I love this video, Percy and I showed it to students last year when we taught them the 8 Keys of Excellence and the Line... I hope you love it too. It shows the importance of knowing your "Why".
Knowing your why is a reflective practice that can really change the game for us as educators. Over the weekend, I saw two meme's that stuck with me. One talked about the need to stop thinking that teachers need to be "fixed", instead, they should be supported, encouraged, inspired and appreciated. Dr. Brad Johnson (who wrote the meme) is an author of several books, including Learning on Your Feet: Incorporating Physical Activity into the K-8 Classroom (this sounds interesting), & What Schools Don't Teach: 20 Ways to Help Students Excel in School and in Life. Dr. Johnson"s latest book, Putting Teacher's First co-authored with Todd Whitaker was just released. His twitter page is worth following as is Todd Whitaker (more from him in a second).
I love these as they are foundational beliefs for me. Wes Kieschnick talks about the need to stop saying that education is broken. In both his Models Schools Conference Keynote speech and his book, Bold School, he is passionate to say that public education is not broken.
Teachers have the ability to move mountains with kids, but, we have to work together, support one another and help one another. The fast llama herd is there to support each other when we slow down. Not only do we support each other when we feel slow, but, we also are there to celebrate the victories too. This goes along with John Hattie's finding in his research that the number one strategy to move the needle, affect change and growth in students with the idea of the Collective Teacher Efficacy fed by the knowledge of their impact in schools. The collective knowledge and skills present at Labay is amazing and excellence is all around us. Hattie stresses the idea of "know they impact".
Teaching is important and no program is more important than the teacher. It's about people, not programs and the best PD can often be the teacher down the hall. And we should lean on and rely on each other for assistance, collaboration and moral support as much and as often as possible. We share our expertise with one another, know our impact and change the learning lives of our students.
I am reading the book, 75 Ways to Be a Better Teacher Tomorrow by Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker. This book was handed out to new teachers and it is a quick read with each chapter 2 - 3 pages. Today, I am focusing on idea #15, Post a Simple Sign Telling Why You're a Teacher. Andy Abbott and I were talking about this the other day, low and behold, it's already a thing...
It looks, sounds and feels like this...
Make a sign that says, "I'm a teacher because..." and then list the reasons.
Make the sign fairly large and post it in the room for all to see. It will remind you, every day, of why you are here and why you do what you do.
Here's an example from the book:
I am a Teacher Because...
1. I love my students.
2. I love to help people achieve their goals.
3. I believe that all of my students are talented. It is a privilege to help students
discover their unique talents
4. I believe that all of my students have amazing potential. It is a privilege to help all
students realize their potential.
5. I feel there is no more important profession in the world.
6. I love learning from my students.
7. Teaching is fun for me!
Consider placing a duplicate sign outside your door. I am thinking this would be a great addition to our teacher Bio's we already have posted. Others will stop by and read it and you will inspire others. Administrators will read it as well as well as guests in our building. Proudly proclaim your love of teaching and post it for all to see.
We are shifting our mindset in our thinking. This takes effort. Everytime we send a positive thought across our neural pathways, we make our positive thoughts and actions stronger and stronger. This thinking creates real change. The first step is belief.
References:
Breaux, A. L., & Whitaker, T. (2019). 75 Ways to be a better teacher tomorrow: with less stress and quick success. New York: Routledge.
By. (n.d.). John Hattie. Retrieved from https://visible-learning.org/john-hattie/.
Kieschnick, W., & Casap, J. (2017). Bold school: old school wisdom new school technologies = blended learning that works. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.
Breaux, A. L., & Whitaker, T. (2019). 75 Ways to Be a Better Teacher Tomorrow: with Less Stress and Quick Success. New York: Routledge.By. (n.d.).
John Hattie. Retrieved from https://visible-learning.org/john-hattie/.Kieschnick, W., & Casap, J. (2017).
Bold school: Old School Wisdom + New School Technologies = Blended Learning that Works. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.
Breaux, A. L., & Whitaker, T. (2019). 75 Ways to be a better teacher tomorrow: with less stress and quick success. New York: Routledge.
By. (n.d.). John Hattie. Retrieved from https://visible-learning.org/john-hattie/.
Kieschnick, W., & Casap, J. (2017). Bold school: old school wisdom new school technologies = blended learning that works. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.
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