The Power of Your “Microphone” Ep. 32

October 4, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

The Power of Your “Microphone” S. 3 E. 32

Listen to this episode to learn how you can use the power of your microphone effectively.

Show Notes:

In this episode:

Whether or not you realize it, you have the power of a microphone. You may not even own a microphone, but you have something to say, and people to say it to. You might also give your microphone, virtually or otherwise, to others, which allows them to amplify their own messages. You also use your microphone, for better or for worse, to clarify and amplify the things you say to yourself. Today, we’re talking about the power of your microphone. You don’t want to miss this mic-drop episode.

Introduction

Our topic for today is the power of your microphone. We are coming to you through our microphones, and as podcasters and speakers it is one of our tools. But if you consider a microphone as a tool to amplify, transform or clarify your voice, it is not such a stretch to understand that in many ways, we all have a microphone.

To be completely transparent, we took today’s title from Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of IT cosmetics and the author of the book Believe It: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable. In chapter 5, which she titled Believe in the Power of Your Microphone, she gives an analogy that we all have a microphone that we control. We get to chose when to use it, what to say with it and when we chose to hand it over to someone else. We get to choose when to turn up the volume, when to turn down the volume, and when to turn the microphone off.

We liked that analogy. We are both getting ready to present sessions at a large conference. We recognize that is a unique opportunity and an honor to be given a microphone at such an event and we don’t take it lightly. We’re working hard to make sure our message is valuable, and worthy and offers meaning and inspiration for the people who are listening.

We understand that we can choose how we use our microphones. We can use our microphones to lift people up, or to tear them down. We decide which messages should be amplified and which should be silenced. We also choose when to turn down the volume when we don’t want someone else speaking into our life.

You also have all of those powers. Today, we are going to talk about the power of your microphone.

Using your microphone for good.

This one is easy to talk about, and we probably all easily understand what it sounds like to use your voice- or your microphone- for good.

Here are some examples:

Perhaps at some point you have attended a rally, or even a protest. You have joined in with other who are expressing their frustrations and the need for positive change. Your voice becomes one of many as together you make your facts and opinions known.

There are other ways to use your voice for good that don’t involve attending protests or speaking out in large public areas.

These may sound familiar to you. A common example is a faculty meeting. You are discussing something and you feel strongly about, but its a topic people are arguing about. The topic is important to you so you speak up.

Another example is that you are at an MTSS or other student support meeting. The conversation has gone down the road of being very negative and the discussion focuses on all the things the student can’t do. Instead, you could direct the conversation to solution seeking rather than complaining. You use your microphone to remind the others that there are many things the student can do.

One of the best uses of your “microphone is how you can help students to understand who they are and the special gifts that they have. This can be a simple one-on-one conversation, where you quietly tell the student, “you are such a creative problem solver. I can always count on you to have some good ideas for how to work things out.” It may seem like a small thing, but it is a great example of using your voice to lift someone up.

Turning off the volume of your microphone when something doesn’t serve you.

Some people are happy to share your microphone. They want to offer messages and advice. Sometimes it is valuable, but often it is just noise. These are the times when you need to turn down the volume or take your microphone back.

There are a lot of people with very loud microphones on social media. Consider who they are and what they are telling you. When you choose to follow someone, you are letting them talk to you. Follow those who inspire and uplift you. Follow those that make you laugh and that bring joy. Follow people you care about who share values and lifestyles and those that make you feel good about your life.

Take back the microphone from those people who fill your mind with things that aren’t useful to you.

For example, we follow a lot of educators, and there are many wonderful people who share useful, fun, or valuable information. There are others who share a lot of negativity, biased rants and list all the problems of education on a daily basis. They talk about hating their jobs and how they can’t wait to quit at the end of the year. That’s hard for us to listen to, and it is hard to take.

Curate your feeds so that it serves you, rather than making you miserable, or making you feel inadequate.

Another example of allowing someone to use your microphone is when people give advice.

Have you ever gotten unsolicited advice? Someone who may not have experienced what you are experiencing may freely share what they think you should do.

There is an old adage that says, don’t take advice from someone who hasn’t done what you are trying to do. Advice often comes from a place of caring, but it may not be useful for you.

Author Tara Mohr suggests that much of the advice we receive is not helpful and even harmful. She asked her community about their experiences with advice, and here’s what they said about the times when advice was not helpful, or was even harmful:

The advice was not asked for.
The advice didn’t reflect careful listening to the other party.
The advice seemed to come from fear or projections of the advice-giver.
The advice was based in assumptions, and/or reflected blind spots related to the privilege of the advice-giver.
The advice felt like it contained a criticism, judgment or condescension.

Paula and Michele both give personal examples of advice that was well meaning but difficult to hear.

Advice is one of the places where you may need to take back your microphone or turn the volume down.

Steve Jobs said, “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice”

On the other hand sometimes advice is useful. Here are some of the characteristics that Mohr’s community suggested are helpful:

Trust—they trusted the person who was giving advice.
Permission—they asked for advice or the other person asked for their permission before giving advice.
The person was not pushy about the advice, and was not attached to them following it.
The advice-giver was able to put the advice in the context of their own experience, and make explicit that the other party’s context/experience/goals may be different—in other words, they didn’t assume lessons from their own life would necessarily apply to the other person.
The recipient could feel that the advice came from a place of love and caring.
In some cases, there was also a sense that the advice-giver saw potential, talent or possibility in them that the person did not see in themselves—and the advising was about helping them step into that potential.

These might be examples of time when you can listen and consider the advice with the understanding that if it is not the right advice or it doesn’t suit you for some reason, you are allowed to let it go.

One major way you may use your microphone is turning the microphone on yourself.

For good or bad, one of the most common ways we use our microphone is to talk to ourselves. And many times, what we are hearing isn’t pleasant. This is a toxic voice. According to Jamie Kern Lima, “For many of us, the relationship with our own inner critic is the most toxic relationship we’ll ever be in.”

If you are wondering if you have an inner critic, you might if you have ever said anything like this to yourself:

“Who am I to speak up?”

“No one wants my opinion.”

“I have no confidence.”

“I never get a break.”

“I can’t do anything right.”

“I’m not smart enough to do that.”

“I am not good enough.”

“I’m such a failure.”

“People won’t like me.”

“I hate my body.”

“I’m so disgusting!”

We have a mirror exercise which we have used in workshops. Basically, we have everyone write down on a note card all the terrible, degrading things they tell themselves. Then we have them switch cards with a partner. The partner acts as a mirror, and reads the words on the card back to the person who wrote them. Most of the time, they can’t even read all the negative things they see. People sometimes cry, or refuse to read the negative things aloud. Yet these are the very things we say to ourselves day in and day out. It is a very powerful reminder that what we say to ourselves matters. We say things we would never say to another person, especially not someone we care about. And yet, we are filling our head with it on a regular basis.

It is like there is an inner mean girl who is trying to make sure we don’t get too confident or act to smart or look to good, because if we do, others won’t like us. So we hold ourselves back and play small.

This is really damaging, and a way to use your microphone in a harmful way. It kills our confidence and holds us back from working on our dreams. We need to learn to control that negative voice so that we can become the person that we are meant to be.

Instead, maybe you could use your microphone to tell yourself about all the good things you have accomplished. This is a good follow up to our mirror activity. You could remind yourself of all the challenges you have faced and overcome. Don’t forget to tell yourself about the way you have helped others. And while you’re at it, remind yourself that you are a human being, you are learning, and growing and trying. Nobody gets it right the first time through. You are stronger and more powerful that your inner critic will acknowledge, but that doesn’t make it less true.

The best self-care in the world is accepting yourself, loving yourself and having compassion for the person you once were, while holding onto the hope and promise for the person you are becoming.

Recap:

Your microphone is powerful. You can learn how use it for good, know who to share it with and when to turn the volume on low or shut it off completely. We often talk about living your values and living an inspired life and part of that is learning to use your microphone masterfully.

Quotes:

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

Steve Jobs

“ For many of us, the relationship with our own inner critic is the most toxic relationship we’ll ever be in.”

Jamie Kern Lima

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Believe It!: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima, Gallery Books, 2021.

When is Advice Helpful and When is it Not? Tara Mohr, www.taramohr.com

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Inspired Together Teachers Podcast: E. 4How to Grow in Confidence

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

If you are dedicated and caring but often overwhelmed and exhausted, join us at Inspired Together Teachers. We’ll give you inspiration, strategies and tips that help you navigate life’s challenges as a stronger, more confident, and more joy filled person, both in and out of the classroom.

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Co-hosts Paula Schmidt and Michele Vosberg are award winning educators with the experience and skills to help teachers thrive in life and work. They’ve taught at all levels, worked with thousands of teachers, and conducted workshops around the world. They are also the authors of the #1 best-selling book The Inspired Teachers Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

10 Tips to Get Your School Year Off to a Great Start Ep.23

August 2, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

10 Tips to Get Your School Year Off to a Great Start S. 2 Ep.23

Listen to this episode to learn our top ten best ways to get your school year off to a great start.

Show notes:

Episode Summary:

As every teacher knows there is something special about the beginning of a new school year. Each new year brings new beginnings, new opportunities, and a fresh start with fresh faces. Today we are talking about steps can take to make sure the year gets off to a great start. Keep listening as we countdown our top ten suggestions for starting the new school year with energy, strength, and optimism.

In this episode:

Quote:

“The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.”

Dan Rather

Introduction:

We love the start of a new school year and bet that you do too. There is little that can compare to the excitement and opportunity that a new school year brings. Along with the smell of new pencils, there is so much potential that is out in front of us, waiting for teachers and students to bring it to life. There will be new relationships with new colleagues and new students. There will be opportunity for new ways of learning and plenty of light bulb moments. There will also be growth- for the students and for you.

Call us eternal optimists, but we want to embrace each new year and give it our best. So, we created a countdown of ten of our favorite suggestions for starting the school year with energy, strength and optimism that we are excited to share with you.

Our top ten tips to get your school year off to a great start:

Success Tip Number 10: Create a good sub folder.

We added this to our countdown because we believe in the power of a great substitute folder and the beginning of the school year is the perfect time to create that sub folder.

You need a great sub folder. It is going to happen, you are going to be sick or have an unexpected emergency that requires you to be absent from school. No matter how healthy you are and how strong your immune system, you will be in contact with students who sometimes come to school ill. You will sleep better knowing that you have a solid sub folder when those unexpected sick days occur.

Trying to prepare good lesson plans when you are not feeling well or when you are in the midst of a family emergency is no fun. We recommend that you prepare a complete and highly usable sub folder.

We have a whole blog post on our website dedicated to specific items to add to your sub folder, which we will link in the resources. At the very least we suggest you include the following in your sub folder:

Your daily and weekly class schedule
Your class attendance lists and seating charts
Attendance and lunch count procedures
Passwords to the white board or computer if they need it to run the lessons
A list of classroom rules and expectations
A list of students with medical concerns (be thoughtful about student privacy issues but share what is necessary)
Location of emergency information for fire drills etc.
A general note to the sub explaining your routines
A list of reliable students and colleagues who can answer questions or be helpful
2 or 3 days’ worth of lesson plans and activities that are related to your subject and that provide important skill work. Your emergency lesson plans should not be directly connected to your current unit of study. This allows you to keep emergency sub plans without having to change them in the moment to reflect the current unit.

Though it does take some time to set up a good sub folder, the time will be well spent when you find yourself suddenly ill or in the midst of a family emergency. You will feel a level of security and comfort knowing that no matter what happens, you have done your best to leave your students in good hands.

Success Tip Number 9: Build time for yourself into every day.

It is important that you take some time to recharge your own battery. Try to do at least one small thing every day that makes you calm and happy. Do things that feed your soul- even for ten or fifteen minutes if that is all that you can manage. This will help you to stay positive and connected to your values.

Many of you are exploring ways to teach mindfulness to your students. It is also important for you. Stress is real and has many negative health effects. You give so much to so many every day. If you are looking for ideas for self-care, check out Episode 16 where we talk about the difference between real self-care and faux self-care.

Where do you find the time? You don’t. You create it. Use time blocking to carve in a block for yourself. Use a master weekly calendar. Block in your prep times and other work blocks. Then block in buffer blocks, which are short times blocks where you will do multiple small tasks such as sending an email. Then add people blocks, which is where you spend time with people you care about. You also need personal time blocks where you block in some time for yourself. This helps you to use your time wisely.

Success Tip Number 8: Help students get to know you.

When students feel like they know and understand you, it will go a long way in making your school year run smoothly. Let the students know a bit about you right from the beginning. Tell a funny story about your dog. Talk about your favorite sports or activities. Share a read aloud from your favorite book or tell them about your favorite summer activities. Students will respond better to someone they know, like and trust. You can share bits of yourself without oversharing or becoming a friend rather than a teacher.

One of our favorite teachers has a framed picture of himself when he was the same age as his students so they can envision him when he was their age. Other teachers like to share pictures of their summer adventures so the kids have something to talk with them about. For example, the teacher may project a funny picture of her looking terrified while white water rafting which sparks a later conversation with a student who says they felt that way when they went kayaking with their uncle. Little details about yourself at the beginning of the year can lead to big connections throughout the rest of the year.

Success Tip Number 7: Establish positive relationships with parents and guardians from the start.

At some point in the year you will need to talk with parents. You don’t want the first thing they hear from you to be that their child is failing or that there are behavior issues that need to be addressed.

Start the new year by introducing yourself. Write a note to parents in a letter home, newsletter, or in your parent communication portal. Give a few details about your interest, your education and your hopes and dreams for learning this school year.

Follow up with information about your expectations, and procedures. You can also include a syllabus or a description of some of the content you will explore or projects that students will experience.

This is also a good place to establish boundaries. Tell them the best way to contact you and the times that you are available to schedule a phone call.

Success Tip Number 6: Be open to change.

Flexibility is uncomfortable for many teachers who are naturally organized and well-planned. Teaching involves working with real, live, active participants whose needs are ever changing and always evolving. There will be situations out of your control. Sometimes the best strategy is to go with the flow and figure things out as you go. If you thrive on being well-planned, create some contingency plans for days when your regular plans aren’t possible. Setting a goal to go with the flow, right from the beginning of the year, will set you on the right path toward a successful school year.

One middle school teacher gave us this cheeky motto: “Flexibility is our favorite “F” word.”

Success Tip Number 5: Get to know students as individuals and as learners.

This goes hand in hand with Tip number 8. Let the students get to know you. In return, it is important that you get to know who your students are as individuals. Building good relationships with students involves getting to know who your students are as individuals. Ask about their interests, backgrounds, families, and favorite activities. Give students interest inventories or have younger students draw pictures of things that are important to them. Look at student records to find out about medical issues such as allergies or any other special concerns. The more you know about individual students, the better the bonds you will be able to create with them.

The more you know about students as learners, the better you can help them learn. Give students learning inventories, multiple intelligences surveys or ask them to answer questions such as “How can I help you learn best?” Other good questions are, “Tell me about a time when learning was fun and easy for you,” and “Tell me a time when learning was a struggle for you.” Be sure to check students’ IEPs and understand the type of accommodations you will need to provide. Ask for clarification if something is not clear.

Success Tip Number 4: Create a classroom environment that you love.

You spend a lot of time in your classroom, make it a place that you love to be in.

Rearrange the furniture. Find different furniture- most schools have a room in the basement or behind the gym with left over odds and ends. Go thrifting. Add a table or another bookshelf. Make your classroom work well for you and for your students. Ask yourself, “What would I need in order to make this room function well?

Consider the colors of your room. How does it feel? Is it open, inviting, and warm? Consider different lighting. Add some plants. Don’t be afraid to add something fun or quirky.

We’ve seen stuffed animals as classroom mascots who hold fun signs with reminders or compliments, and even a model of a human skeleton that dressed up with hats and ties and sports shirts for different holidays and events.

Make bulletin boards that work for you that are not difficult to maintain.

Here are some ideas for easy bulletin boards. Use a quote board. Leave the background and change out the quote each week. Use a large world or US map. Pin things to it, or use it to discuss connections to content. Leave a board for student work and student ideas. Cover it with blank white paper and have students write their key takeaways. The next week they make a connection from something they learned to something in their life… the ideas are endless.

Success Tip Number 3: Positive Notes for Days I Really Need Them

If you haven’t yet made yourself a folder for Positive Notes for Days I Really Need Them, the beginning of the school year is the perfect time to create one. As a teacher, you are going to make a difference to someone. It is the nature of our profession that sometimes you will never know how you might have affected someone. Fortunately, other times you will know. People will thank you. You will get scribbled cards, written in messy crayon that says “You are the best teacher.” You will get a grateful e-mail from a parent or a guidance counselor. Someone will tell you that you are doing a great job.

Get yourself a folder or box or an accordion file and save every single one of those positive notes.

Save them for days that are difficult, and there will be plenty of those. Save them for when you are working too hard, and not making enough money and it just doesn’t seem worth it. Save it for those days when a parent makes you cry and days when the students are acting out and you are tired of dealing with it all.

When you are down or struggling, take out that folder and start reading. Those messages, notes and cards will lift you up. They will encourage you and remind you that what you are doing matters. They will feed your soul and revive your spirit.

If you are looking for more information on this type of folder, we wrote a blog post about it. We will link to it in the resources.

Success Tip Number 2: Focus on building good relationships with students.

The more you know and understand students, the easier it will be to teach them. The more that they know you care, the more likely it is that they will thrive. When students thrive, they can learn. Spend as much time as you can in the early weeks of school, getting to know students and helping them to know each other. Building relationships with them from the beginning maximizes the opportunities to expand upon that connection all year long.

Everyone likes to be called by name, and using students’ names when you talk to them is a sign of respect. Get to know student’s names as soon as possible. Ask students how to pronounce unfamiliar names and if they prefer a variation or nickname.

Greet students at the door each morning using their names. Call on students by name. Seating charts and name tag tents on the desks may help in the first few days. Knowing names may seem like an obvious step, but making a real effort here shows students that you care.

If you are a teacher who sees hundreds of students in a day, consider taking a picture of each student, adding their name to their picture, and creating a class roster with the pictures. Using this photographic roster may help you learn the students’ names better.

We can’t say enough about the power of building relationships with your students. Having a relationship with students makes the difficult conversations just a little easier, and makes the celebrations of a student’s accomplishment just a little more sweet. We think this quote from Dan Rather shows the power of a positive student and teacher relationship:

“The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called ‘truth.”

We can have more truthful conversations when we have built good relationships.

And Finally, our top tip for getting off to a great start this school year…

Success Tip Number 1: Spend time building classroom community.

Students who know, like, and understand each other will work better together. Time spent at the beginning of the year can go a long way towards building a positive classroom community. Use community building activities during the first weeks of school that help students to get to know each other. There many available activities, use your favorites or search for more on line.

We have a blog post entitled Essential Tips for the First Week of School that lists a few of our favorite community building activities for the first weeks of school.

Another great way to build community is to have good conversations with them about things that matter to them. Be honest and respectful. Let them share their ideas and opinions. You can have a classroom meeting or in the elementary grades, use your morning circle time.

The first weeks of school can make or break how your school year unfolds. Getting off on the right foot will help you set expectations that will reward you all year long. The time you spend building community will pay off in terms of better relationships with and between the students. Students will be more engaged with you and each other, which will result in fewer classroom management issues and THAT is an excellent way to start the year!

We end today with a quote from one of our favorite educators and authors, Esme Codell:

“Thirty-one chances. Thirty-one futures, our futures. It’s an almost psychotic feeling, believing that part of their lives belongs to me. Everything they become, I also become. And everything about me, they helped to create.”

We hope you have a great school year. Know that together, we are cheering you on!

Recap:

To recap, starting the new school year with energy, strength and optimism will set the stage for a happier and more engaged school year. Don’t delay, start that sub folder and the folder for the “Positive Notes for Days I really Need Them”. Get to know your students as people and learners while letting them learn a little about you too. Send a positive message to parents. Be sure to set aside a little time for yourself each day and be open to change. Create your classroom in a way that makes it a great space for you and your students. Focus on building those good relationships with students and remember, you can’t do enough community building in the first weeks of school. All of your efforts will ensure a more positive experience for you and for the students for the rest of the year!

Resources:

Inspired Together Teachers Podcast Ep. 16 Real Self -Care

Positive Notes for Days I Really Need Them

Essential Tips for the First Week of School

How to Create an Amazing and Effective Sub Folder

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Raise Your Standards E. 15

June 7, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

Raise Your Standards S. 1 Ep. 15

Listen to this episode to learn more about how you can raise your standards to live in alignment with your beliefs and values.

Show notes:

Episode Summary:

We all have personal standards. Sometimes they serve us well and sometimes they don’t. In this episode we talk about the standards you have set for yourself and where you might need to examine them, tweak them, or even change them.

We’re not talking about Common Core or state standards, we’re talking about the standards you set for yourself, the standards you live by and that drive your actions. Though the educational system may set the curricular standards, you are in charge of setting your own standards!

In this episode:

What do we mean by standards?

Today we are talking about raising our standards.

We are not talking about the Common Core, Next Gen Science Standards or your state standards.

We are talking about your personal and professional standards.

By definition a standard is a “level of quality or attainment.” A standard is also an adjective we use to describe “an idea or thing used to measure” it’s what we use for comparison to what is “normal” or an expected level.

Examples of standards:

We set standards, or boundaries around what we are willing to do based on our values and beliefs.
We have standards around how we act around people, talk to people, and present our selves.
We have standards around the quality of work we will do.
Our standards tell us what we expect and what we will tolerate.
We also set standards for how we want to be treated and what we expect from ourselves and from other people.
If your standards are high, you understand your worth and your value and act accordingly.
If your standards a low, you are going to accept pretty much anything from yourself or others, you have low expectations and settle for the path of least resistance.

Though the educational system may set the curricular standards, you are in charge of setting your own standards!

What determines the type of standards we have?

Our standards are deeply ingrained; we often developed our standards as children when our parents and others taught us how to act.
We learn standards from watching others model- both positively and negatively
We also choose to create our standards as a reflection of our personal values.
Our standards are also closely related to our beliefs about what we think we deserve, and about our value as a person. As your understanding of who we are or what we believe changes, so should our boundaries.

It isn’t always easy to change your standards. They have become a part of us. That said, we CAN change our standards and we may need to in order to elevate our lives.

Leonardo DiCaprio understands that sometimes we will need to raise our standards when he said, said, “Every next level of your life will demand a different you.”

Raise Your Standards for Personal Interactions

Do You Need to Raise Your Standards?

As you have become a teacher, chances are, you have raised your standards in some areas of your life.

Many of us are rethinking our relationships with food, choosing foods that are higher quality, organic, local, and more nutritious.
We may have raised our standards in terms of exercise, recognizing that exercise helps us reduce frustration and become more mindful.
Since you are a working professional, you have likely raised your standards in terms of your personal wardrobe. The world has gone more casual in dress, but there are various levels of casual and also appropriate and inappropriate situations for some clothing.

There are some other areas where it is possible to raise your standards.

You may also need to raise your standards in how you talk to yourself. Many of us have a mean girl or a bully voice in our head that doesn’t say very nice things.
How can we expect others to show us love, acceptance, commitment, & respect when we don’t even show that to ourselves?

You may need to raise your standards in your interactions with others.

This is where it gets tricky. Examining how you interact with others takes it out of the individual realm as it involves another person. We are no longer just considering our wants and needs, but those of the other person.

You may need to raise your interpersonal standards if you have ever found yourself doing one or more of the following:

Failing to correct a student because you don’t want to hurt their feelings.
Not speaking up at a faculty meeting when you disagree because you don’t want to upset your colleagues or make them think you are a troublemaker.
Letting a student, parent or other teacher yell at you.
Letting a student undermine you by allowing them to change the direction of an activity.
Allowing someone to take credit for your work.
Doing the work of someone else rather than call them on it or letting it go undone.

If you have experienced any of these things, is a sign of an interaction which needs to be improved.

Here are a few ways to raise your standards in how you interact with others:

Understand that teaching often involves correcting someone or helping them to change behaviors and that this is a positive thing.
Teachers often hesitate to correct students because they don’t want to make them feel bad. Rather than framing it as criticism, frame it as help. Help students to understand that it is your job to offer guidance.
Help students to understand that having a growth mindset means that they are going to make mistakes and that is part of the process. It does not mean that you will punish them.

Do not allow other people to treat you with disrespect.

You teach other people how to treat you by how you respond to them.
If you allow someone to take credit for your work, or to undermine your decisions they will likely continue to do so.
If they know that they can slack off and you will pick up their end of the project, they will leave you doing more than your fair share of the work.
You do not have to allow anyone to scream at you. You can respectfully suggest that you will set up another time to talk when emotions are not running so high.

Learn to have courageous conversations.

If someone throws you under the bus, call them on it.
Know your value and stand up for yourself when needed.
If people in your life leave you feeling resentful, angry and hurt, speak up. You can do this without accusations by addressing how you feel.
If you value the relationship, say so, and acknowledge what kind of behaviors you want or need.
Though it can be difficult to do so, try to stay calm and speak with a low voice.

It isn’t fun to have courageous conversations, but when we do so, often times we clear the air. It is a chance to let go of anger and resentment. It is also a chance to better understand the other person and let them understand you.

Raising your standards may be a sign of self care.

Recently, there was an article on the Today website called: Dear Moms: Trips to Target are Not Self-care. The basic premise was that many women think that a trip to Target is self-care. They walk around and look at the candles and pillows and drink a Starbucks latte, and then buy things their families need. That is not real self care. Real self care is actually asking for and getting something you really need- like an entire night to yourself or a day away with your friends. This is an example of how raising your standards can mean speaking up and asking for what you really need.

We’ll do an entire episode on real self care in the near future.

Be aware of what you bring to your interactions.

The other side of the story is in what your attitudes and actions say about you.
In episode 9 we talked about how YOU Set the Tone.
You’ve heard of the Golden Rule, and it is not bad advice to treat people how you would like to be treated.
Raising your standards means being aware of you what you bring to interactions.
Being respectful and kind goes a long way.
People notice when you show up with integrity. You can take the high road and become a positive role model.
“Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.” Mandy Hale

Though it is a process rather than an event, it is possible to raise your standards around relationships and interactions. You won’t always get it right, and old habits sometimes die hard.

We say this all the time, but it is true. Try to keep moving in the right direction. Small steps in the right direction will often add up to big improvements.

Recap: When we raise our standards, we understand who we are and how we need to show up in the world in order to give and receive value. That is a worthy goal, one that will serve you well as a teacher and in other parts of your life.

Quotes:

“Every next level of your life will demand a different you.”

Leonardo DiCaprio

“Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.”

Mandy Hale

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Today: Dear Moms: Trips to Target are Not Self-care.

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

YOU Set the Tone Inspired Together Teachers Podcast Episode 9

Blog: Raise Your Standards for Personal Interactions

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Are You Making an Impact? Ep.14

May 31, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

Making an Impact S. 1 E. 14

Do you ever wonder if you are making an impact on your students? How do you know? In this episode we are talking about signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that what you do is making an impact.

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

Do you ever wonder if you are making a positive impact? You’ve been working really hard, yet it is human nature to question yourself. Does what I do matter? Do students even notice or care how much I am working for them? Does my family feel loved and cared for? Are my relationships with friends meaningful? In this episode we are talking about how to know if you are making an impact.

In this episode:

One of things we are all want to know is that our life and work have purpose and that we making a positive impact. Today, we’re going to explore what that might look like.

We all want to make an impact. It gives our life value and purpose. It brings us fulfillment- and we’re talking top of Maslow’s higher needs and self-actualization here.

When we know we are making an impact, we have the stamina to get through the tough times. We all have challenges, but sometimes, if we know that the result is going to make a positive impact, we can accept the challenges.

We know that questioning our impact can be an issue for teachers. We hear it at our workshops. Teachers question whether they are really making an impact. Teaching is unique because we can work on a project “a student” for 180 days and the results of our labor may not be recognized until months, years or even decades later….and we may never see that impact we made. However, there are signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that you are making an impact. Let’s explore some now…….

‌How to Know If You Are Making an Impact With Your Students

Do you call students by name?

We all want to feel seen.
One of the simplest ways to make people feel noticed is to use their name. We all like to hear our names. How do you greet students in the morning? Do you great them by name? How do you respond to students when they raise their hands? Are you calling students by name when they are engaging in positive ways or only when they are exhibiting negative behaviors?
If you are routinely connecting with students by using their names when you interact with them for a variety of reasons, you are already positively impacting them. They are feeling seen and heard.
Example: when teachers stand in the door ways and great students by name when they enter the classroom

Dale Carnegie said about names: “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Do you give positive feedback?

You are reading student work. You are having discussions with students both in a large group and in smaller groups or individually. You are answering student questions. These are all opportunities to give positive feedback. Even an incorrect answer can result in positive feedback.
Here’s an example, “That is not the correct answer, but I can see that you have some good thinking going on.” You have just provided positive feedback.
If you are giving students positive feedback on work, behaviors, attitudes, thought processes, or social interactions, you are making a positive impact.

Do you help students to grow?

We all have a need for growth.
Teachers are in a position to help students grow not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well.
Do you meet students where they are academically and help them get to the next level?
Do you guide students in appropriate social behaviors?
Do you encourage students to have a growth mindset?
Are you challenging students or encouraging them to try new things?
If so, you are making a positive impact.

This is where students relationships enter the picture. When you have built relationships with students you can give them feedback that is personal. Or socially, you can remind a student this is not your best self- you can rise above this.

Paula’s example: When working with kids with cognitive or behavioral disabilities, sometimes it took a lot of repetition. We practiced, repeatedly, skills and behaviors until the students were able to learn them and then we would move on to the next goal. They often knew they weren’t at the same level as their peers. They didn’t need me to tell them. They felt it. However, what I could do for them was guide them as they got closer and closer and to be their biggest cheerleader along the way. Their steps were small but each step felt like a huge leap.

Do you teach the whole student?

You were hired to teach academic content.
You have all experienced teachers in your life who taught you something other than academic content.
They recognized something in you and helped you to see it in yourself.
They gave you advice about life, not just about homework.
They opened your eyes to something you are passionate about but might never have discovered by yourself.

These teachers were teaching the whole person, not just the student. If your interactions with students sometimes move out of the academic realm and into student’s lives, you are making a positive impact.

Do you still care?

This question is focused on you and your behaviors.
We all know people who have called it in. They do the minimum to get by. They stop any extra interactions. They don’t go out of their way to do anything extra for a student or colleague. They have a negative attitude. A student failed? Not my problem. A parent called? Why should I bother to call them back? Faculty meeting? I’m not going to show up.
You don’t have to work yourself into the ground, and you don’t have to be on call 24/7.
Good teachers still care. If there is a way to help a student, they will show up for that student.

Do you still care about your students? If so, you are making a positive impact.

You make more of an impact than you may realize.

In our experience, teachers make far more of an impact than they realize. Your student may be walking away with an important life lesson. A seemingly ungrateful parent may recognize the ways you have helped their child, though they may never tell you. It is a truth in life that you may never know who or how you may have made a positive impact.

You may not know the impact you have on a student. Some will never get the chance to tell you. Some will show up years later and surprise you.

Save the evidence: Positive Notes for Days I Really Need Them

Save those notes and cards and letters, and little gifts you get. There will always be there to remind you that you make a difference.

Michele’s room is filled with little reminders from students. I’m sure people come into my room and think I have a lot of worthless clutter. In reality, it is the cat a student made for me in wood shop, the butterfly pin with my name misspelled that a student bought me with his own money, the cup that holds my colored pencils that a student gave me 20 years ago. I don’t see it as junk. I see it as impact.

We recently worked with a high school teacher that had a student mementos wall in his classroom. He hung class pictures, newspaper articles about the sports wins, student artwork, graduation party invitations…anything students gave him. He said, “that wall reminds me why I do this.”

We all need those reminders.

‌How do you know you are making a difference with your family and friends?

People come to you to seek your advice or as a shoulder to cry on- they trust you. You don’t judge and love unconditionally.
You are a good listener. You are present.
You show up, emotionally even if others don’t always show up for you. Especially true of family members who don’t have the same level of maturity or goals that you do.
You show up physically.
You go to the funerals. There is a great episode of NPR’s podcast This I Believe where a woman shares how a teacher showed up for her Mom’s funeral, when she was an adult, and that it mattered.

‌Recap: There may be times when you question if you are making an impact. While it is human nature to question ourselves, you are making more of an impact than you know. You are making an impact in the classroom through your words and actions. The same applies to your home life. Though you may never be fully aware of the impact you are making, continue to care, to teach, and to positively impact those around you. You are more powerful than you know.

‌Quotes:

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Dale Carnegie

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do make a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

Jane Goodall

Resources mentioned in this episode:

NPR Radio Program/Podcast This I Believe: Always Go to the Funeral

Related episodes and posts:

5 Ways to Know if You are Making an Impact – Inspired Together Teachers

Positive Notes for Days You Really Need Them

Connect with Inspired Together Teachers:

Download our FREE resource, The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspired-together-learning/

Our book: The Inspired Teachers Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Free Teacher Resources You Can Grab Right Now

December 15, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Did you know that we have a lot of great free teacher resources here at Inspired Together Teachers?

As our Christmas gift to you, we have eight freebies you can grab right now linked below.

If you want to do some inspirational reading over the Christmas break, we’ve got a list of 25 of our favorite books about teachers.

The number one thing teachers tell us they need is help with motivation and classroom managment. We’ve got a great guide for you!

Speaking of classroom management, did you know that how you phrase things makes a difference in how students respond? We have a great list of phrases you can use for better classroom management.

Here is a link for our favorite lesson plan template EVER. It is a recipe for an actively engaged lesson!

Read more about it here and then grab the template!

The Lesson Plan Formula of Your Dreams

Every teacher needs quick and easy formative assessments. One of our favorite’s is 3-2-1. Get a reproducible handout to use in your classroom.

Wondering how you can best use differentiation in your classroom? We’ve got a guide that gives a great overview of how to differentiate and then gives you specific examples of differentiation in action.Who doesn’t need that?

One of our reader’s favorites is our parent-teacher conference planning template. Why not get ready for your next PT conferences?

Looking for a teaching job? Get our guide for how to ACE Your Teaching Interview.

We hope you enjoy these free teacher resources!

Happy Holidays!

Our best,

The Power of Your “Microphone” S. 3 E. 32

Show Notes:

In this episode:

Introduction

Using your microphone for good.

Turning off the volume of your microphone when something doesn’t serve you.

Another example of allowing someone to use your microphone is when people give advice.

On the other hand sometimes advice is useful. Here are some of the characteristics that Mohr’s community suggested are helpful:

One major way you may use your microphone is turning the microphone on yourself.

Recap:

Quotes:

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

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10 Tips to Get Your School Year Off to a Great Start S. 2 Ep.23

Listen to this episode to learn our top ten best ways to get your school year off to a great start.

Show notes:

In this episode:

Quote:

Our top ten tips to get your school year off to a great start:

Success Tip Number 10: Create a good sub folder.

Success Tip Number 9: Build time for yourself into every day.

Success Tip Number 8: Help students get to know you.

Success Tip Number 7: Establish positive relationships with parents and guardians from the start.

Success Tip Number 6: Be open to change.

Success Tip Number 5: Get to know students as individuals and as learners.

Success Tip Number 4: Create a classroom environment that you love.

Success Tip Number 2: Focus on building good relationships with students.

Success Tip Number 1: Spend time building classroom community.

Recap:

Resources:

Share this:

Raise Your Standards S. 1 Ep. 15

Show notes:

Share this:

Making an Impact S. 1 E. 14

Do you ever wonder if you are making an impact on your students? How do you know? In this episode we are talking about signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that what you do is making an impact.

Show Notes:

‌How to Know If You Are Making an Impact With Your Students

Do you call students by name?

Do you give positive feedback?

Do you help students to grow?

Do you teach the whole student?

Do you still care?

You make more of an impact than you may realize.

‌How do you know you are making a difference with your family and friends?

Share this:

The Lesson Plan Formula of Your Dreams

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