You are making a difference, Teach!

Have you ever felt like you're not making a difference as a teacher?  Have you ever doubted the impact you're making?  Educators, I hope this message helps motivate and inspire each of us to know that our teaching is making a difference.

Meriwther Lewis (of the Lewis and Clark expedition) may not have been an educator in the traditional sense, but he did a lot to educate the world about the West.  We can learn a lot from him about not doubting the positive impact our teaching is having.  If you want to learn more about him, here's the link to a book or audio book about him.  I've also linked a recognition desktop decoration you can get yourself or a colleague to remind you that just like Lewis, you are having a positive impact and making a difference.

 

Anyway, following is the lesson we can learn from Lewis: Lewis did a lot to lead to our current happiness as a country as well as to advance our knowledge. . .Yet a few years after the expedition he felt like a failure in these ways specifically, stating that “I had as yet done but little to further the happiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation.”  This statement was AFTER the expedition where he created maps, named and illustrated wildlife and plants, developed peaceful relationships with Native Americans, paved the way for the settlement of the West, and so on. 

In other words, Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition felt like a failure--even though he has gone down in the annals of history as one of the most accomplished explorers of all time.  

Most of us educators also feel like failures at times as well.  We fail to help a group of students; we fail to reach testing demands; we fail to please administrators or parents; we fail to help a student reach the potential we see inside; the list can go on and on.  Whatever the reason--to borrow the terms of Meriwether Lewis--we feel like we’ve failed to advance the happiness or the information of the next generation.  

Lewis advanced the happiness and information of the next generation to an immense degree—even though he didn’t feel like he had.  THE SAME GOES FOR YOU! You are making a difference--even when you (or even others like admin or parents or colleagues) don't see it.   Again, I say you are making a difference regardless of whether or not you feel like you are.  Keep it up!

If you are looking for more encouragment for teaching, you might enjoy my blog post entitled "You are one, Teach". (Click here to view it.) You might also enjoy just browsing my blog archive to read all the uplifting messages

As always, hang in there, Teach!
Happy Teaching,
Frank

P.S. If you enjoyed this content, you can receive each post I publish by filling in the "follow by email" box at the top right (on the desktop version of the site)

(Click to see the resources I've created)

Each one is special, Teach

What's the secret to being happy as an educator?  This simple tip for teachers brought the joy back into my classroom, and it can bring you the same motivation and desire to teach.

Each student is important.  Remembering that brings me the teaching inspiration I need.  To help me remember this, I place a penny in my shoe. For most of the day, the penny goes un-noticed.  Occasionally, however, I feel the penny and when I do I make a mental note to remember how special each and every student is. As I treat each student with special care like they are somebody important, I find myself enjoying teaching.

In my personal life, I believe that everyone is a child of God, so that's specifically what I remind myself of--each student is a child of God.  It helps me to think about how Jesus would treat each student.  It also helps me to think about what the bible states in Matthew 25 that Jesus will say to those who show kindness, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these...ye have done it unto me".  I try to imagine the face of my Savior on each child because according to that scripture, when I show care to any one of them I am also showing it to Jesus in a way.  As I do this, the stresses of teaching (standards and grades and assessments and more) melt away.  I still need to take care of all those things, mind you, but I am filled with happiness as I do because my focus is on the people rather than the other stuff.

If you don't believe the same way as me, you can modify your self-message accordingly.  But this strategy of using the penny (or some other method) to remind yourself about how special each student is remains a powerful way to find fulfillment as a teacher.

You may even consider using the rocks shown in the Amazon link below to give to students reminding them of their worth. Click here to view them.

If you are looking for more encouragment for teaching, you might enjoy my blog post about teacher laughter. (Click here to view it.) You might also enjoy just browsing my blog archive to read all the uplifting messages

As always, hang in there, Teach!
Happy Teaching,
Frank

P.S. If you enjoyed this content, you can receive each post I publish by filling in the "follow by email" box at the top right (on the desktop version of the site)

(Click to see the resources I've created)