- Teach children everything they need to know - including reading, writing, math, social studies, science, technology, music, art, culture, philosophy, critical thinking - and the list goes on and on depending on who you talk to.
- Give them opportunities to discover their passions - and help them grow in their abilities.
- Have engaging, fun, learning material for every child, every lesson, every day of the school year
- With the perfect balance of creativity and structure
- And to create these lessons with as little money as possible
- Keep children safe - at all times - emotionally and physically.
- Emotionally support children and families through all life stresses that could by impacting them at school - like divorce, homelessness, parent unemployment, poverty, and loss of a loved one.
- Teach kids how to interact positively with peers - no matter who the peer is.
- Motivate our students to contribute positively to their communities.
- Connect personally with each one of our students and their families.
- Communicate effectively and frequently so families can stay informed.
- Be positive, cheerful and upbeat throughout the school day - every day
- Even though often teachers' jobs are in jeopardy due to budget difficulties.
- Not to miss school very often - children don't learn well with substitutes.
- Identify children with special needs as soon as possible, modify our curriculum to meet their needs, and link them to services that can help.
- Teach parents about how to support their children in their academic success - and how to interact positively with their kids.
- Proactively link families in need to other organizations that can help them - while providing a listening ear and specialized support at school.
As most of you who read this blog know, I was a teacher for a long time before starting my business. And to tell you the truth, I miss teaching pretty much every day. However, the more distance I get from my old profession, the more I have been able to crystallize why I left teaching. It is simply this - I cracked under the pressure. I internalized all these expectations that I felt daily having little faces looking up at me and parents peering through my classroom door window. I wanted to do all those things - I wanted to be a perfect teacher for those wonderful people and their amazing children. And then reality hit.
No matter how hard I worked, no matter how talented, or kind, or creative I was - I was not perfect. There were some children I had trouble helping. There were some families I had trouble connecting to. There were some nights I didn't want to work on creating the perfect lesson plan or answering another email - I wanted to play with my little girl or watch a movie. The daily constant pressures to be everything to everyone - real and imagined - were too much for me.
Several years of therapy later....I have some distance on this issue. With some help, I realized that to expect perfection, of anyone, is not realistic. Do you know a perfect person? I don't - but yet many people expect that from their child's teachers - granted, not necessarily on a conscious level - but the expectation is there all the same.
When working with people on finding a school, I often - almost always - hear about the qualities they would like in a teacher. Kind. Nurturing. Inspiring. Dramatic. Organized. Smart. Communicative. Structured. Creative. Excited about science. Thrilled about math. Artistic. Sees each child as unique and special. These are all wonderful qualities - and ones that many teachers have. But no one has them all, everyday, all year long, in sickness and in health, for every child. No one.
Now, I know why people have such high expectations for their child's teacher. We want the best for our children. We want to protect our children. We want the world to be available to them when they graduate from school. We love them - and so we want perfect.
But there is no perfect teacher. Say it with me. There IS no perfect person - and that includes teachers. People are wonderful works in progress. You are. I am. Your child - his friends - they are too. And your child's teacher - that includes them too.
So, when I talk with clients about this, I often see nods, acceptance in their eyes, mixed with a little sadness. They say they know - because they do - and then ask how do they make sure their child gets what they need without relying on the perfect teacher.
Here is what I tell them:
Look for a school environment that promotes teachers being their best selves as often as they can.
This could include:
(1) Supportive and continued professional development for teachers in their classroom and outside school walls so they can continue to learn and develop their skills. This could be simply giving teachers consistent time to collaborate with one another - to share ideas and to help each other in developing their craft. Or bringing in support for teachers in developing one curricular area each year. Be wary of schools that bring in consultants for reading, writing, and math in one year which may overload a teacher and not enable them to develop mastery with the new skills being presented.
(2) A principal or head of school who not only has experience as a teacher, but spends time in the classroom setting supporting and observing teachers - providing them positive and constructive feedback. Note positive interactions you see between the principal and teachers at the school - having a principal who intimidates staff does not support a dynamic, positive learning environment for adults, or children.
(3) A positive work environment - this could include an active PTA that supports teachers by organizing classroom volunteers and other supports - like teacher appreciation lunches or classroom supplies. A school that builds in time and space for teachers to take breaks - like having lunch with colleagues in the staff room, or having a rotating schedule for recess duty so teachers aren't "on" all the time throughout the day. A workplace that has extra staff on hand to support teachers in supporting students like learning specialists, school psychologists, teaching assistants, even school nurses who can assist teachers in not having to do it all every day.
Note: This includes how the parents and staff at the school talk about each other. Is there a sense of community and collaboration around supporting students from teachers and families - or more of a feeling of "us vs. them"? A positive work environment for teachers includes parent support.
As you are looking at schools this season, look at the environment from the perspective of the teacher. Would you want to work at the school you are considering all day long? Why? Why not? Better yet - ask them if they like working there. What do they like? What is difficult? The answers won't help you find a perfect teacher - or a perfect school - but they might help you find a solid community for you and your family.
No matter how hard I worked, no matter how talented, or kind, or creative I was - I was not perfect. There were some children I had trouble helping. There were some families I had trouble connecting to. There were some nights I didn't want to work on creating the perfect lesson plan or answering another email - I wanted to play with my little girl or watch a movie. The daily constant pressures to be everything to everyone - real and imagined - were too much for me.
Several years of therapy later....I have some distance on this issue. With some help, I realized that to expect perfection, of anyone, is not realistic. Do you know a perfect person? I don't - but yet many people expect that from their child's teachers - granted, not necessarily on a conscious level - but the expectation is there all the same.
When working with people on finding a school, I often - almost always - hear about the qualities they would like in a teacher. Kind. Nurturing. Inspiring. Dramatic. Organized. Smart. Communicative. Structured. Creative. Excited about science. Thrilled about math. Artistic. Sees each child as unique and special. These are all wonderful qualities - and ones that many teachers have. But no one has them all, everyday, all year long, in sickness and in health, for every child. No one.
Now, I know why people have such high expectations for their child's teacher. We want the best for our children. We want to protect our children. We want the world to be available to them when they graduate from school. We love them - and so we want perfect.
But there is no perfect teacher. Say it with me. There IS no perfect person - and that includes teachers. People are wonderful works in progress. You are. I am. Your child - his friends - they are too. And your child's teacher - that includes them too.
So, when I talk with clients about this, I often see nods, acceptance in their eyes, mixed with a little sadness. They say they know - because they do - and then ask how do they make sure their child gets what they need without relying on the perfect teacher.
Here is what I tell them:
Look for a school environment that promotes teachers being their best selves as often as they can.
This could include:
(1) Supportive and continued professional development for teachers in their classroom and outside school walls so they can continue to learn and develop their skills. This could be simply giving teachers consistent time to collaborate with one another - to share ideas and to help each other in developing their craft. Or bringing in support for teachers in developing one curricular area each year. Be wary of schools that bring in consultants for reading, writing, and math in one year which may overload a teacher and not enable them to develop mastery with the new skills being presented.
(2) A principal or head of school who not only has experience as a teacher, but spends time in the classroom setting supporting and observing teachers - providing them positive and constructive feedback. Note positive interactions you see between the principal and teachers at the school - having a principal who intimidates staff does not support a dynamic, positive learning environment for adults, or children.
(3) A positive work environment - this could include an active PTA that supports teachers by organizing classroom volunteers and other supports - like teacher appreciation lunches or classroom supplies. A school that builds in time and space for teachers to take breaks - like having lunch with colleagues in the staff room, or having a rotating schedule for recess duty so teachers aren't "on" all the time throughout the day. A workplace that has extra staff on hand to support teachers in supporting students like learning specialists, school psychologists, teaching assistants, even school nurses who can assist teachers in not having to do it all every day.
Note: This includes how the parents and staff at the school talk about each other. Is there a sense of community and collaboration around supporting students from teachers and families - or more of a feeling of "us vs. them"? A positive work environment for teachers includes parent support.
As you are looking at schools this season, look at the environment from the perspective of the teacher. Would you want to work at the school you are considering all day long? Why? Why not? Better yet - ask them if they like working there. What do they like? What is difficult? The answers won't help you find a perfect teacher - or a perfect school - but they might help you find a solid community for you and your family.
Postscript: Today's blog is dedicated to teacher Vicki Soto, who gave her life to protect her students at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I know you weren't a perfect person - none of us are - but you are my hero. May you rest in peace.
What a wonderful, practical, realistic post. As teachers can may on to new schools between admissions and fall, the bigger picture of the overall school environment is very important.
ReplyDeleteDaisy
Thanks Daisy! I appreciate your feedback - Happy Holidays!
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