Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/556394
Leslie Sandoval LO N E H I L L M I D D L E S C H O O L Science and leadership / 15 years Bonita Unified Teachers Association Jared Rio M E R R I L L W ES T H I G H S C H O O L Social studies / 10 years Tracy Educators Association Justin Yang VA L L E Y V I E W H I G H S C H O O L Second-year counselor and eighth-year teacher Associated Chaffey Teachers Ola King-Claye R I N C O N VA L L E Y M I D D L E S C H O O L PE and history / 38 years Santa Rosa Teachers Association • What a huge support CTA can be, and how hard your union and chapter works to protect your rights. You may think, "Well, that's just the way it is." But sometimes, after you read your contract language, you realize it isn't supposed to be that way. • Students respond better when they feel connected to you. They'll work harder. They'll try harder. Develop rapport by focusing on students' strengths. • Compassion can be more important than rigidity. You never know what a child is going through, such as being in foster care or experiencing the death of a parent. • Make friends with the people who work in the front office. They can be your best friends on campus. Under- stand they run the school. They are amazing. • You don't have to create every- thing from scratch. Colleagues are willing to share. • You don't have to grade every assignment. Or even collect every single assignment. Before I realized this, I had piles and piles of assignments, ranging from the "morning prompt" to "exit ques- tions" (which a student must answer before leaving the class). It's about prioritizing. • It's OK to say "I don't know" instead of always thinking you have to have the answer. I used to think I had to have an answer for everything. Now I'll say, "That's a great question, let's look it up." We're on a journey together; we're not machines. • Don't be afraid to be innova- tive. Try new things. Some will work and some won't, but it's important to see what works with your teach- ing style and philosophy. • Make learning a game. Peo- ple tend to be competitive by nature, and you can tie games into learning so it's more fun for students. • Ask students to tell you what they know about some- thing before you tell them what it is. It will make them feel part of the learning experience. • Understand every day is not going to be perfect. Some days the kids are in La-La land. Read that poem by Paula Finn [see below] every day. • Don't have a classroom that's just lecture, lecture, lecture. Hold mean- ingful discussions. Take kids to the library to do research. Encourage critical thinking. • Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Don't be afraid to tweak the way you teach. As teachers, we should strive to be lifelong learners. • Remember that teaching is a wonderful journey. Enjoy the ride. Treat yourself to the things that make you happy, Give yourself permission to be wrong, Applaud yourself for the smallest successes, Forgive yourself for the greatest defeats, Appreciate yourself for the efforts you have made, The good you have done, And the joy you have shared… Accept yourself for what you are. For what you are… Is beautiful. Today, and Every Day by Paula Finn 21 V O L U M E 2 0 I S S U E 1 Perspectives