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8 Questions that Will Make You a Better Teacher

January 2, 2018 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Do you want to be a better teacher? We believe that in order to be our best- as a person and as an educator, we always need to be growing. Personal growth can come through reading, taking classes, or participating in a PLC, but it can also come through simply asking yourself questions.

These questions have no right or wrong answers. They are meant to be reflective, for your eyes and for your heart. Success does not happen by accident, or by merely doing the things you have to do, but by purposefully seeking to grow.

Take a few minutes and ask yourself these questions. The answers will be the spark you need to ignite growth, which will energize you and set you up for future success.

Here are 8 questions that will make you a better teacher:

What am I proud of accomplishing? How can I use my successes and inspiration and as a blueprint for accomplishing new things?

Where have I failed? How can I use my failures to learn and to grow in the future?

Who has helped me in my teaching career? How can I say thank you and be grateful for the help I have received? How can I give back to someone else? When we work together to pull each other up, we all achieve more.

Who can mentor me in the next phase of my life? We all need people who can uplift us, teach us new things and help us to be better. Look around you. Are there master teachers you can learn from? Can you read about best practices? Can you take a class, join a mastermind group or become a part of on-line groups that will support you?

Who do I spend the most time with? Personal development expert Jim Rohn said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Are the people you spend time with filling you up or dragging you down? Negative talk in the teacher’s lounge can kill your spirit. Find the people in your life who energize you and support your goals.

What have I been wanting to do that I have not yet done? The answer to this question offers you a clear path for growth. Is there a program or strategy you have been wanting to try? Do you want to learn a new skill? What could you do that would make you a better teacher or a better person? Make a plan and get started. You don’t have to wait until you can do it perfectly, just get started.

What is the most important thing about today? The things that are urgent often get in the way of the things that are important. Teachers have busy days and busy lives. Long to-do lists can become overwhelming. Ask yourself each day, what is the most important thing about today? Then make sure you do that thing. This will help you to prioritize and make sure you are accomplishing the most important things.

Am I becoming the person I want to be? It is easy to become frustrated and yell at a student. It is easy to become overwhelmed with grading papers, quit and binge watch your favorite TV shows. We are not perfect. We will slide into bad habits or bad practices and we will most certainly mess up when we try new things. The import thing is not that we have messed up, but that we keep trying to move ourselves forward.

Give yourself credit for the good things, however small, that you do to help yourself move forward. Ask yourself, who do I want to be? Then take baby steps in that direction. Great things are not often accomplished by one big, perfect action, but by many small steps that gradually move you forward.

We know you want to be a better teacher, if not, you wouldn’t have read this far. We hope that you will make your personal growth a goal and set an intention towards growing each and every year. Not only will positive action towards personal growth make you better, it is the key that will keep you energized and enthused about your life and your work.

Happy learning,

You may want to grow by reading books about other amazing teachers. Here are our suggestions of books with inspiring teachers:

7 TED Talks for Teachers That Will Inspire You to Be a Better Teacher

December 28, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

As life-long learners, we love TED Talks and have gathered a collection of some of the best Ted talks for teachers. TED is a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading unique and interesting ideas through short, powerful talks. TED talks use the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.

We love the inspiring power of TED talks. We’ve written about our favorite TED talks for educators in the past, and this week we revisited the TED website to find more talks that speak to us today.

Here are 7 powerful and short TED talks that will inspire you to be a better teacher.

The Power of Believing that You Can Improve: Carol Dweck 10:15

Growth mindset researcher Carol Dweck shares an example from her research of students with fixed mindset vs growth mindset. If you haven’t learned the power of yet- this is for you.

A Short Intro to the Studio School: Geoff Mulgan 6:16

What can we learn from studio schools? More learning by doing? More team work? Smaller schools? Personal coaches for students? We see much potential in this concept to inform our practices. Think about how you can take these ideas and apply them in your classroom. Power Hour? Makers Spaces?

How to learn? From Mistakes: Diana Laufenberg 10:00

We no longer need to come to school to get information, information is available all around us. What we need to do is come to school to learn to do something with that information. Laufenberg discovered that when you ask kids to use their own voice, learning happens. And yes, there will be mistakes along the way.

Why Schools Should Start Later for Teens: Wendy Troxel 10:33

Do you teach teenagers? Despite all the research to the contrary, middle and high schools usually start earlier than primary schools. Where do you come down on school starting times for adolescents? Would your students learn more if their school started later? In this powerful talk, Troxel shares statistics that show that our teens are sleep deprived and at risk for a host of problems that could be eliminated with later school starting times. How can you use this research to impact your teaching?

How to Design a Library That Makes Kids Want to Read by Michael Bierut 12:26

Could your school library use a refresh? This designer discovered something better than his logos when he opened up his ideas to create more inspirational libraries. Skip past the logos into the second half where you will see some fun and inspiring library updates. The last minute of the video is the best! We knew we loved librarians, and this librarian reminds us what is important.

A Summer School Kids Actually Want to Attend: Karim Abouelnaga 7:04

Abouelnaga made it out of one of the worst schools in the country to attend an Ivy league university. Now he is dedicated to redesigning summer school programs to eliminate the summer slide and help students gain skills during the summer. How do middle class students and students in poverty experience expectations differently? Check it out.

3 Rules to Spark Learning: Ramsey Musallam 7:05

This high school chemistry teacher wants us to increase learning by cultivating curiosity. How can we use the ideas present in a questioning four-year-old to stop “pseudo-learning” and engage students in real learning?

Do you like TED talks? Which ones are your favorites?

Happy watching,

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13 Inspiring Teacher Movies for your Binge-Watching Pleasure

December 19, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers 4 Comments

Teacher movies have a reputation for being syrupy, predictable, and clichéd. A typical plot is that of an idealistic young teacher who takes on a class of unruly students and “saves” them by using tough love and encouragement. These are often feel good movies designed to evoke strong emotions and be inspiring.

Teaching is a difficult job, and at times, we all need some inspiration. Teacher movies offer inspiration, but if you watch carefully, you will also learn things about the importance of building relationships, effective teaching strategies, and how to manage accountability while holding high standards.

We offer 13 of our favorite teacher movies for your binge-watching pleasure:

Dead Poet’s Society

Robin Williams is genius in his portrayal of a prep school teacher Mr. Keating, who is out to inspire his students to think and live differently. Watch this to see what a passionate teacher looks and acts like. This movie was nominated for many awards and won an Academy Award for Best Screenwriting. Carpe Diem!

Stand and Deliver

A math teacher is a struggling school manages to inspire his apathetic students to math greatness by giving them both skills and desire to achieve. Tragically, the students, who are mostly poor and Latino, are accused of cheating. Mr. Escalante is a master at getting attention. Watch the scene where he slices an apple with a cleaver or when he connects mathematical principals to the Mayan heritage of the students. You’ll learn how to make learning relevant and be inspired to connect with students.

Mr. Holland’s Opus

Richard Dreyfus stars as Mr. Holland, a wannabe composer who takes a job as a music teacher. The job is more difficult than he imagined, and he is often frustrated and feels ineffective. All teachers have these feelings. Based on a true story, this movie is a testament to the power of a teacher to affect students in powerful ways and reminds us that we, too, may be affecting our students in ways we don’t even know about.

Dangerous Minds

Dangerous Minds is another movie based on a true story. LouAnne Johnson is an ex-marine who takes on a class full of troubled high school students and manages to both bribe and inspire them into achieving. Her real method, however is building connections with students, which is the ultimate strategy to win them over.

Freedom Writers

Also based on a true story, idealistic new teacher Ms. Gruell takes a job in inner-city Los Angeles. A fish out of water, the pearl wearing Gruell does not immediately connect with her highly diverse, at-risk students. When she begins to discuss racism, they gradually open up. This leads to a writing project which helps to change the student’s lives. Though the world may try to beat the idealism out of you, this movie teaches you to hold fast to your dreams.

School of Rock

This is an unusual choice, since character Dewey Finn, played by Jack Black, is not a real teacher. In addition to being entertaining, it is the story of a surprisingly effective teacher. Finn, who does not always use ethical methods, turns his fourth- grade classroom in a rock band. He uses some good teaching techniques and demonstrates a clear understanding of how to motivate students. His best strategy is to understand who his students are and to use their strengths to help them find success.

Lean On Me

Morgan Freeman stars as Joe Clarke, a tough guy principal who takes on a gang and violence ridden New York City school. His methods are unorthodox; he wanders the halls with a baseball bat and instantly expels troublemakers. He manages to raise standards and ultimately, turn around the school. The message here is that we CAN change things in education that aren’t working.

To Sir With Love

This classic 1967 movie stars the superb Sidney Poitier as a black engineer forced by discrimination to take a job as a teacher in London’s rough East End. At first he is both shocked and appalled at the behavior he sees. He challenges the students to act more respectfully, which accounts for his new title as “Sir.” Gradually, he wins them over and changes how they see themselves and their future.

Goodbye Mr. Chips

This is another classic movie, which won Robert Donant an Academy Award in 1939 for best actor, beating out Clarke Gable in Gone With the Wind. The film is about an aging headmaster who tells the story of his teaching career through flashbacks from his past. The delight in this movie is watching Mr. Chips transform from a young, ineffective teacher, into a master educator. If you study how he changed as he learned through the years you will have a guide from an excellent mentor.

Music of the Heart

Meryl Streep stars as a middle-aged woman who takes a job as a music teacher in Harlem when her husband abandons her. With no experience, she struggles in the job, but hangs in there and keeps trying. She gradually has a positive effect on her students and on the school community. The teacher who perseveres wins, which teaches us that you can get better at your job and ultimately, make a difference.

Front of the Class

This is the story of a young boy with Tourette’s Syndrome. He is tortured and bullied as a child, but refuses to let his condition hold him down. He ultimately becomes a successful teacher. This movie will help you understand Tourette’s syndrome as you root for the underdog. By the time he gets a teaching job, you believe that he will accomplish anything he sets his mind to, including being an effective teacher.

The Ron Clark Story

This is the true story of Clark, who is now leads his own school and has written extensively about education. Clarke leaves his successful job in a suburban school in North Carolina and heads for New York City where he hopes to tackles the challenges of the inner city and raise test scores despite all odds. This movie will lead you to challenge yourself rather than accept mediocrity and complacency.

Akeelah and the Bee

This is a story about the power of education in transforming a life. Akeelah is a bright but unmotivated eleven-year-old. Akeelah’s environment, with its low expectations, gangs and apathy towards education threatens to destroy her. Faced with detentions for her many absences, she gets involved with a spelling bee and wins. She is sent to train with an English professor, whose methods involve deeply understanding your content and believing in your inner power.

We hope you relax and enjoy some of these teacher movies over your break from school. Also, we’d love to hear your favorite teacher movies. What teacher movies do you recommend? Just let us know in the comments below.

Happy watching,

Do you want some more teacher inspiration? Fill out the form below and get a list of 25 Books with Inspiring Teachers!

Don’t Freak- Solution Seek

November 21, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like there are so many changes in a day that you can’t keep up? Have behavior management issues got you feeling like you are freaking out? At the end of a day can you think of ways you would have handled a situation differently if you hadn’t let your nerves get the best of you?

We once worked with a young teacher who was fond of using the following phrases when things wouldn’t go as planned with her students, the schedule, or her lessons:

“I’m freaking out” she would say to her colleagues when there were abrupt schedule changes.

“Don’t freak out” she would say to herself when behavior management issues arose.

“I am definitely going to freak out if…” she would say when considering what she would do if her lesson bombed in the classroom.

The ironic thing was that this young teacher was very capable and was an excellent problem solver once she calmed down and moved past her initial “freaking out” instinct.

What she learned, that can be a lesson to all teachers, was that what she really needed to do was recognize her use of the word “freak” as a trigger to “solution seek.”

Like that young teacher, you too can follow these steps to move from “freaking” to “solution-seeking:”

Every time you feel yourself saying, thinking, or feeling that you are “freaking out,” recognize this as a trigger for a mindset change.
Stop, take a deep breath, and re-evaluate the situation.
Say to yourself, “Don’t freak. Solution seek.”
Start considering possible solutions to your dilemma. To determine what solutions you can seek, consider the following:

What aspects of the situation do you have control of?
What aspects of the situation do you not have control of?
What steps can you take immediately that will lead you to a desired response?

Take one actionable step to start working toward a solution.
Continue to work toward the solution until it has been reached.

By recognizing the word “freak” as a trigger, your awareness of your own reaction and emotions will be heightened. By participating in the mental act of solution-seeking, you no longer have the time or energy to freak, as you are focused on the solution and how to attain it.

The teacher we worked with found this method to be extremely effective. Every time she felt that she was freaking, she stopped herself and told herself, “Don’t freak-solution seek.” She was thrilled with the results. She became more calm and in control of her emotions in front of her students. She was able to find solutions that she was not be able to find when she was too busy letting her anxiety get the best of her. She found that the phrase “Don’t freak- solution seek” had many applications beyond the classroom in her daily life and in her interactions with fellow teachers.

Do you ever find yourself in the same situation as the novice teacher? Could your students benefit more from a level-headed solution-seeking teacher than a teacher who is freaking?

Don’t freak. Solution seek.

These four simple words can alter the course of an interaction, a lesson, or a school day.

Who knows…maybe your students could even benefit from using this phrase in the classroom? Maybe this is the motto for your next team meeting? The possibilities are endless when you choose to seek solutions.

Wishing you calmer days and clearer solutions,

Paula and Michele

Do you “freak” when you can’t think of what to say to students? We’ve got you covered. Get our free guide below.

November: First-Year Teacher Blues

November 14, 2017 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

While friends and family view November in oranges, reds, and yellows, new teachers may experience November as blue. Yes, blue. As in first-year teacher blues. “I think I’ve got the blues” or “I am feeling blue” are common sentiments for new teachers in November.

For all teachers, especially those in their first year of teaching, November is not all pumpkin spice lattes and long walks in the leaves. For teachers, November is crunch time.

By November, your students are comfortable with you. They are settled into routines, which might mean boredom or a need for more variety. They may react by showing negative behaviors.

By November, you have survived all the beginning of the year meetings. You’ve dealt with learning new curriculum, parent- teacher conferences, progress reports and report cards. It is a lot.

By November, you’ve settled into a rhythm of writing lesson plans, grading student papers, and writing I.E.P.’s. You are trying harder and harder to to stay organized as the demands on your time and energy increase.

By November, you see your friends first enjoying free time while you are home trying to catch up with your never-ending work.

By November, you are feeling exhausted. You begin to question whether you are in the field or whether you actually have what it takes to do this job.

Ellen Moir and the New Teacher Center followed thousands of teachers throughout their first years of teaching. Their research has shown that new teachers tend to go through a similar set of six phases in their first year of teaching.

According to their research (and our own observations and experience confirm it), the end of November through the end of December is the toughest time for new teachers. This is when new teachers hit rock bottom.

But…it is all uphill from here! If you are struggling, you are not alone. It will get better. Here is why:

New Teacher Center image of phases of first year teacher attitudes. — Image via Ellen Moir and New Teacher Center

Moir and the New Teacher Center describe the first-year teacher’s attitude toward teaching in these six easy to understand phases:

Anticipation: This phase starts in student teaching and generally carries new teachers into the first week of school. The excitement they feel, along with the sense of purpose and wanting to make a difference, are high. The new teacher’s idealism is praise-worthy but they may have romanticized teaching just a bit.

Survival: This phase begins in the first month of school. There is so much to learn, and not enough time to learn it in. Even if they had great teacher preparation, new teachers begin to feel overwhelmed with the commitment, amount of curriculum to learn, and the day-to-day tasks that seem all-consuming. Though overwhelmed, the new teacher still is optimistic and comes to work excited most days.

Disillusionment: This phase is the most disheartening and is the reason we are giving this reminder in November. Look at the graphic. This is when new teachers hit their lowest point. After about 6-8 weeks of strenuous teaching, new teachers begin to question their ability to teach and their commitment to teaching. Behavior management often becomes a focus, as do parent-teacher conferences, and nerves about a first formal evaluation.

At this point when the new teacher feels like there aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done, friends and family may begin to express their concern that the new teacher is spending too much time on their work and not enough time on their personal lives. It can be a “blue” fall for new teachers, but hope is right around the corner.

Rejuvenation: Hooray for winter break! This short break gives new teachers time to catch up on their rest, relaxation, sleep, laughter, family and friends. There is also time for reflection on the first half of the year and additional time to think of improvements for the second half. The new teacher’s attitude about teaching slowly starts to rise again for the first few months after the much-needed break. The feelings of defeat slowly subside to productive energy.

Reflection: Near the end of the year, new teachers have a chance to reflect back upon the year. As they think ahead about the following year, they focus on what went well and what can be improved upon for next year. They begin to develop a new sense of relief, and their general feelings are those of energy and anticipation for the future.

These phases, experienced by thousands of new teachers, help to explain why November, which is full of brilliant fall colors can actually can seem “blue” for new teachers. But these phases also help us to see that the winter break will bring about a more hopeful spring.

November is a time of first-year teacher blues. Rock bottom blues. But it gets better. Remind yourself why you became a teacher. Read this post to inspire you.

Hang in there, new teachers. Your attitude will grow uphill from here. We promise.

We’ve got a new free guide for what to say to students to improve classroom motivation and management. Interested? Grab it below!

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