Once upon a time...
I was once a classroom teacher. I started teaching first graders back before iPads existed. After my 11 years of teaching, I resigned from teaching. Why? How? What for? What happened? So many of these are questions my friends and family have thought and have even actually asked out loud. I've found out that whenever things get tough, I just give up. "When things get tough, the tough get going." For sure I'm a big wimp. I've seen this in my life and wish I was a strong individual. Being a teacher today in the 21st-century, you must have thick skin. Something I never could develop.
If I was tough, then I probably wouldn't feel frazzled at all the expectations teachers are faced with today. I was at a place in my teaching career where I couldn't be the teacher that I wanted to be. "You're still doing it wrong...you need to teach it like this...these kids are too young to be on the computer longer than 20 minutes a day...this demographic is not like your old school...you're a first-year teacher since this is your first time teaching in an inner-city school."
I am a worksheet-hating teacher. I have no love for the copy machine, hence the reason why I absolutely love technology and have a passion to find ways to use it whenever I can. Like a puzzle, I enjoyed thinking about fun, interesting ways to personalize learning for each of my students. Figure out the means and ways to reach the most hesitant learner and have them fully absorb what they're supposed to learn from those Standards of Learning.
For sure, the public school teaching field has changed for the worse in many different ways and across so many school districts. Tying the hands of the teacher to not be able to choose how to teach is the driving force behind pushing high-quality teachers out of the classroom. Taking the child out of the equation and looking at them like a statistic, only worried about scores and whether or not the "on-the-fence" kids will be able to pass the SOLs at the end of the year. These were the reasons why I left. Just as a former fifth-grade teammate would say, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
In helping any of you teachers out there who feel frazzled, here are five pieces of advice to help you survive another school year and not give up like I did. Learn from my experience.
1. POLITICS
If you don't already know what this is, learn it quick. Ain't nobody got time for honesty and sharing what's really on your mind. Bite your tongue. Nod your head. Get ready to kiss some booty because if you want a smooth school year and a possibility of increased opportunities for growth as an educator, then you MUST have a tight relationship with your administration. If you want that opportunity to lead, to present, and to be on that committee that will help beef up your resume, you will need to know people who can provide this for you. Yes, you may not like it, but if you want to survive in the public school arena you will have to make sure you have a lot of friends. It's not what you know, but WHO YOU KNOW. The word "pal" is in the word principal for a reason. You must be a chum chummy friend with your admin if you want to make and keep connections.
2. PARENTS
I'll get to the student aspect of teaching soon enough. I ensure that you are aware that as a classroom teacher, you must have the backing of all your parents. Look at them as your boss, your customer, your client. Over time a relationship of trust will build to the point that you may make close friendships with them. If they are happy and love you, then admin will love you. If admin doesn't have any parents emailing them or knocking down their office door, then you are guaranteed a stress-free school year.
Be open to having parents come in and help with filing papers into students' weekly folders. Encourage parents to sign up to send in items for various activities throughout the school year. Give your parents a sense of an open invitation to come in the classroom, join the class at recess, or eat lunch with their kid in the cafeteria. The parents are already super cool, but make sure they are treated like superheroes when they visit. It will do wonders for those "too cool for school" students who would have initially been embarrassed for their mom or dad to be there.
Make sure you show your appreciation to every parent for their help no matter how small. At the end of the school year, I would buy little items to put in a little goody bag to thank them for all of their help. For my room parents who spent more time with preparing for class parties, doing extra things for the class and for me I would, of course, make sure they felt extra love and know that our class was amazing this year because of their efforts.
3. STUDENTS
I've found my passion for teaching and that absolute desire to be in the classroom each day by doing this one thing. I embrace ALL of my students as my own. I consider them my adopted children for the school year. I will provide ways they can communicate with me if they need my help during the evenings and weekends. With the technology we have today, taking a minute to answer their question and put them at ease with a project or homework will pay dividends in the classroom when you have to be on-point with your attention on the entire class when you get back to school. Student's problem solved outside of school hours equals happy student, grateful parent.
4. COMMUNICATION
There are so many tools out there that will help you stay in constant contact with your students and their families. YOUR CELLPHONE...specifically a smartphone. It is not taboo to give your students' parents your personal number. You're not a stranger. You are their child's teacher. Hopefully, you have unlimited texting because you will find this tool to be very helpful and also break down the barrier to quickly build a relationship of trust. If you feel like your personal phone number is your binky or blankey and you don't want to give it up, there are amazing apps out there that will help you stay in constant contact with your students and their parents.
5. OPEN-MINDED
Remember, remember, remember-- shut your mouth and bite your tongue. No one likes a worry wart or negative ninny. I wish I could go back in time and have followed this advice with all of the times I complained, worried, or just plain became frazzled with the district's forced programs they were putting on our full plates.
Open your eyes, mind, and heart to your teammates, but don't share or reveal your political or religious views. It doesn't turn out well if you do. Be willing to give advice, if warranted, and to take it if you ask. Make sure you build that relationship of trust with your teammates because you will be together in professional development, staff meetings, team meetings, brainstorming meetings, meetings to just have meetings. It's endless. If you don't have a good rapport with any of your teammates then your school year will just plain suck. It's not required to eat lunch with your team, but I highly suggest it. It's a great time you can get to know them, ask how they're doing, find out their likes and passions, and to show that you value them as a teacher and as a person.
... the end
After sharing these five tidbits with you, a fellow frazzled teacher, I realize I should retitle this article to PEOPLE ARE IMPORTANT. That is the theme and the biggest lesson I have taken with me as I have inadvertently burned many bridges along the way to my ultimate decision to leave the classroom. I also have built fortresses of solitude with some of the most sincere, kind, and helpful educators out there. If you can only remember one thing from what I wrote, remember to positively build your relationships with everyone in your life. This is the foundation to keep you up during turbulent times of doubt, stress, and fear with the multitude of responsibilities put on your teacher plate. You will find that PEOPLE will help lighten your load and make you feel like you can do anything.
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