choose positive – Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Choose Positive, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers

A Message for the Voices…

Posted on October 31, 2014October 31, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Today’s note is not so much for you. Today I want to talk to the voices. The voices that surround you. The voices in your head. The voices that are causing you to doubt what it is that you do.

Well, really, I only have two words for those voices today. It is quite an easy message for them.

Shut up.

Stop talking for just today. Your opinion is not needed. Your thoughts do not matter. You “knowledge” is not required. Not today. Not right now.

Okay. Now I have some quick words for you, Teacher. I mean these from the bottom of my heart. Lets these words hang in your mind today as you ignore the voices.

You are doing a great job!
You are, really, a good teacher.
The students are listening…even if you can’t tell yet.
The time that you are taking to do all that you do is worth it…especially taking the time set up quality experiences for those kids in your classroom.
You are reaching them…even the toughest ones.
What you are doing matters…you matter…so much more than it feels like sometimes.
Keep going. The hard work will pay off.
The students may be reluctant, but don’t give up. You are getting through.
Your instincts are right, trust them.
You are awesome, and I mean really, truly awesome.

Teacher, the voices sometimes matter. However, it is okay to take a break from them and celebrate what you are doing right. Let today be one of those days. Let the voices be quiet to your heart today and then look around and feel good about the good that you are doing. It is okay to be proud of yourself. Do that today. See what is going well and feel good about it. It is okay.

Make today a day about seeing how good of a teacher you are. There are enough days for seeing what you need to improve on. Don’t look at those issues….not today. Choose to only see the positive today.

You can do it.

Remember…quiet the voices and only hear “Good job.”

You are amazing. You are awesome! I am proud of you! I believe in you! Good job! Now, keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Choose Positive, General Inspiration, Get Psyched!, Pep Talk, You Are Awesome!!!

The Final Countdown [to the new school year]

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I am not sure where you are in your summer break or school year, but for me it is the last day of summer. Tomorrow is the first day back for teachers. The countdown is on! Summer is over and it is time to start remember what day it is again (stole that one from a post I saw on Facebook).

Weekly theme song time, so click play and keep reading. This is a silly version of the song, but it still works!

This is it. You have rested. You have planned…maybe. You have had some summer PD.

Last year is officially “in the bag,” and the new one is about to begin. Are you ready? Your students are almost to your classroom door. They are waiting for you. Are you waiting for them?

Teacher, this year could be the best year ever. Make it the best year ever! No matter what has happened in the past, this year can and will be different. Make it that way. You can. You are awesome. You can do it! You just have to be brave enough to do whatever it takes to make that happen…and you can!

So, what do you need to do with the minutes ticking off of the clock?

Get your mind ready. Take a look in the mirror. No finger pointing at anyone besides yourself, what do you need to change about you? What things can you do different with your students? How can you build relationships better? How can you deal with stress better? How can you plan more efficiently? How can you communicate with parents better? How can you change in how you interact with fellow teachers and administration?

Get your heart ready. Take a look in that mirror and only point at yourself again, what do you need to fix? What fences do you need to mend? What bridges need fires put out? Who do you need to forgive and/or as forgiveness from at your school? You need to work with who you work with for the sake of the students. You need to make it work. What do you need to do to make things work? Do you need to forgive yourself? Do you need to move on from the past and just let some things go? Do it. It will be worth it to have the best year ever!

Get your spirit ready. Take one more look in that mirror with your fingers ready to point, what do you need to be excited for the coming year? Do you need to just let go of curricular hang-ups? Do you need to forget your worries about expectations from others? Do you need to erase your bad experiences with students from years past and just assume this year will be better? It will be better. Get excited! You have the best job ever! You are about to have students that you have never taught before! They don’t know your past! You get to start over! Start over! Find something to be excited about and BE EXCITED!

This is the final countdown to the best year ever! Get excited! Expect the best! Let go of the past and just find ways to make this the year of your teaching dreams! It can be, no matter your circumstances. Make it that way!

You are awesome! I wish you the most awesome-est year you have ever had! Make this year as awesome as you are! Keep dreaming and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Challenge, Choose Positive, Hope for Teachers

The Choice

Posted on May 22, 2013May 22, 2013 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Last night, someone shared the Positive Teacher Pledge on an Edmodo. This really spoke to me. I know that I need to strive to be more positive in my classroom. There are times that we all get lured to the dark side of negativity, if we are honest with ourselves. Though, I have seldom thought about the choice between being positive and being negative. It is a choice, however!

Every day, every hour, every second, we make a choice between giving into the stress that weighs us down on teachers and acting out of stress or in the opposite direction of the stress. Often times, at least for me, I let the stress make the choice and it is usually in the negative direction. I need (we need) capture every second of the day with our students! We don’t have many seconds with them, in the span of their lives, so we need to make each one count! We can’t afford to have many “bad seconds” with our students. We are setting them up for the rest of their lives! We have to take that seriously.

Today, will you…

Let your exhaustion show or be upbeat (or at least pretend to be energetic)?
Let that crummy email or phone call show or save your frustration for later and say something nice to a student who needs it?
Complain about a coworker or do something to encourage him or her?
Gripe about administration or ask them if there is anything you can do to help them today?
Get irritated with a student who is driving you insane or pull him or her aside, say something positive, and give a reason to do better today?

The list could go on forever, but I think you get it. Lets try to make positive choices today! We are worn out, beat up, and empty…but we have to keep moving. You can do it, Teacher! You can be positive today! You are awesome! I believe in you so much!

Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

For more hope and encouragement: @DearTeacherLT