Earlier in my teaching career, I would try to help my students value the work of learning by showing how educational attainment related to long-term earnings. In These 6 Things, I’ve even got a picture of the chart that used to hang on my wall before they renovated my classroom and tore the wall down. […]
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How to Help Motivate A Student Who Only Wants to Draw
Some time ago, I asked colleagues to tell me about a student who seemed especially demotivated. Here’s what Stephanie shared: I have an eighth grade student that I’ve been encouraging to participate more in his own education. He argues with me that I should just let him draw. He tells me that all his other […]
What Does It Mean to be an English Teacher?
Dear colleague, Of all the subjects, I don’t know of one more difficult to define than English Language Arts. That’s why, next Wednesday, Jim Burke and I will be chatting about what exactly it means to be an English teacher. If you’re not familiar with Jim’s work, here are some highlights: So, two quick things […]
Should You Quit Your Teaching Job? (Or: It’s October Again)
Dear colleague, It’s that time of year when folks like you and me can begin to feel disheartened. Some common scenarios include: If you do this job long enough, eventually seasons like this can lead you to wonder: should I start looking for another job? If you’re in this kind of circumstance right now, I […]
Should We Please and Thank Students?
The other day, I got a great question from an early career teacher. One of my professors, towards the beginning of my program, told my cohort that we shouldn’t use please or thank you when talking to students. The reasoning was that if we are asking or thanking a student for meeting classroom expectations, that […]