I just chatted with my teacher friends and some of them were so frustrated due to the admin team. I do feel that the first item is really true!!! Good luck to me—I have finished the first draft of Disability Impact Analysis.

1. “Change to X, Y, Z curriculum. It will solve all your problems.”

When schools do not achieve the results they want, they look for the next silver bullet in the form of the latest fad curriculum. But the best curriculum is one that we, the teachers, feel comfortable with and can make our own.

2. “Get another job if you are unhappy.”

Not sure that this is the advice that should be handed out to teachers so freely right now in the midst of a massive teacher shortage. How about we take a proactive approach and eliminate the causes of job dissatisfaction instead of telling us to quit?

3. “Be stricter to improve student behavior.”

Pretty certain I’m not scaring anyone, no matter how loud I yell. Students know our hands are tied with discipline. They just go home, tell their parents that we are picking on them, the parents complain to administrators, and it is all our fault once again.

4. “Build relationships to improve student behavior.”

We completely agree with this one, but can you make it a little easier on us? Hugging students is not allowed anymore. And cramming forty students in a classroom doesn’t really set the stage for heart-to-heart conversations.

5. “Stick to teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic.”

If only we could, if only we could. Sigh. The public sometimes has the view that students are coming to us, sitting at their desks quietly, eyes glued on the teacher, eagerly learning everything we have to teach.

No, they are coming to us with out-of-control behaviors brought on by early trauma and lack of structure. We are teaching emotional regulation, self-control, and manners. Somebody has to do it.

6. “Remember to take care of yourself.”

Would this occur before or after the mountains of unnecessary paperwork, intricate lesson planning, meetings, subbing for other classes, and grading? Our insomnia due to excessive anxiety and stress interferes a bit with self-care.

7. “Don’t spend your own money on stuff for your class.”

But we really need stuff for our class. Schools can’t even afford to supply us with enough copy paper. If we want our students to have what they need, we must provide it, unfortunately.

8. “Schools need to use their dollars wisely.”

What are these elusive dollars in which you speak? Education is drastically underfunded. Some believe that we are given plenty of money and are just squandering it away on pizza parties and staff shirts. No, teachers buy those things from their own pockets.

9. “Just finish your work at school.”

Friends and significant others don’t quite understand the magnitude of our workload. It can’t be just left behind in the classroom. If we did leave it for the morning, we would be up all night worrying about being grossly underprepared for the day.

Honestly, it is impossible!!!!

10. “Do it for the kids.”

Politicians and school leaders routinely use the tagline that education is a calling, and we should lay down our very lives for our students.

This is emotional manipulation.

If they really understood what putting kids first meant, they would make sure that the people who were truly putting the kids first are respected, valued, and fairly compensated.

11. “Take a day off to regroup.”

We would love to but… We must plan for hours to prepare for a non-existent sub.That day we take for our mental health would cause us more stress, guilt, and worry than just showing up, so we show up.

12. “Just take student phones away to get them to pay attention.”

This is like taking a slab of meat away from a hungry lion cub and its mother. Even the most angelic students will become defiant, and their parents will be up at the school in five seconds flat, wondering why their children didn’t immediately respond to a text.

13. “Sell Rodan + Fields, Scentsy, or some other MLM to supplement your income.”

Why should we have to? Many teachers participate in multi-level marketing sales. These take a lot of time; and often, educators lose money instead of making money. Educators who have completed years of advanced schooling should not have to hit up their peers to make a sale to supplement their inadequate incomes.

14. “Go back to teaching ‘The Old Way.’”

We get this a lot from parents about Common Core and curriculum methods. The problem is teachers do not control the curriculum. Please refer this advice to your local state government or school district.

15. “Make school more fun for kids.”

What does this even mean? Sorry, we can’t compete with video games, and we shouldn’t be required to do so. We do our best to make the curriculum relevant and motivating, but to expect fun and games every day is unrealistic.

We know everyone is trying to help, but the only advice teachers truly benefit from is given to us by our colleagues. Other educators completely understand the issues that we face, and their experiences are invaluable.

So, if you are a friend, spouse, or administrator to an educator, please give us a listening ear and leave the expert advice to those that have been there.

Exactly!!!

Reference: https://www.boredteachers.com/post/most-common-pieces-of-advice?fbclid=IwAR0SG0brGTJeXrs2KiBZ54ERgQ3N4SYbjywehWIqjUwxp4rky5HanSX9XrE

Explore eight ways school leaders can work to create a culture of trust and teacher empowerment.

HOW ARE YOU SHOWING TRUST?

1. Recognize excellence: How can we give teachers more consistent recognition? This could be as simple as noticing and congratulating teachers on their efforts in the classroom. For example, you may have a group of teachers who have collaborated to create a fantastic project-based learning unit centered on community heroes. Make sure to compliment them on a job well done.

2. Give meaningful challenges: Teachers are excellent problem solvers, and we must capitalize on their knowledge. Let’s say you’ve noticed a lot of absenteeism with virtual learning. Asking teachers for their insights is a way to engage them in something that’s relevant and meaningful. Providing space and time to let them act on those ideas demonstrates that you value their insights and trust them to engage students.

3. Encourage autonomy: Do we micromanage teachers when they should be treated as adults? We frequently prescribe how teachers should do things in areas such as virtual learning formats, lesson plans, technology integration, and assessments. Instead, give them the creative license to do it in the best way possible for themselves and their students. The how should not matter if the goals and destination are communicated. Leaders who trust understand how to provide support while also getting out of the way.

4. Let teachers pursue their passions: It’s critical to give teachers a chance when they approach you with new ideas, such as starting a community garden or a yoga club. Most teachers simply want the go-ahead to move forward with ideas so that they can grow. Do we do enough to promote the hobbies and interests of educators? Find a way to say yes.

5. Be clear and transparent: Teachers want to know why they are being made to do certain things and how those things align with the school’s mission and vision and benefit students. The more you keep your employees informed, the better they’ll understand what’s going on. Staff meetings, emails, and newsletters are opportunities for you to make goals clear and to facilitate dialogue as to how you will work together to achieve those goals.

6. Nurture relationships: Basics like remembering people’s names or not being too busy to say hi when passing another in the hallway can help people feel noticed. Stopping to ask questions and genuinely listen shows you care. Taking the time to be interested in other people’s lives and express concern about their well-being can show how much you value relationships.

7. Invest in whole-person growth: Are you asking teachers how you can assist them in performing their duties to the best of their abilities? It’s a good idea not to assume we know what’s best for everyone, especially when we can simply ask and listen. If teachers are coming to you to tell you they’re stressed out, figure out what can be done. Simple steps like having office hours or setting up a Calendly can make it easier for teachers to reach out.

8. Show vulnerability: Stop initiatives that aren’t working. Ask for help. Let others take ownership of ideas. Are you showing your human side? During a staff meeting, are you speaking with or talking to? These are a few ways to not let our egos get the better of us.

Reference: https://www.edutopia.org/article/what-does-trust-look-school?fbclid=IwAR2UY3wKQuB2YqixKBSoTuZam80VegQppguWuNw10zj0TLeoyNSa7Ct4TP0

Do you always feel happy? It’s the first class of SPED 501 today. I am working on Microsoft Educator courses for professional development and was helping Desiree with her application. I am lucky that 10+ years ago, I have several unsung heroes who helped me out and earned my master’s degree from SUNY-Albany. Furthermore, as I dig deeply into educational field, so I am able to distinguish the differences among autobiographical essay, personal statement,  and statement of purpose (SOP).

• Autobiographical essay is a more traditional Chinese style in first-person perspective by chronological order.
• Personal statement is a self-intro narrative under the big theme of “What leads one to become a teacher?” and the applicant uses this document to express the passion and ambition of pursuing the teaching certificate and/or degree and further, convinces the committee members to offer the admission. (Note: It’s neither a persuasive essay nor argumentative essay.)  
• Statement of purpose (SOP) is a narrative document of what the applicant has done from the past, present, and extended to the future plan. It is a combination of what you learned from the past experience and what you plan to do.  

What a great idea of conducting a project! I love this idea pretty much! If you are helping students seeking their identities, give it a try!

When students learn about each other’s identities, it helps them understand their own biases and prejudices, as well as build a space of respect and tolerance for all.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNm3xM4B00s]

Reference: https://www.edutopia.org/video/exploring-perceptions-about-identity-through-self-portraits