I started the day this morning on the twitter feed for the ASCD conference where Maya Angelou was speaking. She said that teachers are the rainbows in the clouds for students, encouraging them, believing in them, and pushing them forward. So true...and yet I don't think that I have been a rainbow each day for every kid. Teachers are human rainbows. Sometimes we get beat down or stuck in our own clouds, not able to shine out. Sometimes we harness ourselves to lost ideals and old worn out practices. Sometimes we get tired of always struggling against the winds of mediocrity.
How can we blast out and shine for all? Here are some of the amazing ideas I picked up from my virtual experience at the conference.
1. Kids learn when they want to learn. Give them a reason to want to learn.
2. Ask the kind of questions that "itch." Students will want to answer.
3. Create an environment of learning. How you make a kid feel is as important as what you tell them.
4. Use relationships to build rigor...not just longer assignments.
5. Encourage students to ask their own questions and build their own learning. It's not about you..it's about them.
6. Stop grading students for compliance and start grading them on competence.
7. End questionable grading strategies like zeros that don't focus on LEARNING.
8. Use tech to open the world to students instead of shutting the door on technology.
9. Make sure you are assessing what you value. Assess it often and make sure students know you value it.
10. Don't sacrifice a relationship with a student and a future for learning over a piece of paper.
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