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Your Terrible, Horrible No Good Pinterest Fail Day

March 29, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Some days of teaching are amazing. You see the “light bulb” moments happening in front of you, your heart is full of pride, and your chest puffs out just a bit at the amazing feats of your students (with your assistance behind the scenes of course). On days like this we are walking in sunshine.

Other days, not so much.

We all have those rough days. It feels miserable in the moment, but is most likely not ultimately fatal to your career or irrevocably detrimental to your students. Don’t beat yourself up. What you need to do after a bad day is get some perspective.

We have all seen the “Best Fails” videos that appear on Facebook and You Tube. You know the ones. Grandma reaches to put the star on the top of the Christmas tree, loses her balance, the whole tree comes down on top of her. Grandma’s dentures are knocked out and they end up as the tree-topper. If you need a good laugh, check out some of these videos. There are thousands… generally involving a skateboard, a swimming pool, or other objects that lend themselves to little control and much potential for disaster.

If You Tube videos aren’t your thing, check out Pinterest fail photos. You can find cute little birdie cupcakes that end up looking like two-headed monsters. There is a baby shower candle that looks scary enough to keep locked away in a cupboard, not on the table as the decoration it was intended to be. Pinterest is full of cakes with little lambs or other animals that end up looking more demented than darling.

Why is it that we watch the videos or look at these pictures and laugh, yet beat ourselves up if we have a “fail” in the classroom? Chalk up a tough day up for what it was…your version of a “best fail.” Think of failure as an opportunity to learn.

You can bet that the big man who jumped in the little pool on the video made sure the sides of the pool were reinforced before he tried that stunt again. Or perhaps he wisely decided to avoid trying that jump again…ever. The person who tried making those cute Pinterest bunny rolls and ended up with charred ears on some scary-looking rabbits probably learned not to cut the ears so thin the next time. Or maybe she decided to just stick with the round rolls as they were intended to be cooked, without ears.

In her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck explain that having the ability to fail and then adjust is one of the characteristics of a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset see themselves as a work in progress rather than someone whose talents and abilities are fixed. Having a growth mindset allows you to continually get better at whatever it is you do, and is one marker for those who are highly successful.

Take what you learned from your fail and either make adjustments or avoid doing what you did that made it a “best fail” day. Remember that you are working with young people. Students are often unpredictable. Spending time with them every day is bound to bring about some unpredictable results. Even the best lesson plans sometimes miss the mark. The best baseball players don’t hit a home run with every swing of the bat and you won’t be perfect every day either.

You are doing the best you can with the students you have. Some days will just be better than others. Start each day with a clean slate and your best plan. You will have far more good days than bad ones, and the good days will keep you going.

Here’s to learning from our failures,

Remind Me Why I Became a Teacher, Please!

January 13, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 4 Comments

We all have those days. It’s cold and dark in the early morning. We spill the coffee on the way out the door. The students aren’t listening. A parent is upset. The paperwork is piled so high we can no longer see the top of our desk.

We doubt our career choice. We wonder what we were thinking that led us to this profession in the first place. We want to tell anyone who will listen that this profession is more difficult than they could ever begin to imagine.

When we feel this way, it is important to stop and revisit the reasons we chose this career. In case you need a reminder, here are just a few of the reasons:

Reason #1: You wanted to make a difference. You wanted to teach and inspire future students. And you are. Even on days when you doubt it, you ARE making a difference. Every day you teach you are etching yourself into the hearts and memories of the students sitting in front of you. When they remember their (insert your position here) teacher, yours is the face they will picture. Their memories of school will be positive, because you helped create them.

Reason #2: You had an amazing teacher and you wanted to be like that teacher when you “grew up.” That teacher changed your life and showed you all that a teacher should be. You learned from him/her and you loved him/her. You are now that kind of teacher for a new generation of students. There is power in such love. This is why we need to remind ourselves regularly how important our work is and to cherish this incredible power we have been given.

Reason #3: You remember the teachers who left a negative impression on you. You DIDN’T want another student to ever have to go through what you did with that particular teacher. Those feelings and that same passion are still there. Your knowledge of what students respond to and what they don’t respond to is evident in your classroom today. You may not always be a perfect teacher, but your heart is in the right place and your students know it.

Reason #4: You wanted to have your summers off. Okay, well, that won’t really happen as planned. You never really forget about your classroom and students over the summer months. There is new curriculum to put together and materials to organize. You are always working even when you are not working. However, you do get a bit of time to rejuvenate and relax. We take what we can get, right?

Reason #5: You have a teacher’s heart. There is no denying it. You went into this profession because you cared. You still care. Regardless of the stresses of standardized testing, administrative mandates, and other energy-zappers, your heart is still a teacher’s heart. This is a special gift indeed.

The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, remember why you chose this profession in the first place. You are one of the luckiest people on the planet. You are surrounded by energetic students and passionate colleagues, and that is wonderful place to be.

What are your reasons for going into teaching? What helps you to remember why you chose this career? We would LOVE to hear from you in the comments below!

Happy reminiscing,

Teachers: You are More Powerful than You Think!

January 4, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

Teachers are Powerful! — Graphic by John Hain via Flickr Creative Commons

You’ve made it through your first day back to school after a nice break. No doubt it was a little difficult this morning- to get up, to get going, to get back in the groove.

It is a good thing you did though. The world needs your energy and your gifts.

Think about it, as a teacher, you are more powerful than you realize. Because of you:

A struggling student’s face will light up when they realize they have finally mastered a challenging skill.

A child who gets little attention at home will be noticed and feel valued.

Students will laugh and realize that learning can be fun.

Students will learn that errors and mistakes are learning opportunities rather than failures.

Someone will not suffer the torment and humiliation of being bullied.

Students will understand themselves better: their strengths, their challenges, their special gifts.

Students will feel physically and emotionally safe.

Students will learn social skills: how to play nice, be fair, and get along with others.

Students will learn how to organize their time, be responsible and work hard.

Because of you, there will be better people in the world. That is powerful!

We wish you a year full of health, happiness, wonderful teaching!

Let’s Be Grateful for Our Profession

November 23, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 4 Comments

It’s Thanksgiving week, which reminds us to take a moment to be grateful for things we have and things we cherish. Along with our families, friends and comfortable homes full of holiday food, we are grateful for our profession and all of the good things we find there. We feel blessed that we have found meaningful work that fills us with passion and energy.

We are grateful that we get to witness the growth in our students from the time we begin working with them until they are ready to leave us. Though we often don’t notice it from day to day, from beginning to end the differences are often dramatic. We are rewarded by growth and honored to have played a part in it.

We are grateful to work in a profession where we get to determine the environment in which we work. We can make our classrooms joyful places of learning or dread filled places of despair. We can make our classrooms safe for all who visit and all who learn there. Though we may not be able to influence the larger political climate we work in, we can choose the weather in our classrooms.

We are grateful for the many diverse people we have had the opportunity to meet. We have worked with many highly dedicated parents, students, teachers and other school professionals. We have been in classrooms across the country and around the world, and the people we have met have given us perspective and filled us with possibility.

We are grateful that we can call our colleagues at night or on the weekends, to brainstorm solutions or to celebrate successes. When you love your work, you will gladly have those discussions with each other. Our colleagues often understand the situation in a way that our families can’t. Our colleagues know and they are there for us.

We are grateful that we have met some of our best friends through our teaching careers. Sharing a love of what you do with someone who is as inspiring and dedicated as you strive to be creates a bond that is everlasting.

We are grateful that we have been able to serve as advocates for students, giving a voice to those who don’t always have one. Empowering others is a responsibility we take seriously. You can count on us to be your champion.

We are grateful for our former students, who smile and embrace us and sometimes tell us that though it didn’t seem like it at the time, we have made a difference in their lives. Our former students have a way of coming back into our lives at unexpected times and in unexpected places. These joyous encounters are among the greatest gifts we have ever received.

And lastly, we are grateful for our readers. We have readers from all around the country as well as Australia, Singapore, Moldova, Japan and Peru. As we move forward, we hope you will continue to read our posts, comment and share. If you haven’t joined us on Facebook (TYTtribe), or Twitter please do. We would be delighted to have you join us.

We look forward to future conversations with you. Get started now by leaving a comment telling us about something educational that you’re grateful for this holiday season.

Happiest of Thanksgivings to you and your families,

6 Great TED Talks to Inspire You This School Year

August 31, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 14 Comments

TED talks are an easy way to learn and be inspired by great speakers- all from the comfort of your living room, and requiring only your phone, tablet or computer. If you want to get jazzed up for this school year, here are our suggestions for six great TED talks about education. Watch the videos below and get ready to make a difference this year!*

Diana Laufenberg: How to Learn? From Mistakes

Laufenberg understands that today, schools are no longer places we go to get information, but places where we go to learn to do something with information. She shares examples from her classroom where learning is experiential, project based, authentic and meaningful. When she gives kids a voice, they rise to the occasion.

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion

Pierson, an educator for over 40 years, is wise, funny and passionate. She will tug on your heartstrings and inspire you to build relationships, because helping children to be the best they can be is a lasting legacy and the best gift we can give them.

Stephen Ritz: A Teacher Growing Green in the South Bronx

Think you can’t make a difference? Want to be uplifted by the power of one teacher? Watch Ritz, a fast talking, high energy teacher who started a green revolution in his school, increased school attendance, provided students with job skills, and helped feed his community.

Kakenya Ntaiya: A Girl Who Demanded School

In Kenya, Kakenya Ntaiya was engaged to be married at age five, suffered abuse and exchanged bodily mutilation for the opportunity to attend school. She used her education to return home and create a school for girls in her Maasai village. She challenges us all to change our community, which will change our country, which will change the world. Her heart wrenching story speaks to the power of education to change lives.

Angela Lee Duckworth: The Key to Success? Grit

What causes students to succeed in school… and in life? It turns out that intellectual ability is not the answer. You might be able to help all students do well in the long term by encouraging them to develop passion, perseverance and a strong work ethic. This is the talk that started the “grit” movement.

Beau Lotto and Amy O’Toole: Science is for Everyone, Kids Included

We love this approach to science- where questioning and playing games become inquiry and scientific method. Never underestimate the power of children, who are capable of far more than we often give them credit for. Encourage your students to be scientists this year!

Do you have favorite TED talks? Please share your favorites in the comments below and help us all to find some new, inspiring ideas.

*All video are originally available at www.ted.com and used with permission via Creative Commons License.

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