Jump Start! What Teachers Need Now

Let’s get to it.  Tomorrow is August 1. Buildings are opening for teachers to begin prepping for their new classes.  This time is limited!  Once you get into professional days, the amount of prep time dwindles to almost zero. Much will be created for you: class lists, grade-level schedules, and building procedures.  And it is ALL subject to change.  

So let’s focus on you.   

Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?”  This question is from Essentialism.  You may want to post this question to remind yourself throughout the year! Teachers become world-class multi-taskers.  We need to get the right things done.  We CANNOT do it all.  

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I’ve been reading Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman. You’ll probably remember the story I’m going to share with you.  Researchers wanted to study the effects of teachers demonstrating high expectations with a group of students who had been “tested” and shown to be of higher than average intelligence.  Researchers encouraged the teachers to pay more attention to these students, encourage them more if they struggled, and of course, praise their efforts and achievement often.  It’s called the Pygmalion effect.  And it isn’t only for students.  

Beware: The effects of low expectations are exactly what you'd expect.  This is called the Golem effect.  If we have low expectations of someone, we are going to distance ourselves from them, we are not going to smile at them. If we don’t believe in what they can do, how can they believe it themselves?  Due to the ethics of this type of research on humans, there isn't much.  But it JUST MAKES SENSE.  

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Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Often attributed to Desmond Tutu- There comes a point where we need to stop pulling people out of the river.  We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. 

 The problems teachers face are occurring upstream.  They are happening before students walk into the room, before the data is due, and before a child throws their desk over. 

Let’s start doing things differently. WHEN we know more about each of our students, we can teach them better, we can support their classmates better, we can work with families more easily, we become more flexible in our planning, and WE LEARN TO ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED.  

What if…when a new student is going to join our class, we have an opportunity to meet them and their family a day before they join the class?  Wouldn’t this be best for the student and the parents? (and you and your class?)  ESPECIALLY if they arrive with an IEP. (the document outlining which  special education services they receive)  

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
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 I recently read an article on Education Week spotlighting a new book.  I previewed the book and became discouraged by the litany of (likely) complaints within schools.  The article grabbed my attention. How dare researchers in universities say that problems in education are to be blamed on the teachers? No, we will not be scapegoats for the state of underfunded and undersupported education.  

Is teaching stressful? All work can be stressful.   If we’re trying to program a website, publish an article, or get the house roofed before storm-several events can delay and deter us and cause stress.  Teachers work with people.  Often with 25 or more kiddos in a room.  The moment-to-moment decisions number in the hundreds.  I would never disagree that there is stress in the classroom and often things feel out of control.  When it does, we must ask for and expect help.  We might need to keep track of when we’ve asked for help and it hasn’t arrived.

We need support-no more blame.

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

This past week I attended the summer leadership conference for the Colorado Education Association in the mountains. The first meeting room had floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the rocky mountains, aspen trees, and pines.  What a beautiful backdrop to learning! If only we all had this view outside of our classrooms. We can dream, right?

Solutions Based discussions
The Story of Self-Us-Now
Jump Start What Teachers Need Now

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

My original episode on time management was the most popular download.  I’m all about urgency and efficiency because our time in the classroom is limited and our students need so much.  This episode isn’t so much about things to do (or not do) but about forming an awareness of time wasters and revising our perception of how much time we lose each day.  

I found these ideas online from Megan Sumrell-she offers a free training called How to Plan and Manage Your Time to Stay Organized. I don’t know anyone who needs this type of training more than teachers!  

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

By July 5th, all the red, white, and blue will be on sale. School supplies will be overflowing in bins. It’s important to have enough for EVERY student! Stock up while they’re priced low!

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

So, it’s official. I’m now a retired teacher, no longer on salary, no longer subject to curriculum demands, no longer a possibility of subbing in the grade level, no more unjamming the copier, no more belly breaths while a child has a meltdown, no more checking out, no more emails, no more meetings. No more district PD.  Just. No. More.  

There are no tears, I have no regrets. I am grateful for the career and people I’ve worked with. 

I’ll still be creating a Monday Morning Podcast for you.  I’ll be speaking with our state’s association leaders in June to impress upon them the need to have all schools provide top-quality mentoring.  Teaching is hard.  Teachers need mentors to help them become master teachers faster.  

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Several years ago, my team and I leaned against the stacks of desks and started to plan for the next school year.  The crazy part of this was the kids had just left for summer!  But as we stood there, and brainstormed some ideas to make the next year even better, we also reflected on how we had taught the current year.  We weren’t quite able to pack our backpacks and head out the door. 

We also talked about how to best help our students with their behaviors. What solutions could we come up with NOW, and be ready to implement next year?  

It’s important to look back and see where you can make changes to make your teaching days easier and more productive.

The lazy days of summer can blur the edges...

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics