The ABC's High School Teachers Really Need to Know

Let's keep it simple.  Both philosophically and practically, the substitute shortage shouldn't be your burden.  Educators can advocate for their kids and themselves at the same time.  Stop going to work sick.  Stop missing family milestones.  Stop helping administrators, schools, or districts take advantage of you.  

Teachers often use "Review Days" as a regular part of their process, especially before summative assessments.  However, if not approached correctly, these days can actually hurt students and even prevent learning.  Playing games of random unit trivia and/or attempting to reteach every previous lesson are failing strategies for long-term learning.  Instead, effective teachers utilize "Review Days" as additional lessons to further and reinforce concepts, skills, and knowledge.  

Quibbling with parents in emails, parent conferences, or anywhere else is usually a waste of time.  Effective teachers know that empathy, clear expectations, and emotional intelligence are key.  This week's episode will give you plenty of strategies and reminders to help you rise above the quibbling and focus on helping your students.  

It goes without saying that all of us have different life experiences, political beliefs, and professional practices.  These serve as our "lenses" through which we inevitably design and facilitate lessons.  Effective teachers are aware of these differences and the potential impact they have on students as both learners and people.  How a student receives or interacts with a lesson is affected by these lenses (theirs and yours).  We can't drive content  in a vacuum.  When we are more aware of these lenses, students are more likely to benefit from our process.   

The gap between who we are and how we actually come across to our students needs to be as narrow as possible.  In addition to being relationship-focused, effective teachers must possess high levels of self-awareness.  They need to reflect, seek feedback, and accept coaching on a regular basis.  Effective teachers come across as genuine because they ARE genuine.  They are liked AND respected.  Falling to achieve these things can make you come across like a Dumbo to your students, and in turn, impact the learning.  

Effective teachers know they have to offer different pieces of the "pie" to truly connect with the diversity of students in the classroom.  In addition to offering countless ways to learn and show skills and progress, allowing them to "nibble" on different pieces improves the student experience.  So, what makes up your pie?  How big are the pieces?  Is it time to offer more or remake others?  

This episode discusses crucial strategies that will help your students find success in the classroom and beyond.  Effective teachers know that effort is really about motivation.  When we don't empathize or emphasize what really drives student motivation, we are building a recipe for underachievement and underperformance.  

Group work is often an obsession for teachers and other stakeholders.  The truth is, like any other instructional strategy, if it is not used with appropriate learning objectives in mind, the lesson will be more likely to miss the mark.  Effective educators know that we have to be intentional.  When used appropriately, group work can lead to powerful outcomes.  

Effective teachers know that the daily classroom experience has to be the most impactful part of the learning process, particularly in today's world.  We have to make each day relevant and valuable.  We need to design a daily experience that is R.E.A.L. and set manageable and meaningful expectations for students away from the classroom.  

Living at your job is not living at all.  We have to strive for balance.  Effective teachers know that you serve your students best when you are also at your best.  Find happiness and longevity in your job by also finding it in your personal life.  Your students will be beneficiaries as well.