Teachers are upset. They are displeased with their work conditions. Here are details from recent strikes: Chicago, West Virginia, or California. The teacher profession is under attack. Teachers are mandated to teach very specific curriculum, expected to produce nearly impossible results, take all of the heat from a struggling system, and then are paid like … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Focus On One Aspect Of Their Job To Advocate For (GMTT – #10)
Happy Halloween Eve! In honor of all the spook-ish fun that will be happening, this week's way to be awesome is about having fun! Did you know that incorporating fun into your classroom is a research based method to increase learning? Hope you get the chance to add some fun into your classroom this Halloween!
Have you ever met or heard of Anita Archer? Well she's amazing and is a wonderful teacher and trainer. Something she encourages teachers to do is to "walk around and talk around." This means literally walking around while you are instructing. That's it. If you are running low on motivation this week and really want … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Walk Around The Room As They Teach (GMTT – #7)
I realized as I started this project that this list could become counter productive. Many teachers feel so overwhelmed that a big list of ways to to improve, even SMALL ways, can seem like an impossible task. Never fear though, I have written several steps to help keep you in a growth mindset. And if … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Remember They Can’t Do Everything Every Week (GMTT-#6)
I LOVE precision requests. I might even like the name more than the actual action. I am going to say a precise request with power behind it. Doesn't it give you the teacher shivers a little bit? Okay, maybe it doesn't, but it should. And it can! Awesome teachers use these instead of reprimands because … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Use Precision Requests When They Need To Change Student Behavior (GMTT – #5)
Doing something kind for your coworkers might not seem like it translates to immediate rewards, but it actually does. Research shows that teachers are more satisfied with their jobs when they have good relationships with their coworkers. And teachers that are more satisfied with their jobs make greater impacts with their students. So basically spreading … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Make Time To Do Kind Deeds (GMTT – #4)
I'm going to be 100% honest here, when I have taught all day, and wrangled children, and dealt with hard coworkers, and barely have had time to use the restroom or eat... the last thing I want to do is call up an unknown parent and shoot the breeze. And I definitely don't want talk … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Make Personal Connections With Student Families (GMTT – #3)
Hey, hey! Thank you for reading the first (in a 40 week series of posts) on being awesome with a reasonable amount of extra effort. Teachers are busy, tired, and burnout. I figure no matter how tired you are, anyone can add 5-10% more effort. These ideas (GMTTI-Give More To Teaching Ideas) are meant for … Continue reading Awesome Teachers Create A Student Positivity List (GMTT – #1)