I hope that you have had a restful, resetting break so far! I really do.
As the business of Christmas settles down I know that thoughts of school are starting to creep back in. I know this is true because you are a great teacher.
This is why I am writing to you today. I want to say thank you. Thank you for being a great teacher. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your creativity. Thank you for you!
You are amazing!
You are a gift to your students.
You are a gift to education.
You are a gift to the world!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
You are awesome. You are making a difference. Keep on teaching, Teacher!
I don’t know what kind of day you have had or week you are having, but I want to encourage you. Keep doing those every day things that you do. The every-day adds up. It is the day-to-day that builds into your awesomeness.
(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 this was made using http://www.piktochart.com, check them out if you want to make cool infograpics!
You don’t hear “thank you” enough. So let me thank you.
Thank you, Teacher. You do what needs to be done. You are changing the future one day at a time. You are awesome! Never give up! Keep on teaching and turning the ordinary into extraordinary!
I have a feeling that you are like me. You are a decent teacher, but sometimes you have moments of sheer teaching genius. You have times where everything that you touch turns to teaching gold. Those times are few and fleeting, but they happen.
We also have those fortunately fleeting flickers of time when the opposite happens. Everything you touch turn to teaching…well, you know what I mean.
We tend to get hung up on those two extremes. We either look back at those hours of greatness and wonder how to get back to them, or we beat ourselves up for the seconds of eternal not-so-greatness and try to figure out how to avoid them forever.
What we miss more than too often are the times in-between. The every day situations. The times when things work out just okay.
I think that the “just okays” are more important than everything else.
Why?
Because the “just okays” are what we do as teachers.
Huh?
I won’t go into it again today, but yesterday I reminded us all of all the things that we deal with as teachers every minute of every day. We have a lot working against us. There are a mountain of issues that we have to climb each and every day. It is almost like we are set up to fail most days.
But we don’t fail.
Somehow we survive.
More than that…
Somehow we are able to teach, reach, and help students become learners and better people.
The every day “just okays” are how we do this.
The awesomeness of what we do happens in the daily grind of teaching. We have a sense of what needs to be done, what we need to do to get it done, and ability to somehow get this things done.
Everyday we just have to have faith that we know the right things…and we step out in that faith. Somehow, when all is said and done, we find that we were usually right with the choices that we made in our classroom day-to-day.
The steps of faith are what make up okay days. The cool thing is that those kind of days add up. Over time, we can look back and see that we are, just maybe, a little better than “just okay.”
Another result of the pressing on in faith to make days okay also help us do something else pretty cool. Over time, the “okay days” also often lead to those moments of grandeur and away from of the moment of lack-of-grandeur. The more okay that we have, the more great days tend to build up and we have longer periods of time between the terrible, horrible, no good, really bad days.
I am reminded of a scene from one of the best movies ever, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Indiana has to trust his interpretation of clues that he is chasing. He stands over a huge chasm. He thinks he know what to do. His father’s life is in the balance. He has to trust what he thinks is right. Do I need to point out the connections to the “just okay” days? I think you get it! Anyway, watch this clip.
“Just okay” is not a bad thing.
“Just okay” is not an awful goal.
“Just okay” means you are doing something right.
So what does this mean for you and me? We need to daily have faith in ourselves. We know what to do. We have that teacher instinct of what the right thing is. We just need to do it. Day after day. Week after week. All of our “okay” will be our greatness. It proves our awesomeness.
You really are awesome! Your gut is usually right. Trust it. Take daily steps of faith. Your “okay” is more than just okay. You’ve got this. You are making a difference! Keep going and keep on teaching, Teacher!
How was your weekend? I know a lot of teachers are coming off of or going into Fall Break, if they are lucky enough to have that where they teach. Mine is this week, so I am starting a three-day school week.
So how are you doing this year? From talking to people and my feedback through the blog, it sounds like many teachers are having a rough year. What about you? How is it going?
This year has been good, rough, and just plain interesting for me. I don’t think you would believe half of the stories that I can already tell just from the 2014-2015 school year. I can tell you that I am worn out, tired, and a little beat-up. I know that I am making progress with my students, don’t get me wrong, I am just exhausted.
I have a feeling that you might just feel the same way. For that reason, today’s post will be a special one. I haven’t done one of these in a long while, but I think it is time to dust off the Theme Song Post.
If you are new to this blog, you might be wondering, “What is that?”
I pick a theme song for you to listen to while you read the rest of the post. I hope that it serves as a theme song for your day or week. It usually sticks with me for the whole week when I do these.
Anyway, click play and then read on…
Teacher, you do one of the most noble, yet challenging, jobs in the entire world.
Unfortunately, it feels more challenging that noble most of the time.
First of all, you work with a room full of students everyday (or several groups of students throughout each day). That is a challenge in of it self. You have to know your students. You have to know what they need. You have to figure out how to get them to work together. You have to get them to learn how to learn. You have to teach them specific content. You have to…well, you get the point. This would be a list the size of the internet if I put everything that you need to do on this level of teaching.
Add to that, you have to deal with student issues, behaviors, and struggles. You have students with bad days. You have students who don’t get along. You have students who have IEPs. You have students that are ESOL. You have students with BIPs. You have students that come from environments that do not reinforce what you are teaching. You have students who are lacking the skills with which they should have had before getting to you. You have students who need to learn some social skills that are lacking. You have students who can’t sit still. You have students on multiple levels of abilities. You have students who don’t care. You have students that care too much. You have a thousand other specifics here. You have more than a handful of things to think about besides what you teach at any given moment.
On top of all of this, you have voices and critics from the outside. There is administration telling you how to teach and not teach. You have teams and other teachers giving advice on how you can better reach your students. You have parents giving you feedback on what they feel like you are doing wrong. You have district level people changing the expectations for you left and write. You have the state making curriculum changes that wildly affect the students that sit in your classroom. You have an ever changing landscape of standards to muddle through. You have the world of education with the ever-growing list of best practices, current theories/strategies, and 21st century skills that you just have to incorporate into your classroom and instruction. You have a million different directions that you are being asked to go everyday.
And then there is you.
All alone.
In your classroom.
With your students.
And you are awesome.
In all of this, you chose to have one focus, and one focus only.
Your students.
You know that it is those young minds that matter most.
And you make it work.
You do everything that you can do to protect your students from all of the other stuff. You are the umbrella that covers them. You are the shield. You are their cover from the mess all around them and you.
Teacher, you try your best to be bullet-proof.
But it is not for you,; it is for them.
I want to encourage you, friend. You are doing the right thing by focusing on the students before all else. You are making good choices. You are making a difference.
I know that it is hard. It is really, really, really hard sometimes. But keep going. Keep fighting. Keep doing what you do.
It is difficult to be made of titanium, but sometimes you have to be. I know that you know that it will be worth it for those students sitting in your desks in your room. Don’t give up. Don’t stop. You are an amazing teacher! I mean that. I really do!
You are so awesome! You don’t always feel that way, but it is so very true. You do what needs to be done for students. This is why you are a great teacher. Don’t forget that! Never stop! Keep on teaching, Teacher!
You are amazing. You know that, right? You give your students what they need before they need it. Almost like magic!
You work hard. You make choices for the best that students disagree with. You are patient. You are kind. You are nice. Even when you don’t feel like you can be.
You will seldom be thanked…especially by the toughest of students.
They will appreciate what you have done and are doing…one day.
They do not always have the words now to tell you.
So…this note is for you. Here are the words (unspoken) that your students aren’t ready or can’t say yet. They are still true.
Take them to heart. Be encouraged. Let a smile rise to your lips. It is okay. You can feel the pride. You deserve it!
(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 this was made using http://www.piktochart.com, check them out if you want to make cool infograpics!
Don’t give up! Do all that you do and keep doing it well. Keep on teaching, Teacher! You are AWESOME!
Love, Teacher
PS…Pass this one one to a teacher that you know needs to hear this! Also, please comment with a story about a time a student has been able to thank you for your hard work for them. 🙂
(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.
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 istaking 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!
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 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!
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!
Dear Teacher/Love Teacher 