Transformative Principal

Being Weird with Doug Robertson AKA He’s The Weird Teacher Transformative Principal 023


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Sponsor: Sanebox

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Doug Robertson (Twitter) teaches 3rd grade in Southern Oregon.

Here’s his blog or media empire homepage.

Youtube Channel

Facebook Fan page

He is the author of “He’s the Weird Teacher” (paperback) (Kindle edition).

I interviewed Doug because I read his book and was really fascinated by it. I have learned that not everyone teaches the same way (DUH!). But, also, our own life experiences have taught us and shaped us into the people we are today. To be a great teacher, you don’t need to be like [Enter Great Teacher’s Name]. Doug and every excellent “popular” or famous or movie teacher have two things in common:

  1. A strong desire to be your own person, regardless of the status quo or anybody else’s judgments.
  2. A passion to help kids learn.
  3. As part of this podcast, I want to start interviewing master teachers who are really great at what they do. I am especially interested in teachers that are great at making their kids enjoy class and learn life lessons, not just making sure they are acing the tests. ;)

    Notes from my conversation with Doug:

    • He used to teach in Hawaii, so we talked a little about that before the official interview started, but it was fascinating, so I included it.
    • Teaching is a performance art
    • Acting vs. Teaching.
    • Importance of trust in teaching.
    • What happens in my classroom happens because I want it to.
    • To Principals: You hired me to do my job, now let me do it.
    • Chris Hardwick
    • How he takes away the opportunity to make excuses.
    • How swimming helped him learn to stop making excuses.
    • Why you can’t keep complaining without doing something to fix it.
    • It is OK to vent about kids. “But, my kids don’t give me much to complain about.” (That is because if they did, he would take responsibility for it!)
    • “My classroom is noisy because it has to be noisy.”
    • “My students are weird, what am I doing to make them weird.”
    • I give two cents on why I like a noisy cafeteria.
    • Some discussion on the term “digital native”.
    • We should call what we do “Practicing Education” just like lawyers practice law and doctors practice medicine.
    • How being a good teacher and establishing the basics allows us to know how we can change things up as we go along.
    • What kind of an environment does Doug need to thrive? Trust!
    • How trusting students is an extension of the trust from administration.
    • Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire by Rafe Esquith
    • How to have your own style. Don’t teach like someone else. Teach like yourself.
    • Some kids don’t respond well to the style of Doug’s teaching.

    • Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

      As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

      We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.


      If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 


      These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.

      We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL


      IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

      • Simplify and streamline technology
      • Save teachers’ time
      • Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
      • Improve student performance on state assessments


      🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

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