Often times I find myself baffled that I can give the exact same instructions to 150 different students, and the results run the gamut of “Where were they when we were talking about this text?” to “Damn, this needs to be gilded, it’s so good!”<\/p>\n
I know that as teachers we have the awesome responsibility of finding the right words at the right time to maximize student engagement during a lesson in order to motivate our students into producing the best results.\u00a0 But, at the end of the day, it’s not about me.\u00a0I sat with that truth for a while, and let those words roll around. It’s not about me.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Confession: I had a hard time last week.\u00a0 In the midst of my own personal struggles, I was struggling at work too. At the heart of my struggle was the fact that I seemed to care more about my students’ learning than they do. I did a lot of soul-searching, shed a lot of tears, and then I faced the reality of the situation, “It’s not about me.”<\/p>\n Six years ago, in a middle school gym, motivational speaker Bill Cordes<\/a> told my students “YOGOWYPI!” and they all looked at him like he was crazy, or making up words. YOGOWYPI stands for “You only get out what you put in.”\u00a0\u00a0Your education, your life, is what you make of it.\u00a0 As your teacher, I will do my very best to create learning opportunities that are engaging, meaningful, and content-rich.<\/p>\n But, if you’re waiting until the last minute to examine conflict in Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant,” copying someone else’s math homework from a Snap, or lamenting “But Miss they’re just notes” about your Honors Chemistry work… you are ROBBING yourself of getting the most out of your education.<\/p>\n I care.\u00a0 I am a compassionate, hard-working, and principled person.\u00a0 I believe that character matters more than content, and I also believe that how I teach content will help build your character.<\/p>\n The time is now<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0for you to TAKE ACTION – for you to care about your learning in real and valuable ways. Again, I will do my very best by you.\u00a0 I wholeheartedly expect the same courtesy from you.\u00a0 NOT for me, but for yourselves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Addendum: When I first started writing this entry, I wanted to share that writing helps me see how you’re thinking, feeling, working, etc.\u00a0 Writing is the proof, at least for me, that you are learning and growing.\u00a0 I taught exclusively writing for six years – it is a passion of mine.\u00a0 AP Language and Composition is all about the choices a writer makes and how it impacts the reader.\u00a0 Reading, speaking, and listening all play important roles.\u00a0 But writing… writing is an art. Writing is powerful, and that’s all I want for my students – for them to be truly empowered.\u00a0 Empowered to make changes, to confront adversity, to live their very best lives, to be the very best versions of themselves they can be.\u00a0 #noexcuses<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A student told me yesterday that we do a lot of writing in my class, and she’s not wrong.\u00a0 She also made a comment about…<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/originals\/64\/f2\/d9\/64f2d90ef661926af5e470f2594e8688.jpg\")
When you walk into my classroom, there is a poster with a Chinese proverb which reads, “Teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself.”<\/strong><\/span> This adage basically sums up my educational philosophy. I am a facilitator.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/img.picturequotes.com\/1\/413\/if-youre-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-youre-determined-to-learn-no-one-can-stop-you-quote-1.jpg\")
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