For an educator the most exciting time of the year is the Fall and the start of a new school year. It is a fresh start, a new beginning, and a special opportunity to make a difference in this troubled world. As we begin this new year I'd like to take my second blog as an opportunity to share 10 pieces of advice to all educators everywhere. These are my keys to a successful year. Here we go...in no particular order.
1. Be a good teammate and more importantly a good friend: Support your teammates or your co-teachers, or your administrative team, whoever you work with. Share your good ideas. Listen to your teammates ideas. Be a patient listener. They may not want you to solve their problems. Most of the time people just need to be heard. Kind words and small acts of kindness go a long way. Have your teammates back and they will have yours.
2. Get connected: Create an Instagram account, Tweet, blog, pin away on Pinterest, whatever. Pick some form of media and reach out to educators across the world. This is an excellent way to learn new ideas and rekindle your passion for learning. Social media allows us to expand our circle. It allows us to network with peers we didn't even know existed and be the captains of our own Professional Development.
3. Quality over quantity: Its not how many lessons you teach or how many of the Common Core Standards you cover. Its more important that we offer deep learning experiences for students. Create memorable learning experiences for them that they will not forget. Delve deep into lessons. Remember that an outstanding lesson cannot be contained to an hour lesson. Plan lessons that take several class periods to complete. Taking the time to really focus on topics and ideas equates to deeper learning for our students.
4. Stay in the moment: Don't let the wonderful, everyday small moments at school pass you by. Too often we educators allow ourselves to over focus on mundane tasks, looming deadlines, etc. We become distracted to the point that we can miss the extraordinary things going on in front of us on a daily basis. Don't miss opportunities to shake a child's hand, tell them "good morning", or ask them how their ballgame went.
5. Involve your parents: Make them feel welcome in your classroom. Keep them informed. Reach out to them. Find out what they want this school year for their children. Form a partnership. Having their support will only help you reach their child more. Find out what they think works best for their child. They hold key information regarding their child's learning styles and motivations. Call, email, or message them with positive news. Don't allow the first interaction with them to be about something negative.
6. Empower students: Give them real leadership opportunities in your classroom and in your schools. This is a step further than engagement. Allow them to have a voice and to make decisions that impact the pathway of their learning. Facilitate more, lecture less. Give them real responsibilities. Challenge them. Make them think for themselves and make difficult decisions. If they struggle be there to encourage them to keep at it.
7. Don't sweat the small stuff: Many times we allow ourselves to get caught up in problems that are actually inconsequential. We allow ourselves to stress out about things that don't really matter. Before you get too upset, ask yourself, "Does this really matter?" or "Is this really that big of a deal?" More times than not we will find that these problems are simply solved or unimportant. Don't let a bad 5 minutes snowball into a bad day. Don't allow small things to get in the way of your lofty goals.
8. Let your hair down: Let your true self out. Let the students see your passion. Plan your instruction so that it will be enjoyable for you to deliver. Let students get to know you. Being authentic will allow you to be more approachable. It will also become more likely that the learning you lead will stick better with students.
9. Remember that every interaction that you have with someone has the potential to be the bright spot of their day: The smile you give a student or co-worker could be the only smile they see all day. The kind word you offer could help them shake off a negative thought. Do not underestimate the positive impact we can have on each other with simple kind acts. Take time to greet your students as they walk in the door. Make them feel special and make sure they know you care about them. On a daily basis be a champion for your students.
10. Challenge yourself: Be the best version of yourself as possible. You have the opportunity to be better than you were last year. You can reach more students than last year. You have the chance to try more innovative strategies. Abandon your comfort zones. Demand more of yourself. Personalize instruction better for your students. Don't settle for average. Set goals for yourself. Hold yourself accountable by adhering to a timeline. Do not settle for less than your best. Go home every night knowing that you were the best teacher you could have been each day. You can do this!
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