not a set up to talk about the trials and tribulations of being a teacher or administrator in this day-and-age, though there are a lot of difficult and harsh realities for us right now. There is another side to being an educator right now…
Resources.
We have some of the most amazing resources available to us. Some teachers have more than others, but we all have more than teachers had at any time in the past. We have the internet (if not readily accessible to student, you have access to it for planning…you are reading a blog right now, aren’t you?). We have technology (very few teachers do not have the availability of some kind of tech). We have each other (we can connect with educators around the world and collaborate and learn from each other). The list is endless.
We have so much.
Yet, do we have more great teachers than ever before? I am not sure about that. It seems like we should, but there is probably the same average amount of great teachers as there ever has been (which is a large number…I am not saying this to knock education). Great teachers will always be great teachers…no matter the resources.
So how do great teachers become and stay great teachers?
There are A LOT of factors here…
- Studying education and the latest research
- Workshops and staying in touch with other great teachers
- Focusing on students more than content
- Knowing when to teach more and when to teach less
- Mastering the art of facilitation
- And so many other things…
But there is one secret ingredient that I think matters the most and is common among most of the great teachers in history, and it is amazingly simple.
The secret to you being a great teacher is you.
What?
Great teachers know themselves. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They work on the weaknesses and play to their strengths. They do not deny who they are as people, and this lets their passions for teaching and for life play themselves out in the classroom. Their zeal for what drives them pushes students to strive harder and become interested and engaged. Because great teachers are keyed into who they are, their dreams are big and they fight to achieve them. They also know what they need and go after those things…for this reason fund-raising seems easy for them and “personal PD” is not a new idea because it has been a theme of their lives!
Great teachers are aware of themselves and this makes the more aware of their students and what needs to happen in their classroom.
Resources are not what make great teachers great…great teachers make all resources great because they are keenly aware of how to use them. The type of resource or school “realities” are not limitations…they do not really know limitations!
Great teachers know who they are and do not hide it.
Great teachers share their passions and interests and make them a part of their instruction.
Great teachers have a sense of what they need and this gives them a sense of student needs.
You are a great teacher…you just have to get to know yourself to bring the great teacher out!
You are the key to you being a great teacher!
You are a much greater teacher than you think you are! We can all be greater…so lets work on it. You are amazing! I know you are a great teacher! You are making a difference because you are completely awesome! Keep working at your greatness and keep on teaching, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher/Love Teacher 