Get UP Teacher...You Matter!

It’s a Wednesday in February. The alarm rings at 5:30 am. It’s 34 degrees outside, raining, and pitch black. Your body is warm and doesn’t want to wake from its slumber. As you force yourself into consciousness, your mind begins to race. It says things like, “Just 10 more minutes of sleep”, “I’m not sure if I can handle those kids today”, “Do I have the energy to do this?” Yet, you force your feet onto the cold floor, wipe the gunk from your eyes, and head to the bathroom to prepare for another day. Sound familiar?

Some days, it is hard to get out of bed, especially when it is cold, dark, and you have been doing the job with the same kids for half-the school year. It can feel like the same thing day in and day out. The truly great thing about teaching though is we have the opportunity each day to change the ordinary into the extraordinary! We are never stuck if we choose not to be and can make a kid’s day bright, sunny and exciting.

Hopefully what gets you out of bed isn’t the thought of one more day getting through the grind; it is knowing that if you choose to today, you CAN and WILL make a positive impact on a child's life. We need YOU teacher more than ever to get-up and be there for our kids as role models and leaders. In a society where so much negativity dominates the news and social media, we can be that spark that inspires greatness in someone. Never forget the power of your actions and words.

So I challenge you, when you aren’t feeling the most motivated and things are getting stale, it may be time to hit that recharge button. We all need it from time to time. Follow these tips to get yourself back on track to being an AWESOME educator! Your students deserve your best everyday.

1. Keep a folder of positive emails, notes, and cards from students. When you need a reminder of why you do this job, look there first.
2. Listen to educational podcasts or TED Talks on the way to work. Terrific for inspiration and new idea generation. Simple and easy to find.
3. Engage once a week in an educational Twitter chat. Build your PLN and learn from other innovators in your content area.
4. Ask a colleague whom you respect to eat lunch together one day and collaborate on ideas.
5. Read a new book that challenges your thinking.
6. Keep an idea journal. Write in it a few times a week when a great idea pops into your head! Also good for mental health and growth.
7. If feasible, find a conference to attend that interests you. I find going to conferences allows me to re-tool and add to my bag of tricks.
8. LAUGH! It reduces stress, burns calories, and makes you more enjoyable to be around.

*Check out my Donatelli EdZone YouTube Channel for teacher tech and classroom tips to get you ready for each week!

3 Years In: Truths About Teaching

I am in the midst of completing my third full year of teaching. Each year has been completely different. Year one was about surviving, year two was about creating and innovating, and year three has been about trying to improve myself as a professional and make what I have created even better. As I take time to reflect on this year and education as a whole, I feel I have come to some truths about this profession. Feel free to weigh in and discuss.

1. If you don't have a true love for kids, you aren't going to make it in teaching very long. You need to be patient, kind, and understand them. Instead of saying "this generation is lost in technology," we need to meet them where they are. Unfortunately the clock doesn't go backwards, only forwards. Love them for who they are and be where they are. When kids know you care, they are more likely to want to learn from you. We must embrace technology and "teach" them how to use it responsibly.

2. State testing is destroying the creativity and innovation of our teachers and students. To be honest with you, if my field of expertise was in a testing subject, I might not be teaching K-12. I feel those who teach tested subjects. They feel "handcuffed" in their teaching practices because of the stress state testing causes on their evaluations. Instead of doing engaging and creative lessons, they are stuck doing test prep all year. Where is the "joy" in that? The kids know it as well and can't stand it. Quit preaching that we as teachers differentiate our instruction when you standardize test our students. The solution: Instead of standardize testing students to pass an exam, why not give them "choices" on how they demonstrate their learning. There are "eight" multiple intelligences Howard Gardner stated we as humans possess. Some of us have and can utilize more than others and all can be taught/developed. Standardizes testing only allows students to show two of them. To be continued in another post...

3. You have to bring it everyday and choose to have a positive attitude. Unlike some jobs, you can't hide behind a desk if you aren't feeling well. You have to be ON 24/7. You are an artist, entertainer, counselor, motivator, and disciplinarian all in one. There is nothing that can prepare you for that unless you do it. Also, each year you will develop thicker skin and learn what works best for you and your students. My first year, I was awful at disciplining students and having those hard conversations. After year three, I feel I have seen and dealt with many interesting situations. Wisdom can only be gained by experience.

4. Most teachers that I talk to LOVE teaching. Teaching is the easy part. What many don't realize is all the "extra" stuff they have to do along with grading, making phone calls, lesson planning, etc. The number one thing that teachers whom I have talked with beats them up is all the other things that need to be done. SLO's, testing meetings, eight hour long evaluations, committees, etc. We do it because we love our jobs but it takes away in many cases from us being better teachers for our students.

5. If you want to become a better teacher, you need to push yourself to do so every year. After three years in, I can see how it can become easy to get "stagnant" and do the same things every year. Many "scoff" at teachers who get summers off. Teachers NEED off in the summer for a few reasons. One, at the end of each year, our "energy" and "creative juice" are at a low. The battery needs to recharge to deliver 180 days of enthusiasm, encouragement, and guidance. Two, we need time to brainstorm how to we can make those lessons better for next year. The great ones use that time to push themselves to be better than they were last year. Lastly, the students need a break as well from everything that is thrown at them. When they come back in August, they are excited and you as a teacher are pumped to get fresh faces and brains.

6. Overall, this is one of the most rewarding professions in the world. We as teachers do this job not to become millionaires. We do it because we want to change lives and empower our students to become better people. It can be easy to get "caught-up" in all the other things at school, but it is important to remember that we as teachers are the molders of the future. We are the ones who can change the world with one spark lit under a kid for an eternity of time. Congratulations to all the teachers who made it through another year. Rest up this summer; get back those creative juices, because your students need you to be better than you were this year!

-RD

Students Think They Know Tech, But Do They?

It has been my experience from teaching classes that require students to use technology frequently, that they think they know how to do everything with technology, but have a limited skill set. It is our job as educators, no matter what subject we teach, to demonstrate and practice these necessary 21st century skills with students as much as possible when applicable. Having these skills are just as important as being able to solve an algebraic equation in today's workforce.

1. Email: During the first week of school, I show students how to set-up and use their email. Many have never used it before because they communicate via text for almost everything. In the business world, email is still the most preferred way of communication. Students need to understand the importance of giving a subject line, how to compose a professional email and attach documents. I have them during the first week send me an email about their short and long term goals. The email has to be perfectly spelled with an appropriate subject line and attachment. They need to understand that spelling mistakes in an email can be seen by anyone who shares it and can cost them a job!

2. Digital note-taking: Some students really enjoy taking notes by hand, while others if given the opportunity would utilize a program such as Evernote to organize and collect thoughts from a lecture. Showing students the apps and programs that are available for them to take notes through allows them to be exposed to how college students and adults take notes when at a conference or meeting. Taking notes digitally is much easier to organize and save in a safe and secure place! 

3. Organizing digital files and documents: It amazes me when students go to save a document for the first time A: don't know how to save it, B: Where to save it to, and C: What to name it. We use the Cloud (Skydrive) to store all of our files now and students need to be taught where to save them, how to create folders for classes, and what to name them. I had a student last year name all his files by his name. When he went to find his resume, it took forever. The old saying goes" It is better to do it right the first time than waste time doing it again."

4. How to search effectively: Search engines can be complicated if one has never been taught search operators, how to look out for ads and narrow search content. To many students when asked to find something, type the whole sentence into the search box! There is a lot of great info on the web but also a lot of junk. Teaching students how to effectively search is a huge time saver and skill to have.

5. Google Docs: I use Google Docs for almost every team project we do in my classes. Reason: There is no better tool in my opinion to communicate and collaborate with when working on a group assignment. Students love working on a report or presentation where they can see each other doing the work. It is extremely powerful. Not only can students work together at the same time, they can create and share documents that can be accessed from anywhere. No more excuses why the paper didn't get completed! Not to mention it makes my life a lot easier when grading. I love giving comments in Google Docs and allowing them to see and fix them immediately!

Essentially, teaching these skills in our classes will not only better prepare students for the professional working world, it will save you time in your classroom this year. Feel free to comment and add any that I missed. Thanks!

-Rob Donatelli

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