Good Teaching is Hard, But...

Good teaching is hard, but our students deserve it.

Good teaching is hard, but the results fill my teacher bucket.

Good teaching is hard, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

There are days that my efforts to support student learning deplete my energy, give me headaches, and physically melt me. These are the days that yield the best results for my students. These are the days that I need to remind my self it is all worth it. Over the years, I have learned that time spent supporting student learning DURING THE PROCESS frees up my time and makes it easier at the assessment end. I have also learned that just as I need a break from deep, heavy learning, so too do my students. This has helped me plan units a bit better and mix units with a harder cognitive load with those that are a bit lighter. For instance I start my 7th graders with a cross-curricular podcasting project that has them learning a new teacher, new classroom procedures, new software, and a new story telling process. It takes the first six weeks of school, but sets them up to be successful the rest of the year. Then we move onto a lighter three week unit where they discover how to better create presentations and present through non-example. We laugh, have fun, and enjoy the cognitive break from the first unit.

The good teaching that happens in that first unit has students learning how to track their own learning, troubleshoot technology, analyze a mentor set, plan a podcast with purpose, and learn how to give and use feedback. On my end, I'm checking and conversing with every student at least twice a week, giving quick, specific feedback so students can act before the end project is due. For six weeks, I teach mini-lessons and spend most of my time monitoring and coaching students. By the end of each day I am exhausted physically and mentally. 

During this time I am also in the middle of a five week cross-curricular infographic unit with my 8th graders. Though they already know the procedures and protocols we use to learn in my classroom, since I had them last year, creating infographics on immigration is a heavy cognitive load for them in terms of understanding the topic of immigration, but also how to visually represent the message they wanted readers to know about immigration through the infographic. Every day I teach mini-lessons and spend most of my time monitoring and coaching students through the creation process.

Yes, I was exhausted. Yes, I may have complained a few times about how students weren't working to their potential. Yes, I spent my commute time thinking of how I could better support those students and practiced conversations I would have with them. This is what good teaching looks like.

And it pays off! At the end of those units my students had created the best work they could. They had taken advantages of the learning opportunities presented to them. Do I still have students that need more support and coaching in how to take advantage of these learning opportunities, yes. And, I will keep trying with them.

I write this as a way to let you know that we are in this together. It's hard some times, but stick to it. Do what's right for your students. Support learning during the process. Take breaks, have fun with them. 

Good teaching is hard, but our kids deserve it.