Teachers arrive back to school tan, rested, and not-quite-ready for the year ahead. A large tablet sits on its easel with a half-dozen colorful markers on the marker tray. School is back in session, at least for the teachers. Time to frame the year ahead.
After the small-talk, greetings, and school inappropriate jokes simmer down, Jim Gilchrist, school principal, asks the staff, “What are the three elements of our teaching process? In unison, eighteen voices ring out, “Relationships, Relevance, Academic Excellence.” And he fills in the empty circles. “And this sweet spot, right in the middle. That is where the magic happens. When you have productive relationships with your students, and the content you are teaching is relevant to their experience, and you are utilizing thoughtful and effective teaching strategies, kids will be eating out of your hand! They won’t even know they’re learning.”
After the small-talk, greetings, and school inappropriate jokes simmer down, Jim Gilchrist, school principal, asks the staff, “What are the three elements of our teaching process? In unison, eighteen voices ring out, “Relationships, Relevance, Academic Excellence.” And he fills in the empty circles. “And this sweet spot, right in the middle. That is where the magic happens. When you have productive relationships with your students, and the content you are teaching is relevant to their experience, and you are utilizing thoughtful and effective teaching strategies, kids will be eating out of your hand! They won’t even know they’re learning.”
Click the link to see the Venn Diagram
To me, this model demonstrates a wholistic understanding of the heart of teaching, the art of teaching, and the science of teaching. Simple in concept, it requires a broad perspective and a diverse skill set.
Relationships: Students are more likely to listen to somebody they respect. They are willing to work when they feel seen and appreciated, not just as a student, but as a person. They will care alongside a caring person. And a group of students can become a learning community when guided by leadership that conveys a vision, a plan, and maintains a productive culture.
Relevance: Students will engage when they perceive a reason for engagement. Creating a real or perceived sense of purpose is the art of teaching. It requires looking beyond a text book and heading off the age-old questions, “Why are we learning this?” and “When will we ever use this?” before the questions are even asked. Really good teachers are artists who create learning experiences, rather than teaching content for the sole purpose of learning content.
Academic Excellence: Academics are the focus of education. There are shelves of books, reviewed papers, and proven best practices for how to teach academics properly. In short, when a teacher knows their end goal, knows the necessary skills to get there, predicts the pitfalls and minimizes them, conveys information successfully, identifies practice strategies that are engaging and effective, provides feedback on that practice,... boom, the job is done!
But wait! These concepts are all true and accurate, but teaching is hard work! It is easy to feel bogged down by angry emails, chatty and challenging student behaviors, administrative restraints, lack of time, and the seemingly endless list of teaching downers. What happens when the teacher loses motivation, loses sight of purpose in their effort, is hamstrung by policies, doesn’t feel supported, or is just plain exhausted? When the heart of teaching diminishes, you might as well throw the art and science of the craft right out the window!
A teacher's mental and emotional health is paramount to successful teaching, but the challenges won’t go away, even in the best of conditions. So take care! A teacher who reminds themselves of their importance in the classroom, their value to the families and communities they serve, and can nurture a sense of gratitude are better able to jump over the burning logs in the educational realm.
Click the link to see the expanded Venn Diagram
Importance: According to The Rand Corporation, a research group focused on improving the quality of education in U.S. schools, “Many factors contribute to a student’s academic performance, including individual characteristics, and family and neighborhood experiences, but research suggests that, among school-related factors, teachers matter most.” Write that down on a sticky note, put it on your computer screen, and read it daily!
Service: When people recognize that their efforts provide a service to others, their perspective shifts from a self-focused burden to a purpose-driven action. Such a view creates conditions for intrinsic motivation, willingness to endure discomfort, and a mindset that is generally more resilient in the face of adversity.
Gratitude: With great effort comes great exhaustion. Unless! Unless there is some positive reward that outlasts the frustration. People who take time to notice and appreciate the good are training their brains to seek solutions rather than stare at the problems, attract collaborators and foster productive relationships, increase their stamina and ability to endure discomfort. Whatever the definition of success is on any given day, take note, bask in that sunshine for a minute and though you won’t eliminate the challenges, you’re better equipped to navigate them.
So there it is, The Process in a nutshell:
Arm yourself against adversity by
Easy right? Not so much. For my own sake, each of these topics requires constant attention. The reflections that follow are my attempt to find clarity in the haze, and to maintain equilibrium through the long season that we call a school year.
To me, this model demonstrates a wholistic understanding of the heart of teaching, the art of teaching, and the science of teaching. Simple in concept, it requires a broad perspective and a diverse skill set.
Relationships: Students are more likely to listen to somebody they respect. They are willing to work when they feel seen and appreciated, not just as a student, but as a person. They will care alongside a caring person. And a group of students can become a learning community when guided by leadership that conveys a vision, a plan, and maintains a productive culture.
Relevance: Students will engage when they perceive a reason for engagement. Creating a real or perceived sense of purpose is the art of teaching. It requires looking beyond a text book and heading off the age-old questions, “Why are we learning this?” and “When will we ever use this?” before the questions are even asked. Really good teachers are artists who create learning experiences, rather than teaching content for the sole purpose of learning content.
Academic Excellence: Academics are the focus of education. There are shelves of books, reviewed papers, and proven best practices for how to teach academics properly. In short, when a teacher knows their end goal, knows the necessary skills to get there, predicts the pitfalls and minimizes them, conveys information successfully, identifies practice strategies that are engaging and effective, provides feedback on that practice,... boom, the job is done!
But wait! These concepts are all true and accurate, but teaching is hard work! It is easy to feel bogged down by angry emails, chatty and challenging student behaviors, administrative restraints, lack of time, and the seemingly endless list of teaching downers. What happens when the teacher loses motivation, loses sight of purpose in their effort, is hamstrung by policies, doesn’t feel supported, or is just plain exhausted? When the heart of teaching diminishes, you might as well throw the art and science of the craft right out the window!
A teacher's mental and emotional health is paramount to successful teaching, but the challenges won’t go away, even in the best of conditions. So take care! A teacher who reminds themselves of their importance in the classroom, their value to the families and communities they serve, and can nurture a sense of gratitude are better able to jump over the burning logs in the educational realm.
Click the link to see the expanded Venn Diagram
Importance: According to The Rand Corporation, a research group focused on improving the quality of education in U.S. schools, “Many factors contribute to a student’s academic performance, including individual characteristics, and family and neighborhood experiences, but research suggests that, among school-related factors, teachers matter most.” Write that down on a sticky note, put it on your computer screen, and read it daily!
Service: When people recognize that their efforts provide a service to others, their perspective shifts from a self-focused burden to a purpose-driven action. Such a view creates conditions for intrinsic motivation, willingness to endure discomfort, and a mindset that is generally more resilient in the face of adversity.
Gratitude: With great effort comes great exhaustion. Unless! Unless there is some positive reward that outlasts the frustration. People who take time to notice and appreciate the good are training their brains to seek solutions rather than stare at the problems, attract collaborators and foster productive relationships, increase their stamina and ability to endure discomfort. Whatever the definition of success is on any given day, take note, bask in that sunshine for a minute and though you won’t eliminate the challenges, you’re better equipped to navigate them.
So there it is, The Process in a nutshell:
Arm yourself against adversity by
- realizing your importance,
- teaching as an act of service,
- fostering gratitude.
- attending to positive relationships,
- creating relevant experiences,
- teaching with academic excellence.
Easy right? Not so much. For my own sake, each of these topics requires constant attention. The reflections that follow are my attempt to find clarity in the haze, and to maintain equilibrium through the long season that we call a school year.
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