teacher development Archives - Page 14 of 22

Inspired Books: Big Potential

July 27, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Inspired Books:

The Best Personal Development Books for Teachers

This post starts a new series on our blog called “Inspired Books.” In this new series, we will share books that inspired us in some way. These are books that helped us live better, to be less overwhelmed, more productive, and happier. They are also books that helped us to grow in skill, whether personally or professionally.

We also love children’s and young adult books, and we will also include posts of some of our favorites in those categories. Lastly, we both belong to book clubs and are avid readers of fiction. We’ll share our favorites of the year with you as well because sometimes you just have to read for enjoyment!

You can find all of our book discussions by searching “inspired Books” in the search bar.

Inspired Books: Big Potential

One of the best personal development books for teachers we have read is Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises our Achievement, Happiness, and Well-Being by Shawn Achor.

Teachers may already know of former Harvard researcher Shawn Achor from his books on Happiness including The Happiness Advantage and The Orange Frog, both of which have been widely used in schools, and from his TED Talk which has been viewed over 15 million times.

The solo inspirational teacher is a myth

In Big Potential, Achor busts the myth that we achieve our best through our solo work as we work hard and strive for success. Society teaches us that it is our individual efforts that help us to thrive. We covet being the best- the top of the class, the fastest on the team, and honor the individual pursuit of excellence. We are judged and graded on our individual work. Yet in life, our success is often interconnected with that of others.

We’ve seen the myth of the individual hero in teaching. Our favorite teacher movies honor the solo teacher who works hard and through their personal efforts, often a great sacrifice to their personal life, changes a student, a class, or an entire school. The stories are inspiring, but often, not realistic.

There are huge benefits in working together

Achor’s research suggests that we need to stop trying to do everything alone. Working together allows us to find more energy, share resources, and lessen our stress. We are smarter together. We are stronger and more creative. We are also more resilient. Strong teamwork is even connected to measurable better health.

When we work together, we not only raise the performance of the group, but we also increase our own potential.

“The more you help people find their light, “Achor says, “ the brighter you both will shine” (p.18).

Strong teamwork leads to better success and more personal happiness.

Teachers need the benefits of working together

Teachers today are desperate to reduce stress and increase resilience. Resilience grows when you have a strong support system. Teachers want more time and energy, and a better balance in home and work lives. Being surrounded by people who will lift you up is a game changer. The more people we have to share stress and offer solutions, the lighter our load will be.

“We all have the power to make others better. And when we commit to using that power, there is no limit to what we can accomplish” (p. 54).

You may have heard or used the phrase “dream team.” Achor calls this system of support a “star system.”

In work and life, Achor shares, the way to win is to create a star system, a group of people whose members “assist each other, carry each other on their shoulders, and make each other better” (p.68).

Achor’s research consistently shows one strong conclusion

“You can be a superstar; you just can’t be one alone. What you need is a star system, a constellation of positive, authentic influencers who support each other, reinforce each other, and make each other better.”

This is a message that speaks strongly to us. At Inspired Together Teachers, our goal is to build a community of teachers who can come together to grow and learn, to support each other, and work together for the benefit of everyone. As the tag line in the heading of blog says, “We’re better together.”

In our list of best personal development books for teachers, Big Potential ranks in the top. It is definitely worth a read.

Our best,

Achor, S. (2018). Big potential: How transforming the pursuit of success raises our achievement, happiness and well-being. New York: Currency.

The Inspired Teachers’ Summer Handbook

July 18, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

This week we are delighted to share this post, written by one of our Teacher Warriors, Colin Rust. We think you will enjoy his advice, which he delivers with both sincerity and humor.

The Inspired Teachers’ Summer Handbook

by Colin Rust

There lies, deep within the calendar year, a magical three months. Three months that harken back to a time of juvenile freedoms and vacations. I am speaking of those three magical months; June, July, and August. Every teacher hears it about it every year from their friends and family not in the business, “teachers are soooo lucky, they get the summers off.” Guess what? They are right. We are lucky! What other profession gives you the chance to stop what you are doing on the daily, regroup, and relax? Can you imagine if every profession did that? The world would be in mass chaos! We as educators are given this time off, this beautiful time off, so why not use it to the best of our abilities?

This handbook will give you an idea of what I do during my summer as a thriving educator.

#1 Netflix Binge, seriously, you deserve it, no really, you do.

I bet you thought I was going to jump at you and say that the first thing to do is to painstakingly comb through your last year’s lesson plans in a month’s worth of reflections. That comes later. I truly believe that the first thing you should be doing during this break is relaxing. Think of it! Although we do get the summers off, we work our tushes off during the school year, fearing taking personal vacation days and making sub plans. Summer is the only time we as educators can take a breath and not feel guilty about letting 25 kiddos down.

I am not here to tell you not to binge watch 3 complete shows on Netflix for the first 2 weeks of summer. That is exactly what I did. Have I spent the whole day in my pajamas? Yes, yes I have, and that is okay. We shouldn’t feel guilty for sleeping in until 10 am or sitting and reading all day. Thriving teaching requires us to take this time to recuperate. Teacher burnout is a real thing, and personally I believe it should be listed on WebMD. Spend time with your kids, pets, and friends. Stay out until midnight on a Tuesday. You deserve it.

#2 Keep those skills sharp, like those fancy knives sold on Infomercials

In some school spheres this next item in the guide, may be considered a cardinal sin. So, those of you say, “it’s my summer go away,” look away and skip this section because you aren’t going to like it. My next tip for your thriving summer is to tutor. Yes, tutor, as in teach a student during the summer. Before you throw your rocks and tomatoes, hear me out. Tutoring a student during the summer allows you to keep your skills sharp. It is a non-threatening way to come up with new teaching ideas, a time where standards don’t really matter, and a time where your principal or district isn’t standing over you with their curriculum pacing guide, tapping their finger on their watch. (Side note, I am SOOOO blessed with an administration that doesn’t do this. Thank you for no curriculum police.)

Now, I am certainly not saying that you bog yourself down with 5 students twice a week during regular school hours. Start small, one or two students. I recently finished tutoring a past student of mine for just one week. It was quick and painless, and we both had an excellent time. Like I mentioned above, tutoring allows you to keep your skills fresh and even to try new things. Items and lessons you use in the small scale world of tutoring may prove incredibly useful in your upcoming year. Think of it as a birthday party magician practicing for the Vegas stage.

#3 Pick Up a Book!

I could sum this section up in one word: READ! Read a book you’ve always wanted to read but didn’t have time. Read the novelization of that popular Netflix series you just binged. Read with abandon. Spend the whole day reading. There is no better feeling than opening up a book, falling deep into the world of the text, and only coming back out when the sun is setting and you realize all you’ve eaten today was a sleeve of Oreos (once again you’re on summer break, treat yo’ self).

I, personally, like to set a summer reading challenge for myself. One summer, my goal was to read the entire “A Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R. R. Martin. This year I don’t have a specific series, but I am going to read a lot of fourth grade recommended books so that I can genuinely recommend them next year to students. During the school year, I find myself bogged down with lesson planning and other items, that I don’t have the same opportunities to read. Pour yourself a very large cup of coffee and jump into a new book; make some new friends, see new places, and get lost in the story.

#3.5 Pick up Another Book, Make it Professional this time!

While you are spending the day reading, I would suggest that every other book that you read has a bit of professional development to it. We as teachers should also be learners. Books that help you professionally can only improve your teaching methods. Find the right topic, and the right author. I personally enjoy professional books that are written in a narrative form. I enjoy books on reading and how to create community in the classroom. The biggest tip I can offer for this, is find an author that you will enjoy reading. Find someone who speaks to you as a teacher. For example, I am more likely read to something catchy and upbeat, full of real world examples. You might prefer a book that is highly scientific. We must always work to improve our teaching, and the summer is the best time to learn new methods through professional texts.

#4 Role reversal

This connects to the last section a whole lot, but I thought it was important enough to get its own number, and I am writing this guide, so there. During the summer it is important, so very important, to do a little bit of role reversal. Teachers, it is time to become the student. Take classes during the summer. I am sure that your district, or a cohort of districts, offers many classes throughout the summer. These courses ( I am going to assume) are mostly free to you. So take them! Give up a Monday and take a class.

Taking classes can have two major benefits. The first benefit is a lot of these classes will focus on initiatives in your district. If you take the summer classes you will get a head start on something the district will be rolling out in the near future. Now, tell me, don’t you want to be the cool kid who already knows the new science curriculum? Yeah, I thought so.

Another benefit of taking classes, especially through the district, is that you get the opportunity to work with other teachers from your district. Teachers who work at different schools, teachers who teach different types of students, and teachers you don’t know. The best thing about meeting other teachers is that by nature teachers are compulsive sharers. Whether or not it’s a “look at what I do” move or a “here’s how I conquer that problem” move, we love to share. Taking district professional development allows us to meet up with more of our species and get new skills to use in our classrooms.

#5 Ain’t no party like a teacher party, because a teacher don’t stop

During the school year teachers are constantly running around with their class, running to the copy machine, and running to an endless amount of committee meetings. My last tip for the summer is to hang out with other teachers in your school! Yes that’s right, hang out with the people you see all year. If you think this is a controversial topic, I will give you permission to skip it, it’s okay, I’ll wait. Yes, hang out with the other teachers from your school. During the summer you have the incredible opportunity to create a strong community in your school building. I believe it is important to get to know your co workers outside of the school culture. If all you get to know about your co workers is their class management line up technique, your school community will be lacking. Go to a trivia night, go see a movie, or heck set up a messaging app where you can share summer hijinks including dinners and vacation moments. When you build a strong community within your staff it can only have positive effects on the students.

So, there you go, my top five agenda items for this summer. There are many, many more, but this is a good start. Of course in between all of these items, I will be obsessively reflecting over the past year, but that’s not fun to write about. Summers are a magical time. A time that we can use to better ourselves as teachers and individuals. A time where we can forget what day it is, forget to shower, and to live in the moment. It is also a time to get a jump start on the next nine months of teaching.

So the next time someone makes a smug remark about how lucky you are that you get three months off, smile, tip your head, and tell them, “yep, I sure am.”

Colin Rust is a teacher in Naperville, IL. His classroom, known as Rust’s Rookery, is a place where students are actively engaged and are a part of a strong learning community. It is also filled with penguins!

A little bird (no, NOT a penguin) told us you can find him on Twitter at@rustsrookery where he shares classroom antics and awesome book reviews.

Happy summer,

Teacher Survival Skills for November

November 5, 2021 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

If you are feeling especially exhausted, know that you are hardly alone. What many teachers expected to be a more normal school year has been anything but normal. The pandemic continues and has caused disruptions in our daily lives. Students still come and go either because they have Covid or because they have been in close contact with someone who has. In some districts, parents have been expressing extreme views and sometimes extreme behaviors in terms of supporting vaccines and masks or rallying against them. Teachers are caught in the middle at a time when it seems that no matter what you do, you will not please everyone.

Add to this the normal phases and rhythms that teachers experience. It is common for teachers to feel tired and ready for a break this time of year. It is ESPECIALLY common for beginning teachers. November is not all pumpkin spice lattes and long walks in the leaves.

What happens in November?

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.

What research says about teacher phases and stages

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.

Though these phases were designed based on the experiences of teachers in their first few years, this year they seem appropiate to all of us. Understanding these typical stages can remind us that there are ebbs and flows in the teaching experience and that if we are experiencing a drop in stisfaction and mood, it will rise again. Research tells us that it will get better and that you can find the joy and love of teaching.

What can you do to thrive in November?

Reach out to colleagues and offer an extra dose of support. We are stronger together!

Find a new activity or lesson that allows you to bring fun and joy into the classroom. Turn review into a game or try a new activity.

Repeat strategies that are successful and that students have enjoyed in the past by switching in new content.

Remember to take time for yourself to enjoy things you love to do.

Connect with family and friends. Make plans for Thanksgiving and winter break which will give you something to look forward to.

Join an online teacher community where you can get ideas and inspiration.

Recognize that this time of year is often difficult and that things will get better.

Hang in there! We are rooting for you!

Our best,

Join our Teacher Warriors Facebook group here!

3 Things You Can Do to Take Back Your Life

December 6, 2020 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Has school taken over your entire life? If you are struggling with overwork and exhaustion and are feeling like you are never good enough and will never get it all done, this is for you. It might be time to take back your life.

You work hard because you care. It’s what makes you a good teacher. You love your students and do everything possible to help them succeed.

Teachers often go above and beyond what is expected. Many teachers are spending an unsustainable amount of time attempting to be all things to all students and in the case of virtual schooling, to all parents. They are teachers, counselors, and social workers, trying to reach all students and support all families.

And let’s face it, it never seems like enough. When was the last time you ended a school day with no lesson plans to create and no papers to grade?

You’ve probably tried to stop working in the evenings and to leave schoolwork behind on the weekends. If you have somehow managed to do that, you’ve probably felt guilty.

If you want to stay mentally and physically strong so you can be your best for the students, the guilt trip has got to go.

Here are three things you can do to take back your life:

Set boundaries.

You can refuse to be on call for students and parents 24/7. Yes, you want to be responsive and helpful, but it can’t come at a cost of total lack of a personal life.

Create a personal policy for returning parent phone calls and email. Set a pleasant automatic response that says when you will return messages. If parents or students are constantly texting you, reconsider giving out your phone number.

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries for what you can and can not do. It is NOT part of your job to call a student every morning and wake him up for school. It is NOT part of your job to be awakened by a parent’s text at midnight- or to respond to it.

If your school does not have a school policy that guides parental expectations for contacting teachers, ask for one. Good administrators respect and support a teacher’s right to have a personal life that is work free.

Check your level of perfectionism.

Perfectionists, you probably know who you are. You have high standards and want to do everything perfectly.

The problem is that for teachers, perfection is not possible. Differentiation is great, but you can’t always be all things to all people. There will always be a better lesson plan or a more perfect activity, but the search is often elusive and exhausting. A teacher’s work is never done, and the to-do list always exists. That can be unsettling for a perfectionist who likes to have everything done and crossed off the list.

If you are exhausted, resentful and angry about how much you are working, look at your own expectations. Some things deserve 100% of your attention and skill. Other things might be just fine with B+ effort, or maybe even C+ effort. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Give your best to the things that are really worth it.

We know a teacher who stayed up all night making handmade gingerbread cookies for her students. She spent hours and hours decorating each one to perfection. The kids devoured them in a minute. The teacher next door bought some cookies and juice and served them tea party style while students shared poems they had written. It was an event they will likely always remember.

Spend your time on things that matter, and remember that sometimes, done is better than perfect. And accept the fact that there are always things on the to-do list, but they don’t all have to be done today.

Stop comparing yourself to other teachers.

You all know the teacher with the incredible skill for technology, everything is in a spreadsheet and totally organized. Or maybe you know a teacher with an endless supply of engaging games to teach every content area. You know teachers whose classroom décor belongs in a magazine or whose bitmoji classroom design is both funny and inspiring.

Are you trying to keep up with Mrs. Jones? Are you exhausted yet?

We each have our own gifts. There is something that you do that is unique and different from other teachers. Perhaps you give students amazing feedback. Perhaps you have a gift for making all students feel special. You might be the one whose jokes keeps kids engaged or the one whose passion for your subject inspires them.

Don’t try to copy other teachers. You can learn from them and borrow their teaching ideas or tools but recognize that you can teach in your own way.

What comes naturally to you? What methods or techniques do you love? Sometimes the things we are best at come most easily to us. Working with your unique strengths will always be less tiring that trying to be someone you are not.

We want you to be here for the long haul. We need good, passionate, committed teachers. The danger of burn-out is real, as is the danger of losing good teachers to a less demanding profession. In order to continue to love your job, you need to find ways to rest, relax, and recharge. If things are feeling out of control, do what you can to take back your life.

Our best,

How to Maintain a Growth Mindset

November 22, 2020 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Have you adopted a growth mindset philosophy for your classroom? Teachers want to encourage students and help them grow. We want to help students understand that there are things we don’t know yet. We want to promote the importance of trying new and difficult things. We want students to understand that their talents aren’t fixed and that there is opportunity for learn and get better.

Under any circumstances, teaching can be challenging. A teacher’s role has always included modeling and demonstrating effective learning. We guide students by example, and that includes our own mindset.

How can we model growth mindset in the midst of a pandemic? Between frequently changing daily routines, working with quarantined students, and trying to engage students in Zoom calls, it is all we can do to get through the day. Teachers are exhausted.

And yet, teachers are showing up day after day.

According to Mindset author Carol Dweck, “the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.”

What kind of mindset are you bringing into the classroom? Are you modeling a growth mindset?

Here are some ways you can maintain a growth mindset:

Recognize that you do have control.

It is true that there are many things going on in the world that you can’t control. You can’t control the pandemic, or the election. But you can control some things. Focus on the things you can control and work to make those things as good as you can.

For example, you can’t control whether or not a student shows up for school. You can make the classroom experience a positive one so that students will want to come. You can’t control whether or not a student will do classwork, but you can try to make those assignments meaningful, interesting and relevant so the student will be more likely to do them.

Focus on how far you have come and how far you will go.

We often teach students to say, “I can’t do it yet.” Do you allow yourself the same grace? Chances are there are many things that you are doing now that you weren’t doing when schools shut down at the beginning of the pandemic. You’ve learned and adapted. You’ve leveled up your technology game. You’ve prepared for on-line learning. You’ve rewritten lesson plans.

Be proud of what you have already achieved and be excited for how much you will continue to improve in the future.

Continue to model resilience and perseverance.

Resilience and perseverance are two hallmarks of a growth mindset. If you are still teaching, you have been resilient and you have persevered. We often tell students that they can do hard things. Remind yourself that you are doing hard things. You are also modeling for students how to do hard things.

Keep high standards and a nurturing atmosphere.

It’s tough out there. During a pandemic, it seems plausible to lower our standards. If we lower our standards, more students will achieve them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if we set standards too high, without giving students the means of reaching them, students will fail.

Dweck offers a proven solution. Keep standards high, but teach students in a loving, caring manner. Growth mindset teachers are warm and accepting. They believe their students can and will learn. Teachers with a fixed mindset judge students and determine who is capable of learning. They are quick to give up on students who don’t demonstrate mastery.

Growth mindset in teaching also means that teachers must guide students. They can’t just assign work and then grade it. They need to explain and demonstrate. They not only explain how to do things, they also explain why the learning is useful or important.

Teachers with a growth mindset teach students how to reach the high standards. Rather than judging students for what they don’t know, they offer students a path to learning. According to Dweck, when teachers are judging them, students will sabotage teachers and themselves by not trying. When students understand that school is for them and will help them to grow their minds they don’t sabotage, they start caring.

Recognizing your own mindset and choosing to have a growth mindset will help you get through the toughest days of teaching. It can also help you to continue to grow and thrive., not only in school, but in your life.

*Dweck, C. (2006.) Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine.

Inspired Books:

The Best Personal Development Books for Teachers

Inspired Books: Big Potential

The solo inspirational teacher is a myth

There are huge benefits in working together

Teachers need the benefits of working together

Achor’s research consistently shows one strong conclusion

“You can be a superstar; you just can’t be one alone. What you need is a star system, a constellation of positive, authentic influencers who support each other, reinforce each other, and make each other better.”

Share this:

The Inspired Teachers’ Summer Handbook

#1 Netflix Binge, seriously, you deserve it, no really, you do.

#2 Keep those skills sharp, like those fancy knives sold on Infomercials

#3 Pick Up a Book!

#4 Role reversal

#5 Ain’t no party like a teacher party, because a teacher don’t stop

Share this:

What happens in November?

What research says about teacher phases and stages

What can you do to thrive in November?

Join our Teacher Warriors Facebook group here!

Share this:

Here are three things you can do to take back your life:

Set boundaries.

Check your level of perfectionism.

Stop comparing yourself to other teachers.

Share this:

Here are some ways you can maintain a growth mindset:

Recognize that you do have control.

Focus on how far you have come and how far you will go.

Continue to model resilience and perseverance.

Keep high standards and a nurturing atmosphere.

Share this:

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