Dear Teacher,
Same message as yesterday and last weekend…don’t forget to see the good and positive along with the “needs work” areas as you reflect on the week. You had some awesome in you this week and do did your students. Don’t forget to celebrate and take a little bow. You deserve to and have earned it! You rock because you are awesome! Keep on teaching, Teacher!
Share this encouragement with another teacher. He or she deserves it, too!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher,
This is going to be a quick one! I, like you, have a zillion things to accomplish and the time to finish about three! Thus is the life of a teacher. Too much to do…and not near enough time to even think about how do to half of what needs to be done let alone get any of it done!
And that is what I want to talk about. What do we do when we have too much to do.
We just do.
We move.
We go.
We do.
It is old and tiresome to quote, but I feel like I need to mention something that the Chinese philosopher, Lau-tzu said a long, long, long time ago:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
We have a thousand miles to move every day as a teacher. It is overwhelming, to say the least. But we can’t let this stop us. We can’t. Our students need us. So we just need to start.
We need to take a step.
Then another.
Then another.
Then…
You get it.
We need to move.
Sometimes movement is the best we can do. Sometimes we can only muster up the energy, strength, and time for a single step…other times it might be seventeen…we might even be able to go a few miles. No matter how far we go, we just need to move. We need to step. We need to go.
Start stepping.
Move.
Go.
You may not get far today, but just move.
Oh, and make sure your students and their needs are you destination!
So what are you waiting for? Just move!
You are tired, but you are awesome! It is hard, but you can do it! Don’t stop! Don’t give up! Keep going, Teacher, and keep on teaching!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher,
Today is Tuesday. You are back into the grind of another week. Tuesdays can be hard. If it is a rough, long day, it is really rough and long because the end of the week is still so very far away!
I hope today is not one of those days for you. As a matter of fact, don’t let it be. Take charge of this Tuesday. Make it yours! Don’t let stress and worries drag it down and away from you. Keep finding the positive. Keep remembering your goal (your students) and keep moving towards it.
Today is Tuesday. It is your day. Make it yours. Don’ let it slip away!
Here is my second attempt at an encouraging and/or motivational video. I like this one a lot better than the first. Have a watch and then share it with other teachers you think could use a shot of awesome!
So, Tuesday Teacher, remember that your awesome! You are awesome. You have awesome. Be awesome and share awesome with every student, teacher, parent, family member, administrator, support staff member you see…and be awesome to yourself.
You are amazing! Today will be yours. It is yours. I know you will make it yours! You are going to make a difference for at least one person today…probably more. I love the way you care so much for the people around you, especially your students. Show that care today. I know you will! Keep on teaching, you wonderful Teacher, you!
Love, Teacher
PS…Here is the first video, in case you missed it. Motivational ABCs – The Movie!
Dear Teacher,
Okay, I found some time to write a post. I like writing posts more than just doing a picture message like the one I did this morning…though they are fun to do. I did not think I would find the time to write, but I finally did. And I found some really cool inspiration that goes right along with my theme this week! We, you and I, need to change the world. Teachers can do it. We need to!
I was reading through some blogs this afternoon, and I came across this message of connecting with students. It was so perfect. This teacher’s message went hand-in-hand with my challenge from last Friday. I gave us all the challenge, myself included here, to change the world by changing our own world, changing students’ worlds, changing other teachers’ worlds, and changing the worlds of those around us, outside of schools. (How have you been doing with this, by the way?) The blog post I read today hit one of these nails right on the head. To change the lives of students we have got to connect with them!
I know what you are thinking…”Duh! Everyone knows that!”
We do…but do we really? Really, really? Really, really, really?
Our actions show what we truly know…or at least believe.
We might know that we need to connect to students, but if someone were to really judge us by our actions would they think that we really and truly believe that it is vital to connect with students?
Take that honest look in the mirror. What is the answer to that question? And I am not talking connecting with some students. I mean trying to have a connection with every student you teach, at least on some teeny, tiny level?
Is that even possible? To connect with every student?
I think so. But it is hard work. You have to be purposeful. You have to try…every day. Find a way to connect. Find a way to build rapport. Find a way to earn a voice. Once you have that voice with a student, USE IT!
Talk to your students. Tell them the truth. Help them to know what they need to work on. Tell them how smart they are. Teach them how to use that smart. Help them use it. Help them build confidence until they act like they know they are smart and capable.
Change your students’ world:
You can do it. You can connect with every student. You can be an agent of change. You can make a difference that lasts a lifetime. Know you can do this. Act on that knowledge. Start tomorrow (or today, depending on when you read this).
Challenge for Today (whenever you read this): Make a purposeful connection with three students today. You can do it! Will you?
You are so amazing! You are so awesome! Do it…change the world by changing your students’s world. The speed of change is slow because it is done one person at a time. Start making those changes now! You can do it! Keep on teaching and changing the world, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher,
Can you tell with the dramatic decrease in posts that it has been a busy start to my new school year? New school years are always hectic, but even more so when there is a drastic change to what or how you are teaching. This is kind of what today’s post is about. However, first things first. It is Monday, so it means this is a theme song post.
This past week, for me, is more than just the start of a new school year. Last week marked a change in how I teach. This summer I did a lot of work to learn more about teaching/learning and best practices for making that transaction of teaching and learning happen more effectively for me and my students. I found out a lot of things that need to change, I planned ways to make those changes, and last Wednesday was where the rubber met the road with it all.
I have made two major changes. I am teaching through the use of Problem Based Learning units, and I am using brain-based learning strategies for my actual instruction. This are both huge shifts in how I teach. Not that I was not student-centered before, but these two things are making me far more intentional about anything and everything I do in the classroom.
This transition started with a long look in the mirror. I had to stop pointing fingers about the lack of improvement for some of my students. I had to take responsibility for my side of the teaching/learning relationship. This drove me to look and ask for help. I did this in a variety of ways, but something that kept coming up was Problem Based Learning (PBL) and brain-based strategies. So I spent time learning about both of these.
I was, in essence, driven back to the drawing board. In a lot of ways, I started over with how I thought about my role as a teacher, my students’ roles as learners, and what my classroom should look and feel like. I made strides with changing these things. I redesigned my classroom, my style of teaching, and how I set up the dynamics of lessons and units. I put a lot of effort into this over the summer.
Last week, it all began. This song pretty much sums up my experience.
It was hard to constantly remind myself of the changes that I am making. I had to constantly rethink every interaction and transition. I had to remember to keep each activity targeted and intentional. I had to keep my mind on the fact that students that were not engaged might be a sign of something that I need to adjust in the classroom. I had to be more proactive about every situation and potential conflict.
It got easier throughout the week, but it was difficult and tiring. I came in early every day and stayed late. I reflected and took mental notes. I made small adjustments moment by moment, depending on the need. It very much was a climb.
Did I lose some battles with myself? Sure. Did I get tired and worn out? Of course. Did I lose sight of my goals from time to time? Yes. Did I want to give up and slide back down the mountain every once in a while? Affirmative. Did I give up? NO. Did I keep climbing? YES.
Change is about the climb. It is about moving in the right direction. Are we always going to win? No, we aren’t. Is going to be work, and hard work at that? Yes, you know that it is. It is the work and difficulties that actually change us. We learn from failures more than successes. When we have to backtrack and start again, we know what not to do and can do better the next time.
Becoming the teacher we can be is difficult. But we need to keep on moving. We need to keep on climbing. As we climb, we are becoming more and more of the teacher that we need to be for our students. We choose a destination, but it is the climb that makes us better. Reaching the goal is not the ultimate success. Being the person that we will become to meet that goal is the true success. Change is the highest achievement. The climb is what causes this change.
You are awesome! I know that you are striving to make the changes that you need to make for the betterment of your students! I know that you will keep working to make those changes! You are amazing! Keep on teaching, Teacher, and climb on!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher,
Okay, I know that you may or may not be starting the new school year when you read this. However, there is a good chance that you are, because most of the readers of this blog are from the US. If you are not starting the new school year, you may still find some motivation here in this post, so read on. I hope it will be worth your time!
This is a theme song post; you know the procedures by now, I hope! Click play and then start reading when the music starts!
This is it, Teacher. A new school year is upon you. Are you ready? Are you nervous? Are you anxious? Are you excited? Or are you, like me, a jumble and mix of all three and then some?
What are your plans for the year? I don’t mean unit and lesson plans. I mean what are your plans in the terms of what you want the school year to look like? Do you have those kind of plans? Do you have goals, hopes, and dreams for what the school year could be like? I don’t mean the kind of hopes and dreams that you think, “That would be nice but it won’t happen.” I mean the kind of hopes and dreams that you believe in so much that it gets you up in the morning and you will wear yourself out to make happen?
A lot of us had those kind of plans when we first started teaching. Unfortunately, the longer you teach the more that kind of thinking fades. Lofty and slightly unrealistic goals get beat out of you by the realities of teaching. It does happen slowly, thank goodness, but our hopes erode over the years.
Drip by drip, the stress and pressure of teaching starts to wear on you. It breaks down the hope. It washes some of the dreaming away. It dims the light that used to shine so bright.
Sometimes this gets to the point that the school year happens to you. You get stuck in a form of “survival mode” that you stay in just to make it through. You love and do your best with your students, but the spark is faded or gone. You go along with the waves and currents of the year because you have so little fight left. It is a normal part of teaching for so many of us. Don’t feel bad if you have been there or are there. There is hope!
What is that hope, Mr. Dear Teacher/Love Teacher?
The hope is that IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THAT WAY!
Most of this is going to be a mental exercise, so I know that you may or may not see this as a little bit of “pie in the sky hooey,” but you just have to change your thinking! You have to believe that this year is going to be different. This year will be the change and you will never be the same teacher again! You have to stand firm and resolute. You have have to stand tall, look this new school year in the eye, and be determined that you are going to happen to the year and the year is not just going to happen to you!
Your attitude has to change.
Remember way back to when you first started out. Remember those wild-eyed dreams that you had. Remember the teacher that you were determined to be. Remember how you were going to take the world by storm and change the lives of your students for the better.
Have that image and those thoughts in your head, and then look in the mirror and tell yourself that it is not too late. You know why? It is because, no matter how long that you have been teaching, IT IS NOT TOO LATE! You can still be that teacher! You can still meet those goals!
The best part is that the longer you have been teaching, the more know-how and experience you have to make those things happen and be that teacher you wanted to be. You just have to purpose yourself to do so! And you can! You can because you are awesome!
The past does not matter. No matter the teacher you have been, you can still be the teacher you always wanted to be! Find a way to do it. Hang out with those teachers that are closest to what you dreamed of being. Learn from them. Read, read, read! There are so many sources for strategies and ideas! I will post some of those sources soon. Get to know your students. Find out what they think they need from you as a teacher. Try to become the teacher that they need!
Teacher, YOU CAN DO THIS!
It is your teaching life. It is your year. It is now or never. Teach like your alive! You are alive! You can be the great teacher you wanted to be or that people think you are and you don’t believe them. It is never too late!
BE AWESOME! MAKE THIS YEAR AWESOME! DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES! YOU CAN BECAUSE YOU ARE AMAZING! KEEP ON TEACHING, TEACHER!
This is your year, and don’t you forget it!
Love, Teacher
Dear Teacher,
Today’s post is the best of the guest blog posts by “Substitute Teachers.” I was away for almost two weeks, and I asked a few people to post in my stead. They did a wonderful job and there were amazing posts while I was gone! I enjoyed reading and applying what they wrote!
I am going to use today’s post as a little plug. I am looking for help in two areas. I would love to have a collection of “Substitute Teacher Posts” to use when I am unable to write and to possibly to a weekly guest post. I am looking for people who might like to write some words of encouragement, hope, and/or challenges. Some teacher testimonies, stories from the trenches of teaching where encouragement and hop made a difference, would be awesome, as well. You don’t need to be a blogger, you just have to have something to say! Email if you are interested: dearteacher@outlook.com.
The second plug is another requests for stories or words of encouragement, but this is stories about teachers that you have had in the past that made a difference. I want to collect thank you letters to former teachers and/or stories about how what they did and how they taught made a difference in your life. I think we could learn so much from reading stories and letters like this! I want to post these stories from time to time, and if I get enough I would love to think about putting a book together. Would you like to be a part of this? Please? 🙂 Use the same email to let me know your interest, or just send me your letter or story. I am going to start by posting my letter soon!
Okay, now for the posts. Read a few and share the one you liked the most!
Which one is your favorite? Why? Since you liked it, share the link with others and spread the encouragement! 🙂
You are awesome! No matter what the week has been like, today will be great. Make it great. Keep moving and keep teaching, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
PS…I am going to officially stop sharing the link in the Edmodo communities (I am only going to share in the Dear Teacher/Love Teacher group there from now on). It is never more important than now for you to share Dear Teacher/Love Teacher with others. Share where ever you can and spread the encouragement revolution! By the way, you can share in the communities, I am just not going to.
Dear Teacher,
Today’s “Greatest Hits” are messages that I have enjoyed creating for us. I say us, because sometimes I go back and look at them/read them for encouragement and inspiration, too. I started making the picture notes as a way to send a second message at the end of each day near the end of the school year. I know now that I can’t sustain two posts a day, so the picture messages are weaved into the daily messages.
What has been so much fun is finding new ways to make them. The phrase “There’s an app for that” has never been truer for something! I have found online and tablet apps that let me make fun picture messages to brighten our day or to encourage us.
Because I have started to write a little message along with the picture notes, I have decided to break the “best of” into two lists. Picture notes with no extra message and picture notes with extra messages. Check out as many as you have time for and enjoy!
Just a Picture Message
Picture Note with Extra Message
Which ones are your favorites? Why? Why don’t you go share some of the links? 🙂
You are awesome! I hope you are having a great week! You are making a difference! Keep being awesome and keep on teaching, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
Repeat PS from Monday and yesterday…I have an idea. I want to compile stories about teachers who have made a difference in peoples’ lives. It can be a story or a “Dear Teacher ___________” thank you letter. I want to share them on here and maybe in a couple of other ways (possibly a book). If you are interested, email dearteacher@outlook.com and put “Teacher Story” or “Teacher Thank You Letter” in the subject. Thanks. I am excited about this project! (I will post more details about this soon, but please send your story/letter if you can!)
Dear Teacher,
Today’s “best of” is made up of some of my favorite posts to write, and include some of my favorite all-time posts. Every once in a while we need to remember why we do what we do and get excited about it. We may be on the downside of the teaching roller coaster and a little boost of reminder is all it takes to be headed back up the hill. That is what these posts are about! They are supposed to remind you of the awesomeness of what you do so that you want to go out there and be awesome-er! Here is to being awesome-er!
Some of these are older and you may have definitely missed them. Check out as many as you can and let us all know your favorite (and why)!
Well, I hope you are “pepped” after reading a few! Pick your favorite, tell us why it is your favorite, and then go and share the link to it! You can have more than one favorite, if you want. 🙂
You are awesome! Today is going to be a great day! You are going to have a great rest of the week! You are amazing and are making a difference for the future! Never forget that! Keep on teaching, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
Repeat PS from yesterday…I have an idea. I want to compile stories about teachers who have made a difference in peoples’ lives. It can be a story or a “Dear Teacher ___________” thank you letter. I want to share them on here and maybe in a couple of other ways (possibly a book). If you are interested, email dearteacher@outlook.com and put “Teacher Story” or “Teacher Thank You Letter” in the subject. Thanks. I am excited about this project! (I will post more details about this soon, but please send your story/letter if you can!)
Dear Teacher,
For me, this is the last full week before teachers go back to school for the new year. I have so much planning and other things that I want to get done! I think I am going to have to chill it with the blog for this week. So…this week will be the “Best of Dear Teacher/Love Teacher.” I am going to post links to several posts from the last three months, and then I am going to give you a challenge. I want you to pick your favorite, share why it is your favorite, and then share it everywhere that you can (Edmodo, Facebook, Twitter, etc…).
Today is the best of the weekly theme songs. Because there have not been that many, I am going to share a link to all of them. Which is your favorite?
My favorite is Stronger. That song has been in my head a lot since I found out the results of the State Tests. I know that I can use the unmet expectations as fuel for next year. It is driving me to work harder to have things together for my students and to use what I have learned to be more effective in years to come. I am stronger, and I will continue to get stronger!
Which is your favorite? Why? Go out and share the encouragement!
You are awesome! You are amazing! This year will be the best one yet, I just know it! Keep on teaching and keep on getting stronger, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
PS…I have an idea. I want to compile stories about teachers who have made a difference in peoples’ lives. It can be a story or a “Dear Teacher ___________” thank you letter. I want to share them on here and maybe in a couple of other ways (possibly a book). If you are interested, email dearteacher@outlook.com and put “Teacher Story” or “Teacher Thank You Letter” in the subject. Thanks. I am excited about this project!
Dear Teacher/Love Teacher 