Don?t Get Teacher Amnesia
By Professor Joe Martin
Maybe it?s just me, but does it seem like teaching can speed up the aging process sometimes? When people watch me interact with students, they typically ask, ?How old are you?? My response is usually, do you want my age in years or ?teaching years??
Although teaching can put years on our body, I believe teaching also makes us young at heart. But it?s difficult to remember the ?blessings? of teaching when you?re constantly bombarded with the ?burdens? of teaching. I call this affliction, ?teacher amnesia.?
Though I?m somewhat making light of it, this illness is very serious, thus the reason I?m addressing it in this article. As you start or finish this school year, I want you to take a minute to ?count? your blessings, instead of ?dis-counting? them.
Before you go home, either to exhale some stress or inhale some food, ask yourself this question: When it comes to teaching, what can I be thankful for this year? And I don?t just want you to look at the good, I also want you to evaluate the ?bad.? Sometimes there are hidden blessings in our burdens. So I want you to dig really deep.
It?s like my Mama always said, ?You may not always get what you want in life, but thank God you don?t always get what you deserve either.? Think about that for a moment.
So as you continue this trek towards the ?No Child Gets Left Behind Promise Land,? don?t forget the most important thing?the journey (and the lives you impact along the way). Remember to teach with passion and practice what you teach!
| Joe Martin is an award-winning national speaker, author, professor, and educational consultant. His mission is to help students, teachers, and administrators learn, lead, and live with purpose and passion. To find out more visit his web site at http://www.NewTeacherUniversity.com. |
- Top Reasons To Become A Teacher
Teaching is a special calling. It is not a job well-suited to everyone. In fact, many new teachers leave within the first 3-5 years of teaching. However, there are many rewards that come with this oft maligned career. Here are my top ten reasons why...
- Getting Students To Commit To Learning
By Joe Martim I think one of the most tragic things to witness as a teacher is to see a student spend several years in school, only to ?scratch? the surface of his or her potential. Every year, millions of students are graduating with a diplomas,...
- By Professor Joe Martin
by Professor Joe Martin Teachers often ask me how I manage to stay so motivated as an educator. I used to find the question odd, until I realized all of the pressures, frustrations, and disappointments we face every week as teachers. I often joke with...
- Teaching Is Not About Us
by Professor Joe Martin If we ever have the pleasure of meeting each other, whether it be at an education conference, a teacher workshop, or in a classroom, other than my size (I stand only 5?-6?), you?ll notice that I will adorn two bright red bracelets...
- Teaching Students Who Don?t Want To Learn
by Joe A. Martin, Jr., Ed.D. As educators, we know all too well how tough it is to get (or keep) our energy level up to teach students who sometimes don?t want to learn. I?ve even heard students describe teachers as being ?a speed bump to a grade.?...