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i've been a hs teacher for 14 years. here are some things i've learned.
1. the brightest kids are almost always autodidacts and all they need is encouragement and validation.
2. the school day is too long
3. school is unnecessarily tedious.
4. the vulnerable need more protection
1. the brightest kids are almost always autodidacts and all they need is encouragement and validation.
2. the school day is too long
3. school is unnecessarily tedious.
4. the vulnerable need more protection
5. bullying (which is often just plain old fashioned torture) is insidious, ruins lives, and sometimes kills.
6. i've never seen or met a bad kid.
7. some kids are little shits tho
8. i'm now a firm believer in nurture over nature.
9. bad, burnt out teachers abound
6. i've never seen or met a bad kid.
7. some kids are little shits tho
8. i'm now a firm believer in nurture over nature.
9. bad, burnt out teachers abound
10. teaching in the u.s. is wildly different from teaching in east asia.
11. teachers are grossly underpaid, for the most part.
12. anomalously, i am overpaid.
13. i still like the teaching part of the job
14. i still love my students.
11. teachers are grossly underpaid, for the most part.
12. anomalously, i am overpaid.
13. i still like the teaching part of the job
14. i still love my students.
15. for some students, a teacher may be the only close-up picture they have of an educated, successful adult. best therefore to behave accordingly.
16. some students just can't learn *some* things. so what?
17. every year i've taught, i've seen at least one genius, sometimes more
16. some students just can't learn *some* things. so what?
17. every year i've taught, i've seen at least one genius, sometimes more
18. determining school funding based on property taxes is a racist crime
19. there are teachers who don't know their own subject very well (!)
20. the quality of the administration is make or break for a school. it really, really matters a lot.
19. there are teachers who don't know their own subject very well (!)
20. the quality of the administration is make or break for a school. it really, really matters a lot.
21. most textbooks are very poorly written.
22. we pretend that hs students cannot handle learning real history.
23. school facilities in disrepair show students what we really think of them
24. trying to prepare *all* students for a university degree is absurd
22. we pretend that hs students cannot handle learning real history.
23. school facilities in disrepair show students what we really think of them
24. trying to prepare *all* students for a university degree is absurd
25. there should be multiple tracks for success. academic. athletic. artistic. culinary. hospitality. mechanical engineering. cosmetology. health sciences. entrepreneurship. + others obviously.
26. civics should be all four years
27. teaching to the test is real, and it's *gross*
26. civics should be all four years
27. teaching to the test is real, and it's *gross*
28. kids' criticisms are often very honest
29. if you take kids' criticisms to heart you won't be a teacher very long.
30. some kids come to school hungry and they'll stay hungry all day.
31. kids can be cruel.
32. kids can be remarkably kind.
33. being a teenager can be awful.
29. if you take kids' criticisms to heart you won't be a teacher very long.
30. some kids come to school hungry and they'll stay hungry all day.
31. kids can be cruel.
32. kids can be remarkably kind.
33. being a teenager can be awful.
34. praise in public and criticise in private
35. if you make a kid lose face in front of their friends they will hate you possibly forever.
36. kids know when you don't know something.
37. admit when you're wrong
38. it's ok to apologise to students. it won't ruin your cred.
35. if you make a kid lose face in front of their friends they will hate you possibly forever.
36. kids know when you don't know something.
37. admit when you're wrong
38. it's ok to apologise to students. it won't ruin your cred.
39. teachers often burn out but keep teaching because they only trained to teach. it's bad for them and bad for the kids. we need a mechanism to help burn outs transition out of teaching successfully.
40. one semester of student teaching in one kind of school is kinda dumb.
41. i know bright teachers who can't really teach and not-so-bright teachers who are great.
42. art, athletics, music, etc. are often cut first when the budget falls short. stupid move.
41. i know bright teachers who can't really teach and not-so-bright teachers who are great.
42. art, athletics, music, etc. are often cut first when the budget falls short. stupid move.
43. class pets are good and fun
44. you have no idea why a student is sleeping in your class
45. using fear as a means of classroom management will backfire eventually
46. routines are good and effective.
47. no cops in schools
48. you have *no* idea who will be successful
44. you have no idea why a student is sleeping in your class
45. using fear as a means of classroom management will backfire eventually
46. routines are good and effective.
47. no cops in schools
48. you have *no* idea who will be successful
49. success means different things to different people.
50. some families will shame a kid for academic success. this is true.
51. technology has been a game changer but don't be a YouTube teacher.
52. stay outta the staff room.
53. it's easy to get fat
50. some families will shame a kid for academic success. this is true.
51. technology has been a game changer but don't be a YouTube teacher.
52. stay outta the staff room.
53. it's easy to get fat
54. never ask a student to explain some slang you don't understand.
55. bribes with candy are perfectly acceptable.
56. even if you sit all day, teaching will wear you out
57. it's perfectly ok to fart audibly in class.
58. never show favoritism.
55. bribes with candy are perfectly acceptable.
56. even if you sit all day, teaching will wear you out
57. it's perfectly ok to fart audibly in class.
58. never show favoritism.
59. never let your dislike for a student or colleague show
60. pretend that there is always a parent standing at the back of your classroom recording you with their cell phone.
61. don't microwave fish in the staffroom
62. you're a mandated reporter.
60. pretend that there is always a parent standing at the back of your classroom recording you with their cell phone.
61. don't microwave fish in the staffroom
62. you're a mandated reporter.
63. dead air in the classroom is super bad.
64. don't talk politics or religion. it's not the place, plus you will always make somebody mad.
65. it's very hard for kids to ask for help when they're really in trouble, so when they do, take it seriously.
64. don't talk politics or religion. it's not the place, plus you will always make somebody mad.
65. it's very hard for kids to ask for help when they're really in trouble, so when they do, take it seriously.
66. they really are our future, it's not just a song; you are forming our future.
67. you're the adult in every situation.
68. teachers have died protecting students.
69. students have died protecting teachers.
70. respect the community you're in and learn about it.
67. you're the adult in every situation.
68. teachers have died protecting students.
69. students have died protecting teachers.
70. respect the community you're in and learn about it.
71. pick your battles. it's a marathon.
72. there's nothing wrong with tennis shoes. you're gonna be on your feet a lot.
73. but don't dress like a slob.
74. learn to pronounce names correctly. it's important.
75. be as scrupulously fair as you can
72. there's nothing wrong with tennis shoes. you're gonna be on your feet a lot.
73. but don't dress like a slob.
74. learn to pronounce names correctly. it's important.
75. be as scrupulously fair as you can
76. don't be sarcastic.
77. keep learning your subject
78. steal good ideas
79. if you can afford it, don't live where you teach.
80. kindness is an investment
81. their brains aren't done baking yet.
82. if you're hungover just call in sick
77. keep learning your subject
78. steal good ideas
79. if you can afford it, don't live where you teach.
80. kindness is an investment
81. their brains aren't done baking yet.
82. if you're hungover just call in sick
83. sponsoring an eca can be a lot of extra work but it *can* be the funnest class you'll teach.
84. don't do group punishment
85. always give a kid a way out a confrontation that lets them save face. this approach can deescalate a lot of bad situations.
86. learn to juggle
84. don't do group punishment
85. always give a kid a way out a confrontation that lets them save face. this approach can deescalate a lot of bad situations.
86. learn to juggle
87. bring the school secretary little gifts now and then - a donut is fine, doesn't need to be anything fancy.
88. i cry at the end of every school year
89. for about two minutes, then i remember june, july, and august.
90. there's nothing wrong with being active in your union!
88. i cry at the end of every school year
89. for about two minutes, then i remember june, july, and august.
90. there's nothing wrong with being active in your union!
91. staff meetings are so, so horribly boring
92. listen to all sides of a story.
93. if you don't control the heating/air conditioning in your classroom, i'm so sorry. i can't even imagine.
94. try to give your students the benefit of the doubt.
95. always keep extra pens.
92. listen to all sides of a story.
93. if you don't control the heating/air conditioning in your classroom, i'm so sorry. i can't even imagine.
94. try to give your students the benefit of the doubt.
95. always keep extra pens.
