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Reminders

Becky writes:

Joel ~ Thank you so much for your article on hope. I was sitting here staring at a stack of papers that need to be graded, wondering how much longer I can take the stress that is piling up on me. I am in the middle of KTIP (Kentucky Teacher Intern Program–for new teachers), and the extra work that is involved with it is about to push me over the edge. I need to step back and remember why I am doing all this. It is so easy to get distracted by all the meetings and never-ending to-do list.

@Becky – I have to remind myself so much of the time. I’ve heard it said that often the best lessons are simple reminders, rather than new information.

Spend less than you make.

Eat less. Exercise more.

Buy low. Sell high. (Houses and stocks are on clearance sale right now if you have money!)

Call your mother.

Basics, but well worth remembering from time to time.

Joel Wagner (@sywtt) began teaching band in 2002. Though he had a lot of information, his classes were out of control. He found himself tired, frustrated, disrespected by students, lonely, and on the brink of quitting. He had had enough. He resigned from his school district right before spring break of his second year and made it his personal mission to learn to be a great teacher. So You Want To Teach? is the ongoing story of that quest for educational excellence.

Joel Wagner
Joel Wagner (<strong><a href="http://www.twitter.com/sywtt">@sywtt</a></strong>) began teaching band in 2002. Though he had a lot of information, his classes were out of control. He found himself tired, frustrated, disrespected by students, lonely, and on the brink of quitting. He had had enough. He resigned from his school district right before spring break of his second year and made it his personal mission to learn to be a great teacher. <strong><a href="http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/">So You Want To Teach?</a></strong> is the ongoing story of that quest for educational excellence.
http://www.SoYouWantToTeach.com

3 thoughts on “Reminders

  1. Middle school is a tough age to teach anyway but what wonderful advice, even for those of us that don’t teach children. I always learn something I needed to learn when I visit your site. Thanks for the inspiration to all teachers.

  2. @KeeKee – I used to think the same thing about Middle School. But then I began teaching some middle school private lessons and I really began to enjoy the age group. They really are a lot of fun!

  3. I seem to recall reading an article a long time ago (don’t remember where, it was YEARS ago) about how many good things are created as a consequence to stress and frustration. Stress and frustration are often good motivators to the creative process. Toddlers learn to walk because they are stressed and frustrated from crawling. Man invented the wheel because he was stressed and frustrated from walking! Without some kind of stress and frustration involved, the motivation to create something to improve “the situation” may not happen!

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