classroom – Page 3 – 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

Cheer Up, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note from Student, Picture Note, Poster/Graphic

Your Secret Teacher Identities…

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I know that you are tired. Just know that all you do is worth it. You are making a difference! You are so awesome!

Keep on teaching, Teacher.

Love, Teacher

PS…Those that saw the first message last night…I updated the picture. The color scheme needed an adjustment.

General Inspiration, Get Psyched!, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Picture Note, Poster/Graphic, You Are Awesome!!!

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

Cheer Up, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Picture Note, Poster/Graphic

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.

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

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Thank You!, You Are Awesome!!!

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

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk, Poster/Graphic, Quotes to Inspire

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

General Inspiration, Get Psyched!, Hope for Teachers, Mondays, Pep Talk, Theme Song, You Are Awesome!!!

[Teachers] Like Us…

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Welcome to a new week. For the N. Hemisphere, the summer is about half over (or getting there). The new school year is looming ever closer…and the great teachers are slowly starting to gear up for it.

For this reason, I decided that it is time to dust off the old favorite of my posting genres and put up a theme song for the week post. I went looking for a song, and did I ever find one. I think this song (and video—sans the product placements) is one of the best teacher theme songs ever. I may adopt is as my theme song for the new year! We’ll see.

For those new to this blog, click play and read on. When you are done reading, you may want to go back and watch the video. It is pretty cool if you think about it in light of our role as teachers.

Teacher, your job is hard.

Few people, besides fellow teachers, understand what it is like.

What we do is taxing all on its own.

Teaching and teaching how to learn while balancing the needs of individual students and their families is not a simple task, but it is one of the most important in the world.

We have a lot to think about.

We love a challenge, and our profession is full of them.

On top of this, though, we are also beat up and blamed for many of the woes of society. People that do not understand what it is that we do make the choices about how we are to do it. When things don’t work out, who gets credit for what is wrong? Yup. Us.

Yes, Teacher, your job is hard.

But you wouldn’t trade it for the world…most of the time.

Even when you are going through the toughest time in your teaching life and everything inside of you is telling you to quit…except that one small voice that tells you to go on.

Teaching is your blood and you know it is what you were made to do.

That one small voice is a powerful one.

The cool thing is that there is not just one small voice.

All great teachers have that small voice that urges us to go on.

The voice screams and reminds us why we do what we do.

Our students…the children…the young adults…the future.

When we see the faces, when we remember the challenges that will face those faces one day, we have the small spark to get our fire going.

And you are surrounded by other teachers with that same voice and that same spark.

Teachers like us are all around.

And when the fire that burns in all of us burns together…we are a force to be reckoned with.

I am not talking about the world and legislation and banding together over that…that is another story for another blog.

I am talking about being a force against the challenges of being a great teacher for our students, no matter what is said or done on the red tape side of teaching and the hardships that we face.

Teacher, no matter what you have gone through as a teacher, you can get back up!

You are surrounded by teachers like you to help you up.

The small voice inside of you is a crowd and a mob that is all around you.

Just look up.

Just keep going.

Teachers like us will make a difference.

Teachers like us will change the future for our students.

Teachers like us will keep going and keep our students going.

Look around.

Teachers like you are all around.

Keep going, Teacher!

Keep that fire going!

Do it for you.

Do it for your students.

Do it for and with teachers like you!

You are awesome! Keep going, Teacher, and keep on teaching!

Love, Teacher

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

New Start – New Year

Posted on July 6, 2014July 6, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I know that you haven’t heard from me in quite some time. I am sorry for that. Know that I am still here and that you are still awesome! I haven’t given up on you and I haven’t given up on me. Time away was needed, but now I am back.

I know that it is summer (for my Northern Hemisphere teacher friends), but I also know that you are a great teacher. You are already thinking about next year. You have had a few weeks of a break and now you are thinking about the students that will be sitting in the desks that sit in your classroom. This is what makes you great.

You can’t stop your “teaching brain,” and this is a good thing.

The other night, I was playing Jenga with my son. We had some nice rounds of moving the blocks, but in the end the tower always tumbled.

When I looked at the pieces after one long match, it hit me that no matter how the game went it always ended but no matter how it ended we can always rebuild and start again.

Isn’t that the same with life?

No matter how things go, things always end. No matter how things end, we can always start again.

This applies even more so with teaching. Jenga is a pretty great analogy to our profession, if you think about it.

We start the year as a strong tower, ready to go. Through the year we go through times of being taken apart and put back together. In the end, no matter what, we feel like a puddle of bricks (in some way or another) ready for a reboot. We take the summer and rebuild so that we can start again.

Teacher, I don’t know how last year ended for you. I don’t know what kind of mess your bricks are in. I don’t know how worn your blocks are. But you can rebuild. You can start again. You will start again.

Take the rest of the summer and try to build your tower stronger. Relax. Reflect. Rebuild. Think about what went right and what went wrong. Look for what you could do better. Research a little. Read a lot. Find new ways to do the old stuff. Be a better tower…even if you know it will just be blocks and bricks at the end of the next year.

This is what you do. This is who you are. And you are AWESOME at it. Keep going and never give up!

Build, Teacher. Build.

Your are awesome! I totally believe in you! Have a great rest of the summer and build that tower better than ever! Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Mondays, Note to Teachers, Picture Note, Poster/Graphic, You Are Awesome!!!

Big City Monday

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

It is Monday. The start of a new week. It is a fresh beginning. You have arrived at the dawning of something that has never been before…this week.

Sometimes a new week of teaching can feel like coming to a big city for the first time. It is overwhelming. You know about the city and know where you need to go, but stepping on to the sidewalk can make you have to catch your breath at first. It is big. It is here. It is real. You have never navigated these streets before, and now you are here walking them. It can be a bit much, but you keep walking. You keep going. You find your way. You make it through. You make it possible for yourself to get better and learn the places you need to go. You press on until it is not a big deal anymore.

A new week can be very similar. You know what is coming up. You know some of what to expect from the week. You also know that there are new challenges that await that you haven’t been made aware of yet. If it is a big week, like state testing or something of that sort, it is even more daunting. You go over in your head what you need to do, where you need your students to get to, and all that you have to get done. Now it is Monday morning, and you are about to step into those streets. You have to brace yourself and make yourself keep walking.

Deep breath, Teacher. You’ve got this. Step out. Keep going.

You greet the week with all that you have. You have done this before. You have conquered other “big city” weeks. This one will be no different. You will do what you need to do. You will get your students where they need to be. You will take everything in stride and keep walking. You will keep going. You will survive.

This week has nothing on you.

Nothing.

Big cities are awesome. Weeks can seem awesomely daunting. But you are awesome-er. Your awesome is bigger than the biggest city and the most difficult weeks.

You’ve got this.

Step out.

Keep walking.

(c) DearTeacherLT2013 You may use this image only if you link back to this blog and give credit to this blog. This note will be available soon at the Dear Teacher TpT Store. Find notes like this one by following the link.

You are awesome, for real! You are amazing because you do keep going. You know what your students need and you get them to succeed. You are making a difference. Keep walking and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher