Teacherscribe's Teaching Thought #42

Teaching Thought #42

This thought I’m stealing from Shane’s weekly email, High Impact Leadership.  

How to make yourself indispensable at work.

Not only would I suggest you focus on these three ways, but I would also suggest you help your students develop these traits as well to help make themselves indispensable.

Way #1 – Identify your strengths – I prefer Sally Hogshead (what I name! I know) and her strength test, but there are others.  But there are dozens of other ways to ascertain your strengths.

Why is it so important as a teacher to know your strengths?  First, so you can play to them. Second, so you can structure your lessons around them.  Third, so you can use them to engage and win students over. Finally, so you can see what your weaknesses are and compensate.

How this applies to me – My strengths – passion, charisma, humor, stories, and I can make esoteric stuff relevant to kids.  How do I play to this?

First, I build this into every single day.  I just taught at a creative writing class at the ALC.  This was on display right away. I was joking with the kids, showing them how much I love teaching, even in the summer, and I was engaging them with a great personal narrative story from my childhood.  They were engaged and laughing and they’ll leave with a story they’re not likely to forget any time soon.

Second, I use all of these in my lessons.  When, for example, my remedial reading students are going to be tackling something they might things is boring (such as To Kill a Mockingbird), I’ll use my strength of making esoteric stuff relevant to them.  I’ll slow down and watch The Sandlot or Stand by Me before we read To Kill a Mockingbird.  I’ll make connections to key themes and events in these films that will then lead them into the make themes and events in TKM.  

Third, I get to know kids personally, usually via social media or just visiting with them prior to class or during lunch.  When kids know I care and give a shit about them, they’ll reciprocate that.

Finally, I know all too well what my weaknesses are: organization, follow through, and rules.  If I miss a meeting (as I’m prone to do), I’ll try to compensate by bringing my passion to a dirty job others might not want to do (such as being on committees or teaching summer school).