After two semesters and six credits of literacy methods
instruction as part of an elementary masters licensure program we do a culminating
activity where student teachers work to create their own top ten lists. Here is
my most recent list:
A Teacher Educator’s Top Ten List for Teachers
Or the things a teacher educator hopes students take from
her literacy methods courses…
1. Be passionate about what you do
- Identify what makes you passionate about teaching
- How would people know this?
- How do you talk about your students, your school, your profession?
2. Smile every hour
of every day
- Laugh with your students
- Let your passion show through
3. Always remember you teach children (or teenagers
or adults)
- What happens when we teach readers and writers instead of teaching reading and writing?
- Or we teach scientists instead of science
- Or mathematicians instead of mathematics
- Or historians instead of history
4. Find the genius in
every child
- Get to know your learners –discover the whole child
- Teaching is about relationships – establish strong ones
- Pay attention – observe your students – Be a “kidwatcher”
5. Listen
- …MORE than you talk
- Teach listening
- Think about your language- be purposeful in your language use
6. Embrace your vision
- Identify the bedrock of your own learning theory
- Take time to visualize what you want each part of your day to look like
7. Reflect
- Always
- On technical, practical, and critical aspects of your teaching
8. Trust
- Yourself
- Your learners
- Set high expectations for both
9. Love reading and
writing
- Share that love
- Celebrate that love
10. Strive to do better, be better, and “quit the crazy.”
- We may not be able to always do our best, but we can try our best
- Just because we have always done it, doesn’t mean it is good for your learners
- Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean it is good for your learners
- Telling isn’t teaching
- Testing isn’t teaching
Many of these probably need to be “unpacked” to use some
current jargon. But enough about me, time for you to share your top ten list
for teachers.
In the meantime, I am still
learning to teach – Dr. G.
