Tomorrow our teachers will return to work for the 2014-2015 school year. How exciting! I love this time of year because teachers are eagerly setting up their classrooms, planning lessons, and buying up all the crayons, markers, and pocket folders they can get their hands on. At the same time, students are savoring their last days at the pool, summer camps, and buying up new backpacks and lunch boxes for the new year. Other students are eagerly waiting for that bus to come on the first day of school because they can't wait to be back at school.
For the next 180 days the potential is there, it's our job as educators to unlock it in each and every one of our students. It's our job, our awesome, rewarding job to provide the opportunities for students to shine.
Here is my top ten list of things to remember as you embark on a new school year:
1. Relationships first (They might not remember what you teach them, but they will remember how you make them feel)
2. Students are more than a test score or a report card grade. So are teachers!
3. Learning is correcting your mistakes. (Yes, even teachers are allowed to make them and learn from them.)
4. Find out why they're misbehaving. (Children act out for different reasons, not to make your life difficult.)
5. Give yourself free time.
6. Work as a team.
7. Start blogging. (For yourself and with your students. Share your classroom story with others)
8. If you have a bad day, don't let it trickle over to the next. LET IT GO!
9. Try new things (Even 1 new thing will energize you and your students.)
10. Remember how you would want your own child to be treated, and taught by a teacher. Be that teacher!
Have a great year! And don't be afraid to let me know how I can support you! We are all in this together!
For the next 180 days the potential is there, it's our job as educators to unlock it in each and every one of our students. It's our job, our awesome, rewarding job to provide the opportunities for students to shine.
Here is my top ten list of things to remember as you embark on a new school year:
1. Relationships first (They might not remember what you teach them, but they will remember how you make them feel)
2. Students are more than a test score or a report card grade. So are teachers!
3. Learning is correcting your mistakes. (Yes, even teachers are allowed to make them and learn from them.)
4. Find out why they're misbehaving. (Children act out for different reasons, not to make your life difficult.)
5. Give yourself free time.
6. Work as a team.
7. Start blogging. (For yourself and with your students. Share your classroom story with others)
8. If you have a bad day, don't let it trickle over to the next. LET IT GO!
9. Try new things (Even 1 new thing will energize you and your students.)
10. Remember how you would want your own child to be treated, and taught by a teacher. Be that teacher!
Have a great year! And don't be afraid to let me know how I can support you! We are all in this together!