Do No Harm!- Not a bad idea!
This column is a collection of highlights from my fall conference presentations in 2007 as always take what helps, pass on to others if you feel inclined or ignore it completely.
1. Throw away the book and replace it with the world. - It would be nice if all students had an experience base on which we could build knowledge. The simple fact is in most cases they do not have the experience, reading base or even the exposure to the world outside their neighborhood. So teachers need to take our subject to the world. Show students where what you teach relates to their future and to real life. The only teachers that teach straight from the book are scared, incompetent or both! Use slides, speakers, the Internet, Videos, and DVDs to enhance the subject and make your teaching more interesting. Want a wake up call about your book- Sit down some night and read two chapters of your text. BORING! To say the least.
2. Share ideas with other teachers. – Many good teachers share ideas within their school and maybe their district. Let’s try to expand on this idea. When was the last time you presented your best ideas at a state or national conference? How many teachers outside of your district do you regularly communicate with about teaching ideas? Do you pass on good references or resources? Just try to expand your network further then you reach now. This might just help you or the other teachers.
3. Be an ADVOCATE for education! – If we do not get out and communicate good information to the public and government representatives then the only ones talking are the press and school bashers! There is more variety, more college level work, and more diversity in public education today then ever in the history of education. So why are we getting bashed in the press. Why does someone like Dr. Laura not think there are many safe and competent public schools (I’m not bashing Dr, Laura, but she is a commonly known public figure and I would like to hear her and others admit that there are some good things going on in public schools today.) We need to tell parents how important their role is to the education of their child. We need to be sure the right facts get out to the public. We need to visit and talk with our elected officials. We need good information on education issues to combat bad information.
4. Lift up others. – I tell my students when they pick their study groups that: “There are friends that will lift you up and friends that will pull you down. The choice is yours to make!” The same is true for schools. I get so tired of teachers that spend hours complaining about everything and everyone. So instead of complaining I will offer advice to try and lift up teachers.
a. Avoid the teachers lounge! It is often a focus for people that complain!
b. Refuse to participate in negative conversations. “We are not having this conversation!”
c. Try and fix or overcome any problems on your own.
d. Do not make fun of students or other teachers in public ever!
e. Keep yourself happy and sane. Find a peer group of positive teachers and enjoy them and your profession.
5. Start at where the student is now. – Don’t say they should have learned that last year and plow on with new material. Find out what your students know coming in to you class and start teaching anything they do not know. Just because they did not learn it last year is no reason to punish them this year. Two bad teachers in a row is worse than one bad one and one that helps them catch up. Use home, the Internet, flashcards to start class, basic review problems on all tests to help them catch up.
6. Offer Retest and Cumulative testing – Many teachers spend hours correcting test and reworking mistakes only to have the students throw them away or not look at anything but the grade. People learn by finding and correcting their own errors. So teach them to check their own work by offering retest so they can look over their work and find their own mistakes. Teach them what to look for and ways to edit or check their own work. The advantages of cumulative tests I discussed in my “Different testing ideas” column. Read it.
7. Aim for excellence. – Many state standardized tests are often minimal standards to help define “proficiency”. Let’s use an example to try and make this point: Say a middle school wants to define the proficient height for 7th grade males. You can not use the average as a standard because half the kids would not test out proficient so they set the standard at 3’ instead of 5’2” So that 95+% now meet the standard. The only way to set a standard everyone can meet “No Child Left Behind” is to set minimal standards. We must teach above these standards.
8. Be professional. – I don’t mean the standard schoolmarm perception but competent and appropriate. I don’t believe in the shirt and tie teacher of the 50’s and there are times that jeans, shorts and even a lab coat are professional dress. More than appearence, I am talking about knowledge of your subject area, interaction with the public, and working with the companies you use in your classroom. Some basic ideas are:
a. Carry business cards.
b. Speak no evil in public!
c. When in doubt overdress. You can always go more casual but you can not dress up if you don’t have the clothes.
d. Learn more about your subject daily.
9. Reach all subjects. – Be sure you can expand your subject to other subject areas. The more the education experience in your classroom covers a large area of content the more chance you have of reaching the students. Now there is some new buzz word for "interdisciplinary education" but what ever the new education model is, try it.
10. Brag on your students. – Send home “Good News” postcards to parents of students that do well in your class. Call 2-3 parents every week to comment on work well done or improvement. Bring a camera to class and fill your bulletin board with students doing great things. Invite members of the community into your classroom for projects or better yet take your students work and display it in public.
11. NO Fuss Lunches- Teachers invite 10-15 teachers you like to a “no fuss lunch” once a month. Have a pot luck lunch during school and all teachers that attend agree to a few basic rules:
a. No complaining about school
b. No students
c. Have fun and get to know each other
d. Bring pictures of family, trips, or fun stuff
e. Share good escape ideas
f. NO NEGATIVE WAVES!
12. Plan a Vacation- Take care of the happy person inside of you. If you are miserable then it will overflow into your teaching. Take two hours every day and one weekend a month to escape teaching and be an adult or feed your inner child. Exercise and stay healthy to keep your energy up. Teaching is emotional when it is done right. To be your best you have to be physically and mentally healthy.
|
