Navigating the Seas of Education: Six Time-Tested Success Tips

Embarking on the journey of teaching is an adventure filled with challenges, triumphs, and a constant quest for growth. As a 13-year veteran in the field, I've distilled my experiences into six invaluable tips that have guided me through the ever-changing tides of education.

1. Genuine Care as the Foundation

A fundamental truth in education is that students must know you genuinely care before they can truly learn from you. Empathy forms the bridge that connects educators and students. By meeting them where they are, understanding their challenges, and showing authentic care, we lay the groundwork for meaningful learning experiences. 

2. Unwavering Belief in Every Childs Potential

Regardless of their ability, background, or upbringing, believe that ALL children can learn. A teacher's role is to nurture and cultivate the unique potential within each student. This unwavering belief sets the stage for a transformative educational journey.

3. Teaching as an Art: Acting, Storytelling, Magic, and Psychology

Teaching is a multifaceted craft that combines acting, storytelling, magic, and psychology. The best educators breathe life into their content, making it tangible and relatable. Armed with a repertoire of tricks, they inspire and motivate students in diverse ways, ensuring that learning is not just a process but an experience.

4. Embrace Lifelong Learning

Great teachers are perpetual learners. Recognizing that education is a dynamic field, they constantly seek new ways to evolve and improve. Staying abreast of changes in pedagogy, technology, and methodologies ensures that they remain effective captains guiding their students through the seas of knowledge.

5. Captain of the Ship: Efficient Classroom Leadership

Teachers are the captains of the ship, and their students are the mates on board for the educational journey. Effective classroom management and engaging activities are the compass and sails of this ship. Great teachers design efficient procedures that create a conducive environment for learning, making the educational voyage smooth and enjoyable.

6. Balancing Work and Life

In the midst of the demands of teaching, it's crucial to remember to separate work from personal life. A successful educator knows the importance of finding balance. Don't be so absorbed in the work that you forget to create a life outside the classroom. Make memories, cherish moments, and find the equilibrium that ensures both personal and professional fulfillment.

In conclusion, teaching is both an art and a responsibility. These six tips, born from 13 years of experience, serve as guiding stars for educators navigating the vast seas of education. May these insights inspire fellow teachers on their quest to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students.

Smooth sailing on your educational odyssey!

A Year In Reflection: When Opportunity Knocks, Kick The Door Down

As I was gearing up for year two of my teaching career at Northern Lebanon School District in August, I was as excited as ever to start a new school year. With year one under my belt, I knew all of the staff fairly well and had terrific students on my rosters. My room was set-up for success and the technology was ready to roll. About a week before school, I received a few texts and calls from several of my friends/former teachers at my alma mater high school, Dallastown in York, PA. One of my former teachers in the business department had been promoted to assistant principal and there was an opening. Teaching at Dallastown has always been one of my dreams because in my opinion it is one of the best school districts in the state of Pennsylvania for education and helping students prepare to move onto the next level. It is also where I attended high school and working there would allow me to be much closer to my fiance as we begin our lives together as a family. The problem was, I was very happy at Northern Lebanon. The staff and students were a blast to work with and I was really drawn to culture. I wasn't even going to apply for the interview if it hadn't been for so many of my family and friends support.

After much reflection and coaxing, I did decide to apply, take an interview, and landed my dream job as a business and computer science teacher at Dallastown Area School District! This year has provided me with many opportunities to do amazing things with my students which I am so thankful for. Though it was only year two of my teaching career, every year matures you, teaches you wisdom, and helps you become a better teacher. Here are some things I learned from year two of teaching:

1. As a teacher, you are a salesperson. It doesn't matter what subject you teach, if you can't sell the relevancy in what you are trying to get the students to learn, they won't care. In everything we do, we need to show meaning. Having meaning translates into results.

2. Every year you will deal with tough kids. Instead of whining about them and complaining to yourself, seek them out, embrace them, and believe in them. Many times, you are the only one who will. Yes they will try your patience, but instead of throwing them out in the hall or sending them to the office all of the time, be the role model they need in their lives. Show them what is right and what is wrong. Let them know you expect better out of them. You may not see the results this year, but they will remember you and hopefully you will have taught them more than a definition, you have taught them how to be more respectful and polite.

3. Provide real opportunities as much as you can for your students. This year I was able to take my students to York College to see entrepreneurship in action, students presented their business plan to business executives from the community, they had guest speakers from all departments of business, we went to the Harrisburg Capital to show-off student work at the technology expo, and students in FBLA had the opportunity to compete at regionals and states. Yes this requires a lot of work to set-up, but your students will remember the experiences they had, not the lectures you provided. 

4. Celebrate success as much as you can. Many students in today's society suffer from a lack of self esteem. Anytime you can, celebrate something great a student has done. It can be a sticky note that says "I really appreciate you in my class, keep it up!" or a student of the month board, or a positive call home. It is not enough as educators to just teach, we must build, encourage, and celebrate success!

5. Be willing to go out of your comfort zone. There was an opportunity to present to the teachers of my school during an in-service this year on engaging students and I jumped on it. As a young teacher, this was a challenge especially since many of the ones in my session taught me when I was in high school. I was definitely out of my comfort zone but when you push yourself to do things you don't feel comfortable doing, you grow as a person and are willing to take more risks.

6.  Change is the only constant in life. This year at Dallastown, we have a new principal who has strong visions to be one of the premier districts in the nation in 5-10 years. In order to do that, we have to change and get better. There will  always be the people who are happy with the status quo, but those are often the ones who are left behind when the ship sets sail from port to find the riches and treasures. Don't miss boarding the boat. Change, grow, and adapt. If you don't you may be left behind waving at the ship!

7. Build strong alliances with those who share your vision. Some may be in your school, some may not, but find those who build you up, brainstorm with you, and share ideas. No matter how many years you have been teaching, you can always do things better and learn new tricks. Be you, because no life is worth living if it isn't your own, but also be open to the fresh ideas of others.

8. If you want to be a great teacher, simply love kids and understand where they are. When you show them you care about them as a human and not just a number in your classroom, that is where you build relationships and can change lives. We have one of the most important jobs in the world, never take it for granted! 

I hope all of you take time this summer to reflect on your school year, recharge your battery, and come back fresh for the 2014-2015 school year. Your school and students need your passion and energy. Thanks for all you do teachers!

-Rob Donatelli

Midway Teachers: Get Energized to Finish Strong!

Congratulations TEACHERS! You have made it through the first half of the 2013-2014 school year. Hopefully you had a lot of fun, grew as a person, and felt like you made a difference! As we reach this midway point, it can be tough to be as motivated as you were back in August to give your best for your students everyday. Sometimes you feel tired, unmotivated, feel in a rut, run out of creativity, etc. It happens to even the best! I wanted to share some ideas with you that will hopefully provide that motivation and energy to finish the year stronger than you started it. Below is a list things you can do right now to ENERGIZE your thoughts and CREATIVITY for the rest of the school year. Please feel free to add more and always remember why you teach and why you went into the profession. Your students will not remember what you taught them, but they will forever remember how you made them feel...

1. Take a period or two to observe other teachers in your building. I know time is precious as a teacher but it is refreshing to see what others are doing. Who knows, you may have some fun and learn something new you could use in your classroom? It doesn't matter if you have been teaching for 5 years or 20, you can always learn a new trick! 
   
2. Do something fun with the people you work with. As a teacher, especially in a larger district, it is hard to get out and really build relationships with other teachers. Get people together for a dinner one night, ask people to do a Mudd Run, take a trip somewhere. It is relaxing and enjoyable to do something fun with other people you work with! If not the people you work with, join an organization and meet new people that you can build a positive network around.
3. Join Twitter and get involved in a Twitter Chat for educators. Each week, there are over 100 different education chats happening on Twitter where professionals talk and discuss all topics in education. CLICK HERE for a list of all the chats, dates, and times. I am amazed at all the wonderful ideas that are shared and relationships that can be built!
   
4. Go to a conference OR take a class. As you read this, I am sure some of you are yelling at me. Conferences are a great way to meet new people, network, and learn. I am very much looking forward to presenting and attending the PETE & C conference in Hershey, PA in February. Secondly, taking classes can be tedious due to the amount of time we have in a day, but continuing to learn new things is rewarding. It inspires us to get better! Taking a class doesn't just have to be education related; it can be cooking, fitness, learning how to do something new, etc.
5. READ!!! It is easy to come home after work, eat dinner, and plop down on the couch and watch TV. The most successful people in this world read everyday. Feed your brain. It is just as important as taking care of your body. You are what you think and put into your mind! CLICK HERE for a list of the best education books to read. 
6. Call your students parents with positive phone calls. How many of us actually do this? Parents love it and you will feel good about doing it. I challenge you to call five parents a week with a positive phone call. It will make you feel great about what you do.
   
7.  EXERCISE!!! If you aren't exercising at least a 3-5 times a week, you are doing your students a disservice. That sounds unfair but the more you exercise, the more energy and creativity you will have to give to them and your family. I am not going to tell you what to do or how to do it, but as Nike's slogan states, "JUST DO IT."

Thank you for all you do. Teaching is a hard job but a job where you get to impact lives everyday. It is all in your attitude and outlook! Get better everyday and never rest until your good is better and your better is best...

-Rob Donatelli
@DTown_MrD

Teachers: Do You Stop At Good?

A week before Christmas break, I planned to give my web page design class a small break from coding websites. I believe as a teacher that content is extremely important but it is also important to give your students skills that they can take when they leave school into the workforce.

The plan was to do a leadership activity where students reviewed  several definitions of what leadership means and why it is important. From the definitions they found, they were to create their own definition of leadership and put it on the board. We were to share them and move onto continuing to build our websites.

I had only allocated 15 minutes for this activity but it turned into the most phenomenal class discussion on leadership. Students were fascinated with all the different definitions of what it means to be a leader. It was interesting to see and hear that each student had a different view of what leadership meant and all were right! We talked about whether leaders are made or born. We discussed what characteristics great and bad leaders have and whether there is a difference between being a manager and a leader. Students brought up good and bad leaders in history and we discussed what made them great. Lastly, each student went around and shared one person that has been the most influential leader in their lives. In a class where students primarily work by themselves, the class came to life through energetic, thoughtful, and passionate ideas!

I could have stopped after the 15 minutes and moved onto the next activity but I knew the students were taking every piece of bait I threw at them. How was I to take the food out of the water? A lot of times as teachers we have so much to cover that we can't stop and have an engaging conversation for most of a class. Through this activity, I saw the passion in my students eyes. They were hungry for more and as a teacher, what else can you ask for? I didn't intent for this to take the whole class but sometimes as a teacher you can't stop when it is good...you just have to let it happen because it is challenging to gain most or all students interests. When you do, you have to make it count!

-RD