Being a good educator takes hard work, dedication, and the ability to be adaptive from year to year. At the end of every school year, I reflect on things that went well throughout the year and things that I may need to adjust in the future. I am excited to share with you the list I have compiled of my top tips and tricks that have made me a more effective educator.
This post is all about the best teaching advice you will ever receive.
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Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just beginning your teaching career, the best teaching advice can often be the difference between a struggling classroom and a successful one. Over the years, I have learned and implemented many strategies inside and outside of the classroom that have made me a more efficient and effective teacher.
In this article, I will share with you my best teaching advice and how I put it into practice. After reading this article, you will have tangible tips to help you become a more effective and confident educator.
This post is all about the best teaching advice you will ever receive.
Best Teaching Advice
1. Remember to BREATHE!
Let’s face it, teaching can be overwhelming at times. As a teacher, you are being pulled in so many directions at the same time and the to-do list is never-ending. Teaching is a demanding job and the expectations are high. Basically, you are expected to have superpowers. Just know if your mindset is not right and you constantly feel anxious and overwhelmed, your effectiveness might not be great. Remember to take it one day at a time and breathe!
2. Find an organization system that works for YOU!
I use to spend forever searching for the perfect planner because I was always told that “if you don’t write it down, you will forget it.” Well…let’s just say, I still forgot it! Then I discovered a system that worked for ME. A digital calendar. Yep, you read that right! I ditched the cute Erin Condren planner (I actually liked Clever Fox planners better) for Google Calendar. The paper planners have some really adorable designs, but I found myself still forgetting things, or my planner completely. It got to the point where I was getting frustrated with myself and not exactly looking like the most organized teacher.
I decided instead of using a paper planner and Google Calendar, maybe I should stick to just one or the other. I made the switch to going digital and have never looked back. Google Calendar syncs with my phone and I am able to set a reminder for everything. My coworkers now think of me as the organized one. I love it!
3. Communicate often.
Communicating with parents and coworkers is a vital part of teaching. Effectively communicating with people can eliminate a lot of stress in the future. I advise you to communicate often with both parties. My district requires weekly grade-level meetings where we discuss our plans for the upcoming weeks. Our team also has a group text where we chat daily.
If you are teaching elementary, parent communication should be done weekly, if not daily. I communicate daily with parents. I schedule my messages beforehand, when possible. My district requires us to communicate with parents through an app called Remind.
4. Set boundaries!
This one is HUGE! I can not stress this enough. You must set boundaries with your work. No, I am not saying never bring anything home, because in reality, I don’t think that is possible. What I mean is, remember you are more than just a teacher. It is okay to not be available 24/7. Actually I highly reccommend it.
One way I set boundaries is I use the office hours feature of the Remind app. With this, you can set up “office hours” for parent communication. If a parent messages you outside of your set hours, they will receive a message kindly reminding them that they are contacting you outside of your office hours and you may not see the message until your office hours resume.
This feature will save your sanity! I have had parents message me as late as 11 p.m. and as early as 5 a.m. I’m sorry, but I have a family and a life outside of teaching. Unless it is a TRUE emergency, I stick to my ground and do not respond to messages outside of the designated time frame.
Another easy way to set boundaries is to turn off phone notifications! I did this years ago with social media and email and it is amazing what it did for my mindset.
5. Give yourself grace!
Let’s face it, you will mess up at times. After all, you are human. It is okay if you deliver a lesson and it doesn’t go as planned. Hell, my first ever teacher observation, the music and slides I had planned would not play. It took what seemed like an eternity for them to work. On a positive note, it was actually noted in my observation notes how well I handled the situation.
6. You will not get through to them all!
My mentor teacher once compared teaching to fishing with a net. When you first put the net in the water, you catch a few fish. The second time you put the net in the water, you catch a few more fish. Although you didn’t catch all the fish, you were still successful.
When you first introduce new material to your class, some of your students will catch on. Then when you talk about that material a second time, a few more will catch on. Not all of your students will “catch on” the first go around or the second and that is okay. You are not a bad teacher because you didn’t catch them all.
7. Make learning fun!
I still remember some of the lessons my third grade teacher taught me. Want to know why?! Because they were fun and engaging!
I use games in the classroom almost every day. Kahoot, Quizlet, and 99 Math are a few of my favorites. I am a huge fan on using those electronics to your advantage. Plus, the data you receive from them is an amazing tool to guide your instruction.
I hope these tips provide useful to you throughout your teaching journey. Just remember although stressful at times, being a teacher is one of the greatest gifts. You have the power to make an impact on so many lives through this wonderful career. Stay positive, be adaptable, and just have fun with it!
This post was all about the best teaching advice you will receive.
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