NO SUGARCOATING ALLOWED!

Dear Teachers,

Sugarcoating the truth doesn’t do anyone any good, least of all our students. Our students trust us.  They deserve to be told the truth.

A student once asked me, upon receiving a poor test score, "How did that happen?" Didn't he know? He rarely came to school and when he did, he wore a superior attitude on his shoulder. Kids don't realize that the choices they make affect their lives every single day. At some point in time, someone has to sit them down and explain it.

Personally, I have no trouble telling my students when they are being rude or lazy. If I want my students to think about how their actions affect themselves and others, then I have to be willing to go there and show them.

It isn't fun, it might cause tears, and you might get a couple of angry parent phone calls. But it's important. I always warn my parents and students at the beginning of the year. I'm strict and I call a spade a spade. I have frequent, honest conversations with my kiddos. Call it tough love but it works. My kids know their boundaries, know my expectations, and they know when they’ve disappointed me, or made me proud. With any luck, my students will someday, ten years from now, thank me for being honest with them.

Speak Honestly

Too often teachers barricade themselves in their classrooms. They shut themselves off from their peers, avoid their administrators, and try to teach their students the best way they can. Understandable, but are we really doing ourselves any favors?

Teachers need to communicate, need to learn from others. I value the experience and education of my peers but there never seems to be enough time to discuss all the ins and outs of effective teaching. If only there was some easy, magical way for teachers to keep in touch.

Cel-e-brate Good Times, Come On!

Tomorrow my class will have a celebration. But not because of the impending holidays. They earned it by kicking A** on their benchmark tests.

Deciding how to handle the holidays has always been a struggle for me. Do you throw a Christmas party or Winter party? What about students who don't celebrate Christmas or holidays?  Why throw a party at all? Should I assist the students with a craft/gift for their parents? Ug, too many choices and any choice I make seems likely to offend or upset someone. And just who do you think is going to clean up the mess and the spills after the party is over? The frazzled teacher.

Some of the more creative teachers are planning non-food, non-holiday parties. One teacher is allowing her students to bring in and play board games. Another is planning a science experiment party. What am I going to do?