What matters for kids? Quality teaching matters, what teachers are doing with students in the classroom matters. Many students will succeed in spite of us, but others have very little chance to succeed unless we are on the top of our game. There is a link between quality teaching and student achievement. All of us come to work daily and teach the best we know how. Is your practice perfect?
Teaching is a practice - think about that. I encourage you to view these these mini-videos by Lucy West- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI_a8I8lJZM. She emphasizes that we as teachers must be willing to try, fail and try again in order to master our practice of teaching. A true learning culture sees failure as a means to finding solutions. We must be okay with looking at the things that don't work in our classrooms and embrace the need to correct the practice - practice makes us better. The same can be true with our kids, don't shut them down for a wrong answer - use it as a platform for learning. Instead of saying "no, that is the wrong answer", encourage them to tell you the thinking behind their answer.
When you think of teaching as a practice it helps you to understand that it is not always pretty, but with an open mind, the desire to improve, and a support system of peers we all can become great teachers of students. Practice specific skills that your students need you to have and once you have mastered that practice move on to another area. Remember those students in front of you are counting on you to be the best you can be every day.
Now its time to share, teaching should be about sharing best practice tips- It is no different than mastering a skill in a sport and moving on to the next skill. It is a great time of year to focus on what we do the best and working on the work in making a weakness a strength.
Have a great start to the new school year
