teacher
All about teachers and the world of teaching; teachers sharing their best and worst interactions with students, best teaching practices, the path to becoming a teacher, and more.
The "Gritty" Classroom
Introducing Grit In order to apply Grit in the classroom, you first need to understand what Grit is. Next, you need to practice it yourself, and become an example of what is possible. Finally, you will need to allow the space for your students to practice Grit in your classroom. In this article, I will use examples from my classroom to illustrate what Grit is. If you have not watched Angela Duckworth's TED Talk on Grit, please take a minute to do so before reading on.
By Marci Brodock5 years ago in Education
Subbing In. Top Story - October 2019.
The life of a substitute teacher is an interesting one. On any given day, you may be required to walk into a completely foreign school, and command respect the moment you walk through the front gates. This can often be belied by the fact that you have a fruit cup packed in your bag for recess, and often have difficulty finding the front office.
By Archibald Jacobs5 years ago in Education
I Attempt to Teach English, Damn It
I teach English to college students who don't want to learn English. I teach Freshman Composition. It is a required course, which means all students have to take it, whether they are majoring in math, science, computer engineering, architecture, medicine, or underwater basketweaving. Very few are majoring in English. Very few want to be in the room. Very few see any point in taking English AGAIN. They've taken it every year they've been in school. They speak (at least most of them) English (I do get some non-native speakers sometimes), or some variation of it, so enough already. My classroom is the last place they want to be.
By Jo An Fox-Wright5 years ago in Education
Why All Educators Should Do Personal Development. Top Story - October 2019.
Recently I was working with a group of young students who were, as students do, resisting doing the task that I, the educator, wanted them to. I began to enter into the familiar dance that anyone who has ever worked with children likely knows well: Kids moving around the room, talking to friends, asking unrelated questions, raising their hand and telling long-winded, boring stories about their friend Carley’s pet hamster who pooped on the floor. Everybody laughs but you—because let's face it kid, your story sucks and I see what you’re trying to do here.
By Alexandra Rizzi5 years ago in Education
Adventures in 7th Grade Discipline
One of my classes is pretty verbose and rowdy. The code word is "social." I have not had much success in getting AND maintaining their attention this year. This class lags behind my other sections on a consistent basis when I am presenting lessons just because there are more interruptions from the class. Some interruptions are unwanted, like stupid 7th grade jokes about Uranus. Some are ok, like questions about how the material relates to them and other interesting tangents.
By Graham Stewart5 years ago in Education
So, You Think You Want to Teach
So you think you want to teach Ever since you were little, you would play school with your dolls, siblings, or pets. Maybe you were one of the lucky ones, who had an inspirational educator you admired and seek to mimic because of the beautiful imprint that educator left on you. That imprint lead you to believe—this person must love their job, "Look at how much they love teaching me." Although many teachers love the craft of teaching, the level of stamina involved to reach the pinnacle goal of becoming an official "Teacher of Record" (Legitimate teacher in the classroom) can feel like your climbing an elongated ladder where each step gradually gets longer than the last. Now this ladder does have golden milestones of achievement, but nonetheless each one of them is well earned with sacrifice—money, time, and strong support.
By C.C Intrigue 5 years ago in Education
The Pros and Cons of Substitute Teaching
In my life, I have had a variety of jobs and one career. I have worked at a smoothie shop, a bagel shop, an OBGYN office, and a car dealership to name a few. I was a substitute teacher for half of a school year before settling in to my career as a full-time elementary school teacher. After teaching for five years, I had my first child and decided to take off. I truly loved teaching, so I figured I could sub part-time so I’d still be able to teach occasionally.
By Haley Peterson5 years ago in Education
I Teach (Or Try To)
For the last 34 years, I've attempted to teach English to students who, for the most part, do not want to learn English. Have you ever tried to teach a puppy to sit? The puppy has no desire to sit. The puppy wants to frolic, run, play with toys. The last thing a puppy wants to do is sit. It's pretty much the same trying to teach students English.
By Jo An Fox-Wright5 years ago in Education
Dear Liz
Dear Liz, I have always returned home after summer vacation with a certain amount of dread. This state of elevated anxiety is the result of many years of conditioning—years of returning from one glorious vacation or another to find some bombshell awaiting either in my email or magnetically preserved on my ancient answering machine. Your email ensures that the tradition is alive and well.
By David Marsden5 years ago in Education
Dauntless Teaching
I led a training this summer where teachers were introduced to a new science curriculum newly adopted by our district. The room was filled with excited but nervous energy. Many teachers commented about how they were excited to teach the new content and how the new curriculum would be so much better for their students. However, on the flip side of that coin, I also heard, "I'm not sure how I'm going to do this." The echos of this statement are familiar to me because, as an educator, I have whispered those words to myself multiple times over the years. I know how it feels to be presented with something new and being overwhelmed with the time and energy it will take to implement it into my teaching practices. During this training, these teachers were presented with the obstacles of time and technology, and I could almost read the defeat on some of their faces when they realized they were going to have to overcome challenges they weren't prepared to take on this school year. I cannot count how many times I have felt this way myself over the years. Usually, this defeated feeling comes when I'm told I need to collect behavioral data, or when I have to come up with Plan F for student intervention. But what I have learned recently is that it is these moments that are allowing me to grow as an educator. When I lean into the uncomfortable and overwhelming situations with a belief that there is a solution, then I find myself trying instead of letting the feeling of defeat win.
By Marci Brodock5 years ago in Education