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

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