Be a Lean, Mean, Teaching Machine

Most would agree that gratitude should be expressed as flowing rivers to educators, for they are the lifeline of our society. Bringing and inspiring knowledge to learners of all ages, genders, and intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities is an awesome task. The task of teaching, currently classified as a hybrid of an art and a science, is rarely perfected. However, because of the love of it, many teachers strive every semester and school year to reach the pentacle of its high standard.

            Before embarking upon the checklist of becoming a lean, mean, teaching machine, the reader must take into account his or her personal situation and adapt the following suggestions accordingly. Teachers, like individuals in any other profession, often work while juggling the curve balls that life throws their way. As federal mandates such as the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) take a firmer grip on local school districts, fewer accommodations for teachers dealing with life challenges are being made as quantified test scores are made the priority. 

Gone are the days when teaching was a comfortable, reliable profession whose tasks could be repeated annually with little improvements. The rigors of federal mandates also do little to allow for personal situations such caring for a chronically or terminally ill child, spouse, or elderly parents; dealing with mental illness; nor familial or financial crises. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers become proactive in this increasingly demanding professional environment and do their job extremely well.

The following checklist does not target the teacher who is solely concerned about his or her paycheck, but the dedicated teacher who has developed a love of the profession and would do many of these things for the benefit of their students, themselves, and their professional colleagues regardless of being offered lucrative incentives or social acclaim. May this checklist serve as inspiration and validation of your efforts in being the lean, mean, teaching machine that you aspire to be!

___ Become certified in one or more content areas. Doing so increases your staying power in a profession that now requests proof of adequate education and training before it acknowledges your years of experience.

___  Seek and obtain advanced degrees in your subject area or in education. This increases your comfort level in delivering classroom instruction and signifies to students, parents, and colleagues alike that you are an authority on the subject and more serious about your subject area than the typical college graduate who may have chosen that area after two or more years of being indecisive.

___  Continuously develop an organization system for your instruction, classroom setup, student assignments, parental contact, and professional development. The more organized you are, the less frustrated and overwhelmed you will become under stressful circumstances which are sure to occur regularly. Students, parents, administrators, and colleagues will notice this and view you as someone who is in control of their classroom and competent in relaying instruction.

___  Join one or more professional organizations. However, only join as many as you in which are able to be active.  Joining a professional organization has benefits such as giving you “heads up” on proposed legislative action, giving you the opportunity to be proactive, sharing innovative ideas with you, and providing opportunities for professional advancement.

___   Require your students and parents to take ownership of their educational experience. As a teacher, you are required to be accountable, but who requires students and parents to be accountable? YOU DO! Take care in generating your parent letters and syllabi at the beginning of the school year. Be clear and concise about your expectations and requirements and then, BE CONSISTENT. Create an interactive class website or blog which publicize homework assignments, links to instructional and research resources, test and quiz dates, project requirements, grading rubrics, deadlines, and procedures. Reiterate student responsibilities to both students and parents EVERY chance you get (orientations, parent conferences, assemblies, or during casual meetings around town).

___            Think of your teaching career in terms of a business. Create a “new edition” of your classroom design and instructional strategies by planning and implementing “layers” of improvements each year. These layers may include an interactive bulletin board, a new learning station, a new and improved class website, new classroom organizational structure or procedures, or new technology in the classroom. By consciously making an effort to create a “new edition” you will inspire your students and spark excitement within yourself in watching the positive effects the “new edition” has on your overall instructional strategy.

___  Assess your professional weaknesses and strengths at the end of each school year. Create a feasible plan to improve your professional weaknesses and create a strategy to market your professional strengths for professional advancement.

___  Invest in the development of your professional career. Identify your professional goals and plan to participate in at least one event/professional development/training to move toward your professional goal. This will boost your morale and help keep you focused on your long-term goal(s).

___  Network with local, regional, national and/or international colleagues who are sincere in their profession and keep in touch! (“Keep in touch” = your name is immediately recognized by your colleague

__  Weed out “distracters.” Avoid non-mandated meetings, excessive social events, and gossipers, etc. that whittle away your time, energy and focus from your short and long-term professional goals.

___  Take yourself on personal field trips yearly (without your students) to build your knowledge and resource base in your subject area. Summer is the best time to do this for most teachers.

___  Read non-fiction books in your subject area and be sure to share pertinent information with your network of colleagues.

___  Be proactive! Periodically evaluate your professional support system. Bring both your concerns and any possible solutions to the table in departmental and faculty meetings. You are only as effective and efficient in the classroom as the instructional support team allows you to be.

___  AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…stay happy and healthy! Be sure to enjoy a belly laugh or two as often as you can. Give and ask for hugs from family and friends during stressful times. Be sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet and avoid overloading on fatty and high-calorie foods. Do not skip annual doctor appointments. Set aside time to exercise two or three times a week. (Tip: doing 50-100 sit-ups or walking around the block does not require gym membership.) A happy and healthy teacher is a much more effective teacher in the classroom!

Visited Martin L. King Jr. Memorial - August 25, 2011

Photography by Darrell S. Nabors

First Week of School

My first week of school was quite eventful!

On Monday I was met with the faces of Juniors and Seniors eagerly anticipating a year of learning...and that made my day. It was a smooth day of operation as syllabi were distributed, rules and expectations were reviewed simultaneously with firmness and humor. Student interaction proved to be golden as students related their unique life stories and personal descriptions.

On Tuesday, I encountered a student who entered my classroom purposely tardy and watched this student's disposition morph from one of being surly and opportunistic in creating humorous mischief to sitting in anticipation of new information to learn and share with others. I smiled within as I noticed the change. I wanted to be able to reach especially that student who seemed as though he secretly yearned to be successful in the classroom, but previously resorted to being the class clown. An earthquake interrupted my 4th period class, but my students listened to and follow the directions and students were dismissed from school efficiently a few minutes early.

Wednesday, an unexpected day off from work, was restful as I visited the newly opened Martin L. King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Thursday, was a day of diagnostic testing as students were exposed to psychological concepts and expressed their interest through probing questions. Very impressed, I was!

And then on Friday, as teachers and students mentally prepared for Hurricane Irene over the weekend, the tasks of diagnostic testing and the issuance of textbooks were top priority.

Three meetings were attended, lesson planning was completed, and preliminary organization was further developed. All in all, this week was rewarding as the shine of anticipation in the eyes of my students sent a surge of energy through my psyche...causing me to "believe I'll run on to see what the end's going to be..."

How Do You Deal?

I am a student of human strategies in dealing with conflict. This is a study that never bores. The benefits of the study yield wisdom and conserve energy in forging relationships, making the time spent in this endeavor worthwhile. The following are descriptions of the strategies that I have observed. As with anything, there are pros and cons to each strategy.

The Brute

This strategy is simple....mess with this individual and be physically attacked. Say the wrong thing and promptly receive a thorough thrashing. Laugh at this individual only if you have the speed of a Tasmanian devil. This individual has not been introduced to the methods of compromise, negotiations, civil dialogue or simply has not bought into this idea. Conflict is quickly dealt with using fiery words that quickly lead to threats of physical altercations. There is no doubt that this individual intends to fulfill his or her threats and has an extensive record of doing so. Most people are truly fearful of interacting with this person on any level and avoid conversations beyond a polite greeting.

The Raging Activist

This strategy is highly effective in getting the point across. Usually this individual quickly identifies and shoots for the Achilles' heel of the offending person, group, or organization without thinking through the consequences of their actions. This no-joke approach tends to ostracize the offender and the offended alike and often creates high levels of tension, very similar to the duels of old. Fiery or sharp words are the tools of choice, but may well escalate to physical actions if deemed necessary to make the point. Once this strategy is implemented once or twice, the offender rarely repeats the offending behavior as the "shock and awe" effect is quite effective.

The Passive Activist

This strategy is quite effective as well, but avoids the havoc that the Raging Activist seeks to create. This individual tends to remain calm but quite alert to the events taking place. This individual quietly observes and rehearses the steps they should take to reach the desired goal(s). This strategy is quite logical, deliberate, and sure. Some may refer to this strategy as "slow-walking" the offender. Once this individual has reached their desired goal(s), he or she will resort to their previous meek and humble disposition. Fiery or sharp words are rarely utilized as it expels excessive energy. Rather, the individual's words are more deliberate and firm in nature, backed up by promised actions to prove his or her sincerity.

Wheel and Deal

The goal of this strategy is survival and quick return to normalcy. This individual rarely stops to assess long-term effects of the offensive behavior. His or her concern is fixated on returning to normal routine and quality of life. Therefore, compromises, political trade-offs, and superficial exchanges of good intentions are the words of the day. This individual tends to get along with most who work closely with them, but is rarely trusted when the issues really matter.

Anti-Pioneer

This strategy is used because of the fear of blazing paths in unfamiliar territory. This individual's strategy is to wait things out. He or she allows others to blaze trails in the unfamiliar territory and assess their success. Once the most successful trail has been identified, this individual then...calm and reassured...will speak or act with confidence and smoothness with an aura of being in control of the situation at hand. To others at first glance this individual appears to be a leader, but he or she is actually a follower whose main concern is saving face.

The Complainer

This strategy is ineffective in reaching the desired goal but very effective in annoying others. This individual is gripped with fear. He or she is sure of one thing...that he or she is indeed miserable and they are very eloquent in their on-going description of their calamities. Few manage to escape the whines and incessant complaints of this individual. When this individual is challenged to enact their rights or to take steps to right the wrong, more excuses fly that the feathers of a plucked chicken...leaving the complainer claiming their halo of learned helplessness.

The Tag-Along

This strategy is to identify the activist of the group who is sure to take action and get the job done. The idea is to join the activist for the ride while avoiding one's name being mentioned to those who might retaliate. This individual allows fear to both motivate and hinder their actions as he or she zig-zags his or her way to the desired goal.

The Avoider

This strategy is to be a "no-show." This individual would rather stick  his or her head in the sand, so to speak and wish the conflict away. When directly questioned or approached, this individual will resort to babbling gibberish to confuse others as they back away to safety. Others tend to throw their hands up in disgust to those who use this strategy as hopeless individuals who are afraid to face the music.

The Whimpering Wimp

This strategy tends to be embarrassing even to the individual who chooses it. This individual tends to speak boldly of their intentions and and past and future actions. However, when the rubber meets the road, this individual is nowhere to be found or is barely audible when speaking up really counts. This individual, however,  is usually quite prepared to loudly explain their lack of action away as soon as the anticipated event is offically over.

The Not-Involved 

This strategy is utilized to avoid anything that is deem unneccessary stress or trouble by this individual. If this individual feels that a conflict does not directly involve them, he or she will opt out stating loud and clear their preference to not get involved. This approach is effective, however, this strategy is used without long-term vision. The individual using this approach may feel dismayed by his or her previous decision to not get involved when it is his or her turn to face direct conflict and no one wants to "get involved" and support them.

Pull-Strings 

This strategy relies heavily on political ties. The individual spends a great deal of time investing in networking with the big and powerful within a group or organization. Some ties are made public and some connections are made quietly and only exposed to others during critical times when the individual needs a "favor." This individual tends to always fare well in the most stressful and dire situations and causes others to wonder why this individual is always calm and assured. This strategy tends to fall apart, however, when there is a major shift in leadership or organizational structure or if the establish ties shift their alliances. Since these ties are not guaranteed, much time and effort is given toward assuring the strength of those ties in complex or sticky situations. Once a major change occurs, this individual is seen openingly politicking and brown-nosing to re-establish his or her quality of life.

Throw and Hide

This individual musters enough courage to do something and then quickly returns to their innocent stance. For example, if a wrong has occurred, this individual may immediately produce incriminating documentation or evidence to prove his or her case in private, but will insist publicly to others around them that they are ignorant of the findings or unfolding events. This approach leaves others guessing and may produce a negative kick-back as others becoming suspicious of his or her insistence of ignorance.

Forever Meek-and-Humble 

This individual simply goes along with what he or she is given. The idea behind this approach is learned helplessness. The individual tends to feel as though he or she is not in control and will never be in control of the situation and therefore goes with the flow with hopes that others will see them as a non-threat and be relatively kind to them. This If-You-Can't-Beat-Them-Join-Them approach makes this individual seem like a useless wimp to the activists and a push-over to everyone else. Most do not respect individuals who use this approach because of the belief that "if you won't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

Getting Your Classroom Organized

As a new school year commences, I have begun the task of organizing my classroom for the school year. I have always been a fairly organized person. My parents and siblings can all attest to that. But organizing a classroom can seem quite an overwhelming task. Honestly, it takes several years of experience to even know the minute details of your instruction and classroom that needs to be organized. Then it takes a series of trial-and-error attempts to perfect your system.

Every teacher and teaching situation is unique and there are factors that have to be independently considered. However, there are some tips that I would offer my brand-new as well as veteran colleagues in organizing their classrooms.

1. Attack your task of organizing in layers. Conquer the main things first (i.e. set-up of student desks, location and position of teacher desk and work area, bulletin boards, etc.). Then consider school and class procedures (i.e. where should you place your school/class rules, time-out area, clipboard/roster for fire drill for easy access). Then consider your instructional strategies, storage areas, supplies, learning centers, etc.).

2. Organize all forms, charts, and directories into designated folders or notebooks. and place them in a convenience location for yourself.

3. Keep a calendar for your own professional deadlines, meetings, events, etc. Make sure this calendar is posted or kept in one area consistently for easy access.

4. Establish a routine to throw away unnecessary papers regularly. Personally, I do this at least one day a week. A messy desk and work area breeds confusion, frustration, and feeling overwhelming. Keeping your area neat gives you the feeling that you are in control, not the other way around.

5. Work on staying focus on one task as much as possible. That is nearly impossible for teachers, since we have to be master multi-taskers, however starting and finishing a task before moving on to the next task reduces the likelihood of becoming unorganized.

"When Inches Become Miles" by Sarena Chipman James

I wanted to share another great blog from Sarena Chipman James, a mother of an autistic son who is learning more about the learning process as she observes her son's progress daily.

http://onaisle9.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/when-inches-become-miles/

"The Judgment Free Zone" by Sarena Chipman James

Many thanks go to my cousin, Sarena Chipman James, a blogger, who shares fascinating and life-affirming recounts of her life experience as a mother of an autistic son. I am sharing the link to one of her many blogs that may encourage parents of exceptional children and enlighten teachers to the struggles of the exceptional child and their parents.

May this article bring you insight, hope, and fill you will renewed resolve to operate in the fullness of your purpose as parent or teacher....

http://onaisle9.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/the-judgment-free-zone-2/#more-25

Good Article...."10 Back-to-Schools Items to Skimp On"

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/653/10-back-to-school-items-to-skimp-on/

High School Teachers Get Paid Too Much!!!

               I'm fed up with high school teachers and their big salary schedules.  What we need is to reevaluate their salaries.

               I think I’ll pay these teachers myself. I'll pay them day camp counselor wages.  That's right! Instead of paying these outrageous taxes; I'd give them $3 an hour out of my own pocket.  And I'm only going to pay them for five hours, not lunch or coffee breaks.  That would be $15.00 a day.  Each parent should pay $15 a day for these teachers to monitor their teenager.  Even if they have more than one teenager, it's still a lot cheaper than private day camp programs.

               Now, how many teens do they teach - maybe 100?  That's $15x100=$1500 a day.  But remember they only work 180 days a year!  I'm not going to pay them for vacations!  $1500 x180=$270,000.  (Just a minute, I think my calculator needs new batteries.)

               I know you teachers will say-What about those who have 10 years experience and a Master's Degree?  Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage, and instead of just monitoring, they could let the teens write a story.  We could round that off to about $7.50 an hour, times five hours, times 100 teens.  That's $3750 a day times 180 days.  That's $675,000....huh? (scratching my head) Wow! That's more than the U.S. President's salary of $400,000! Hmmm.....

              Wait a minute; let's get a little perspective here.  Day camp wages are too good for these teachers.  Has anyone seen a salary schedule around here?

~Story was adapted from an Anonymous writer

Don't be a "Telemarketer" - Build Relationships: The Social Art of Conversing and the Ministry of Listening

We all have pet peeves...you know...those things that really get under our skin and cause us to cry out in mental anguish when we are subjected to waterdrop-torture situations. Ah, yes! Well, here's one particular pet peeve of mine: one-sided conversations (i.e. personal soliliquies or filibusters).

Have you ever been accosted by a person who just wanted to hear themselves talk during every encounter with them? It is one of the most annoying things to endure. Perhaps that is why most people avoid telemarketer calls...they are one-sided. Telemarketers have been trained to get their message across no matter how many times you say "no, thanks" "I'm not interested," etc. The only way to get your point across is either to be "vile" or hang up the phone. Your blood pressure rises and you're left agitated that the other person refused to pick up on verbal cues, blatant statements, and you feel that the only thing that person wanted to do was to really get their point across. They could not have cared less who you were, how you felt at that moment, or how they interrupted your day. Can you relate?!?

Well, there are individuals in our lives who operate very similar to telemarketers. The difference between them and telemarketers is that it is often much harder to dismiss these individuals in our lives with whom we have emotional, social, and professional attachments as swiftly as we are able to dismiss anonymous telemarketers.

So what exactly do these emotional, social, and professional telemarketers do that is annoying?

1) Their agenda is to let you and everybody know (in detail) how they are feeling or about their personal experience.

2) They are competitive...constantly trying to be on top, no matter how trivial the topic of conversation may be. If they can't be on top, they will talk about someone they know who is.

3) Their body language show that they are not listening to what you are saying. They cannot wait until you are done so that they can tell you what else is on their mind.

4) They chronically interrupt you in mid-sentence (should you get a word in edgewise) to insert their ideas or to deal with background noises/situations.

5) They manipulate the conversation by trying to relate what you are saying to something on their mind that is actually unrelated. (i.e. changing the topic)

6) The question: "How've you been?" is hastily sandwiched between their account of their day and other events, not even giving you much of an opportunity to respond. Should you attempt a response, you will be promptly interrupted while they deal with background distractions.

7) It never occurs to them to show genuine interest in what you are doing unless they are somehow directly involved.

While we all have our moments of just needing to talk to someone and "let it all out," these offenders can be counted on to exhibit these behaviors consistently and without fail. What's worse is that you may walk away feeling like you were unimportant, rejected, ignored...and disrepected.

Tips to Avoid "Telemarketer Behavior":

1. Everyone should be mindful that conversations should have an ebb and flow. Restrain your "juicy tidbits of information" and allow the other person to interact.

2. Stop and ask how the other person is doing...and...actually listen for and to their response. This lets them know that you are genuinely interested and concerned about them as an individual. 

3. Notice the individual's body language and tone of voice and adjust the conversation accordingly. These subtle and not-so-subtle cues were purposed to help with the ebb/flow or stoppage of the conversation. Pay attention!

Being mindful of and implementing these conversation suggestions may help in building relationship with others. Who knows? They might just have a hilarious story to tell you that will give you belly-laughs for the rest of the day or volunteer information that will help you along the way.

Listening is actually a ministry. Are you aware of that? It is! Listening is often the only and best thing you can offer a person...it is as effective emotionally as giving a back massage physically. Listening also gives you the tools you need to further develop a genuine relationship with an individual. When a person doesn't listen to another person, they are actually saying: "I have no interest in you." "You are not important to me." " I am not interested in any type of relationship with you." " I am only interested in and concerned about my affairs.


Here are some ways to improve your listening ministry:

1. Make regular eye contact when the other person is speaking.

2. Occasionally acknowledge your understanding of what the person is saying by nodding, an "unh uh" or asking a question.

3. Avoid interrupting unless absolutely necessary...and do so kindly.

4. Show sympathy/empathy/understanding/concern in your facial expression. 

5. Ask open-ended questions to indicate that you really expect more than a simple "yes" or "no" response.

Building relationships with others is one of the most important things that we must do. Being an emotional, social, or professional "telemarketer" can inhibit your success in relating with others. Being aware of ourselves in this regard  and the effects on others can in turn inspire others to inward reflection and development as well.

Developing an Outreach

It was through having seven years of experience teaching in a metropolitan public school system that this yearn to develop such an outreach began. Coming from a relatively rural area where I'd taught for seven years prior to this experience, I'd taken the  nurturing learning environment I was accustomed to for granted. But after one year in an urban public school setting, my professional world seemed to turn upside down.

One of the  motivating forces was the  plethora of parent-teacher interactions that followed this pattern of events. Allow me to take on the role of Ghost of Past Parent-Teacher Conferences....

• First the teacher contacts the parent(s)/guardians(s) after several attempts to rectify poor academic/behavioral performance in the classroom. 
• The parent/guardian responds with hesitancy, partially grateful that they were contacted, partially agitated that they were contacted, and partially defensive on their child's behalf due to previous negative experiences with urban public schools. After a few moments of interaction, the hesitancy and defensiveness subsides. 
• Once the the issue is clearly identified and proven by the teacher, the  parent, wanting to appear to be a good parent, immediately turns toward their child with anger and frustration as if the child should "just do what they are supposed to do" automatically because he or she "told them to."
• This is followed by a 2-5 minute rant by the parent to the child about previous similar experiences of this behavior and a few threats of punishment(s) for their behavior. 
• The child sits with sulking body language with a facial expression that conveys their wish to suddenly be invisible or run out of the room. Most often the child has a look of confusion on their faces as their parent/guardian rant about their responsibility to "do the right thing" as though they are trying to understand why their parent/guardian is putting on such a show.

It was after several parent-teacher conferences of this kind that I noticed something particularly disconcerting. I noticed fear  in the eyes of the parent/guardian. Frankly, it startled me! The parent/guardian was afraid.  It was a nervous fear and it was silent...hiding just beyond the outburst of anger and frustration towards the child. From that moment I began to not raise an eyebrow at the parenting styles in question, but to truly empathize with the parent's fear of failing. I realized that for some urban parents/guardians, there is a very real sense of not knowing exactly what to do or what they should be doing to help their child be successful in the classroom and earn a quality education.

Sure, they have heard: "Come to the PTA meetings, go to Back-to-School night, make sure they do their homework," but many urban parents are not sure what they should be doing beyond those things on a daily basis. To add to the complexity of the situation, many urban parents have extremely busy schedules, extreme work stress, stress of long commutes, stress of high cost-of-living, stress of just dealing with what comes along with living in a metropolitan area, and  many also happen to be single parents with little or no extended family support.

 Unfortunately, many urban parents' previous experience with urban public schools formulated a negative schema of the public school system which include: memorizing information for quizzes and tests, relying on favoritism from teachers or athletic skills to get through a course, cramming for tests at the last minute, perhaps dealing with chronically unfair teachers, or just suffering through until they graduated and landed a job immediately after high school. For many third and fourth generation urban parents, college and other higher educational opportunities may have seemed unattainable for them, although some urban parents have persevered to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees. Most urban parents will quickly join in the chorus of saying that education is important in being able to provide for one's family and being a contributing member of society, some find themselves not knowing how to really help their child in earning a quality education.

...And that's where I realized that an educator's insight in the format of a simple manual would be most helpful to the urban parents who sincerely want their child to succeed academically, but are not sure how to establish a foundation for the academic aspect of parenting. The goal of this manual is to replace the fear in the eyes of urban parents' during parent-teacher conferences to a look of empowerment to facilitate a positive and successsful learning experience for their child.

So, I invite you to explore this manual: "Parents, You are Teachers, Too!" and share it with any and all parents, whether they live in an urban or rural area, who would appreciate insight from an educator's point of view as they continue to prepare their child for the world beyond the public school system.

http://www.amazon.com/Parents-You-are-Teachers-Too/dp/B0058TW23G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1312316320&sr=8-4

"Rewriting the Attack on Teachers" ... Thanks, Matt Damon!

Actor Matt Damon explains why American public school teachers do their jobs. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell has more in the Rewrite.


Link: http://thelastword.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/02/7235006-rewriting-the-attack-on-teachers
Broadcast Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2011