Do You Know Great Teachers? Acknowledge the Difference They (YOU!) Make
No matter who you are or what your station is in life, you have had teachers. In nearly all cases, you have experienced those amazing and wonderful teachers; teachers who were acceptable, albeit not inspired; and
teachers who were, um, easily classified as less-than-what-anyone-would-have-chosen teachers, given the choice.
As you are reading this post, I want you to think about - and even list - some of the great teachers you know. They could be kindergarten teachers, third grade teachers, eighth grade English teachers, high school biology
teachers, community college or university professors - or someone you know who teaches in the business sector. Get a few of these teachers in mind and then think about each of the following attributes and whether they would apply to those special teachers you have in mind:
· Do you know a teacher who does immeasurable good?
· Do you know a teacher who induces children, young adults, or adults to learn?
· Do you know a teacher who incurs debt to provide materials and experiences for his/her students?
· Do you know a teacher who is incredibly gifted in his/her command of a discipline or subject area?
· Do you know a teacher who has an impact on young people’s or adults’ lives?
· Do you know a teacher who imparts knowledge - not only to those who are interested, but to those who don’t appear to be as interested?
· Do you know a teacher who is impassioned about learning?
· Do you know a teacher who improves the world in small ways and/or in grand ways?
· Do you know a teacher who battles illiteracy - in any of its different forms?
· Do you know a teacher who has an imagination?
· Do you know a teacher who can ignite a classroom?
· Do you know a teacher who fights ignorance?
· Do you know a teacher who is impossible to ignore?
· Do you know a teacher who tackles seemingly-impossible-to-teach children (or adults) - and then teaches them?
· Do you know a teacher who is idealistic, even visionary?
· Do you know a teacher who students idolize?
· Do you know a teacher who is full of information - and loves sharing it?
· Do you know a teacher who is intentional in his/her planning and instruction?
· Do you know a teacher who is introspective?
· Do you know a teacher who has inner, governing values?
· Do you know a teacher who is innovative?
· Do you know a teacher who is insightful?
· Do you know a teacher who is intuitive?
· Do you know a teacher who models industriousness?
· Do you know a teacher who possesses integrity?
· Do you know a teacher who is intense?
· Do you know a teacher who is involved in school and community?
· Do you know a teacher who leaves a lasting impression?
Unfortunately, while “Teaching is not a lost art…the regard for it is a lost tradition.” Jacques Barzun
Take the time to acknowledge a teacher today - including if that magnificent teacher is YOU!
Remember, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” (Henry B. Adams). I hope you will let all of those teachers who have affected you know about their efforts and the difference their efforts
have made for you - especially when they helped you decide to become an educator yourself.
And please feel free to access the scores of free resources that you can use to support the learners in your classroom, including PowerPoints, PDFs, and Word documents, by going to:
** http://www.OwningWordsforLiteracy.com - and you can click on the Downloads tab.
To get numerous articles with teaching tips (for free), just go to http://www.ArticlesforTeachers.com and see what’s there for you to use in your classroom.
(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
