Being Inspired by Great Teachers Inspiration by Bill Smoot - January 11, 2011May 30, 20163 One piece of wisdom emerging from our ongoing discussions about education is that teachers matter most. They matter more than any other single factor in determining the quality of an education. Studies show it, and students realize it. But what makes great teachers great? I was wondering that myself a few years ago, and I decided to take a direct, old-fashioned approach. I would set out to find some of the greatest teachers in America and talk to them about teaching. I scoured America and found some inspiringly great teachers in the public and private schools, in universities, but also on the athletic field, in the culinary school, in the ballet studio, at the speedway, and in the operating room. They taught
The Wait For Your Own Classroom General by Jennifer Wilson - December 6, 2010May 30, 20164 This guest post is by Jennifer Wilson, who is in her second year as a 2nd grade teacher. She blogs sporadically at her blog Annecdotes. My mom went back to school full-time when I started college, and we both graduated last year with degrees in Elementary Education. Despite having 5 years of experience as a special needs paraprofessional and a teaching degree with a high GPA, my mom was stuck substitute teaching last fall. She then switched to a paraprofessional position before finally getting a maternity leave spot. Unfortunately, she'll be on the job hunt again for this fall. Meanwhile, I found a teaching position as an Interventionist. I was still compensated as a teacher, but I helped to run a Lead Teacher's classroom
Calling All Storytellers Blogging & Technology by Joel Wagner - December 29, 2008July 1, 20102 Mr. Teacher has one of the most entertaining blogs I've seen. In fact, I recommend his blog Learn Me Good to most of my friends who are looking for restroom reading material! I have recently written a guest post for him that will be appearing over there sometime in the next week or so. While I normally write useful tips and hints for educators, his blog is often filled with humorous anecdotes gleaned from the life of a third grade teacher. I figured I would cater my guest article to his audience and made sure to remove all potentially useful information from it. It's an amazing story about one of the most unique Christmas gifts I have ever received from
Reader Appreciation: Jonathan Reader Appreciation by Joel Wagner - November 22, 2007July 5, 20101 November is Reader Appreciation Month at So You Want To Teach? Today's featured reader is Jonathan. Name: Jonathan Location: The Bronx Occupation: High School Math teacher Blog: JD2718 Tell me some of your favorite things about your job I love kids and I love math. How many jobs can combine them? I guess the guy at the carnival who counts the kids getting on the rides, but he has to clean puke, so that's out of the question. Honestly, I can, in the space of 55 minutes, (on a good day) get booed for telling a bad joke, discuss planetary motion or the etymology of "radish," clearly explain how a new-for-them algebra technique flows from their previous knowledge, give
Reader Appreciation: Jane Little Reader Appreciation by Jane Little - November 15, 2007July 5, 20102 November is Reader Appreciation Month at So You Want To Teach? Today's featured reader is Jane Little. Name: Jane Little Location: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: Third Grade Teacher Blog: My Many Colored Crayons // Moved to Out of The Crayon Box Tell me some of your favorite things about your job I love getting to know the kids and I especially love having siblings come up and watching the family grow. It is a real privilege to be part of people's lives like that. When I taught 5th grade it was hard because the kids left our school at the end of the year. I didn't get to see them from afar in the next grade. I didn't get to