The Best and Worst Teaching Advice I’ve Received as a Teacher
I had my share of ups and downs as a teacher for over 10 years. And of course, there have been people -- including colleagues, administrators, friends, and family who had had both comforting words of wisdom as well as terrible advice (although most had the best intentions). Here are some of the worst and the best I've heard over the years. I'd love to hear what you've also heard (good or bad) in the comments. Please share!
The Worst (Yes, I have really been told all of the following):
- Keep the students quiet and you will avoid concerns from administrators. First off, I think we can all agree that constantly quiet students in neat little rows are a cultural and pedagogical thing of the past. I want my students to develop the skills to quietly read, analyze, and write about a text, but the process toward that goal mostly looks like collaboration, discussion, debate, and critical problem solving, none of which are very quiet in my experience. Second, my job is not to keep up appearances for administrators; it is to teach the students in front of me. Great admins know what great teaching looks like; they applaud our efforts and continue to help us improve with meaningful dialogue. Mediocre or poor administrators may want to pleasantly walk down the silent halls without disruption, but that priority is not in line with my philosophy of education, so I cannot exert effort toward that goal. Luckily, in 10 years of teaching, I’ve had more positive than negative experiences with administrators once we have all gotten to know each other and value each other’s strengths.
- Don’t let them see you sweat. Over and over again as a 20 something new teacher, I was advised to never let students know that I didn’t know the answer, that I was new to teaching/content, or that I wasn’t sure how a lesson was going to turn out. Granted, it gets much easier to admit I don’t know everything now that I am a 30 something veteran teacher, but I my experience even at the beginning was that students know we are human and respect us much more when we admit it and move on.
- Don’t smile until Christmas. This age old classic piece of teacher advice needs to retire. Teaching can be stressful and overwhelming and exhausting, but it can also be so much fun! Having a sense of humor should be a credential requirement in my opinion.
The Best:
- Make your classroom your castle. A very wise teacher gave this advice to me right before her retirement. She told me to confidently build up the walls of my classroom castle with my best practices and my best efforts based on my particular students. She warned me to not get caught up in the drama of teachers or administrators. She said to come to collaboration as the strong, yet reasonable queen of my castle knowing that I know what is best for my people. I am open to new ideas and changing frameworks, but I should never completely throw away systems that work for my students in favor of systems that work for others.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say. This old adage is easier said than done. It has made me a teacher of fewer words and policies. For the most part, I’ve learned not to include idle threats or policies that I can’t enforce. I’ve also learned to craft parent emails very carefully and wait a few hours before I press send if there is any kind of negative emotion associated with it.
- File it appropriately (in the trash). Another wonderfully wise teacher taught me this little saying to help me stay calm when the inevitable drama of students, parents, teachers, administrators, curriculum policies, and other academic frustrations rear their ugly heads. I used to get so upset when an email would enter my inbox that included some inane complaint or senseless drama. She told me to take serious criticism seriously, but to file the rest of it in the round file (garbage). During a couple stressful school years, all she would have to do is tell me to “file it appropriately” and I would know exactly what she meant. It was an awesome code phrase so that passing students wouldn’t pick up on the true advice to throw it away!
What are some of the best and worst pieces of advice you have received?