Being in a profession where the primary focus is giving, how do teachers fuel their own passion for teaching? After 26 years in education, I’ve identified eight big ideas that generate teaching energy.
1. School is about interactions that lead to change.
In addition to the physical changes related to growth, teachers help learners notice and value intellectual and behavioral changes. Our interactions with people, texts, materials, and experiences lead to change both in ourselves and our community. When you are choosing activities, consider the opportunities for interactions and plan to notice specific changes. Thinking about the quality of interactions and the expected change keeps our focus on learning – the reason we all became teachers and the activity that we prize most.
Get energized by reflecting on changes in yourself
Make note of how learning changes:
- the way you think
- what you know
- how you tackle a problem
- what you notice
- what you like or dislike
- what makes you happy, satisfied, nervous, and/or confident
- tools you can use
- ideas that you can explain, connect, and use for your own purposes
Document changes in a journal to value your own learning throughout the year. Notice the interactions that led to change and reflect on patterns in learning. Share the reflections on changes in yourself with students and/or colleagues.
2. Interest lies in complexity.
Making ideas simple often results in eliminating the need to think. Without a need to think there is no interest. Things do not have to be confusing or difficult to be complex. Rather, complexity can be achieved by providing pieces that don’t easily fit together, feeling tension, or choosing between competing priorities. Keep yourself interested in teaching by thinking through the complexities of the subjects taught, individual students, produced student work, and interactions in a school day.
3. Reflection is necessary for learning.
How often do we run out of time before the closure or wrap-up of our lessons? When this happens we have had the experience that leads to change, but we have missed the opportunity to value the change or learning that has taken place. Instead of waiting until the end, why not make a habit of stopping for reflection at different times during a lesson? Along with the typical objectives, standards, and activities, include the reflective actions in the table below to recognize and further learning.
Lesson plans should include time for:
| Teachers to: | Students to: |
| observe | connect and wonder |
| listen | do |
| connect | show by sharing |
| document or record | document or record |
| question | question |
4. Learning is tied to our emotions.
Research in Neuroscience suggests that the cognition involved in learning is directly tied to our emotions (Immordino-Yang, 2007). In fact, students must feel admiration for the teacher and be free from fear for successful learning. In addition to learning being tied to emotions for students, as teachers we are emotionally engaged in the learning experience with students, too. Furthermore, we are engaged in our students’ personal lives and with our colleagues as a learning community. Teaching is emotionally draining! Recognize this strain on your own emotions and find ways to acknowledge the emotions you are feeling. Recharge each day by taking time to reflect on a moment where you felt joy while learning or smiled when someone else learned. Record notes about moments of successful learning weekly. Energize by reading your notes about moments when a student “lit up” – that moment when the learner recognized his/her own learning or a moment when you recognized a change in yourself. Challenge yourself to think about why these successful moments of learning occurred.
5. Teachers are leaders.
Students are led, not managed. Resources such as materials and time are managed. The teacher, as a leader, articulates a vision for the goals of the learning community. Probably more important than the positively stated rule chart on the wall are the established ways of working together that the group develops under the teacher’s leadership. Ways of learning together include norms for:
- talking and listening,
- offering and receiving help,
- promoting the learning of both individuals and the group,
- anticipating and solving problems,
- valuing diversity, and
- building confidence.
Being a leader and active participant in a culture focused on learning provides a cyclical source of energy. The effort put into building a learning culture comes back to you in satisfaction that fuels new effort.
6. The time we have is the time we need.
Because we work within established school calendars and schedules, it is useful to plan as if the time you have is the amount of time needed. With this mindset, no time is wasted thinking about what could be done if only there were more time available. Instead, focus energy on how to use the time that you have to achieve your goals. If you need more time, then find it within the time allotted.
7. We can only respond to the diversity that we perceive.
There are millions of ways that individuals are unique. While our commonalities may tie a learning community together, it is the diversity that gives a community strength and resilience. Learn more about each student through every unit of study. Find student strengths that may be hidden to someone who isn’t really looking. Use those strengths to help all students learn. The process of expanding your own perception of individuals and responding to what you “see” through instruction will help you remember the reasons that drew you to becoming a teacher.
8. Learn for yourself because learning generates energy.
Tend to your own learning as much as you tend to the learning of others. Learners are interesting people because they have new ideas and experiences to share. Interesting people make interesting teachers. Make your own learning goals a priority in your schedule. Being a learner prevents burn-out by energizing the mind and the heart. When you feel the need to recharge, take out this list of big ideas and spark your passion for teaching.
Resources
Practitioner Article: Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2008, July 10). Emotions, Social Relationships, and the Brain: Implications for the Classroom. ASCD Express, 3(20).
Research Article link: Immordino-Yang, M.H., & Damasio, A.R. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain and Education, 1(1), 3-10. http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~immordin/papers/Immordino-Yang+Damasio_2007_RelevanceofNeurotoEdu.pdf
Guide to reflecting on learning successes. Baron, D. (2011). Success Protocol. School Reform Initiative. Retrieved from: http://schoolreforminitiative.org/doc/success_analysis_cfg.pdf.