I’ve noticed that most good teachers are their own worst critics. Sure, they say, use that evaluation rubric on me, and please, give me some critical feedback, but at the end of the day, you’re not going to critique me more than I critique myself. This disposition is important; it’s one that distinguishes the Professional […]
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16 Reflective Questions to Ponder this Month
One thing I appreciate about the teaching life is its provision of dependable seasons. What I mean is that, dependably, May is a month for looking closely at the fruits of the school year that is almost over and deciding on what needs to get better in the year to come; June and July are […]
This Month, Make Space for Reflection and Anticipation
It hasn’t been uncommon for me in years past to refrain from blogging in December. I’ve done this for three reasons: You are insanely busy, and I thought you wouldn’t read what I wrote in December; I want you to be less busy in December, so I didn’t want to add reading to your plate; and I […]
Triple Responsibility: Its Problems and Imperatives
John Wooden, who, even at 94, referred to his career as that of a teacher rather than a coach, taught his “students” many things, but the one I’d like to examine today is the concept of double responsibility. From Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life: I… talked to my players about […]
Four Non-Negotiable Teacher Mindsets
If you can’t affirm and work from the four “mindset” statements that comprise this article, [1] you must either A) work to alter your beliefs, or B) work to leave the profession. Option A is where I live — repeatedly finding myself intellectually assenting to the four mindset statements that follow, but functionally, operationally working […]