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!
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