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Hey Teacher...Get Over Yourself: 3 Ways to Build Better Engagement

Teaching is the most personal profession out there.  A teacher has between 15 and 150 students with whom they spend the majority of their days (and sometimes afternoons).  Ultimately, teachers want to see “their kids” succeed.  Passing tests, great GPA’s, successful presentations, and inspiring moments are what we as teachers strive for…cue Stand and Deliver, Freedom Writers, Dead Poets Society, and even School of Rock. As teachers, we are in the business of preparing our students for the future by developing and implementing complex lessons to support various learning types on shoestring budgets with varied administrative support depending on who is in the principal's office that year. 


And yet in all of the importance and honor, pride still settles in.  Teachers are experts in one if not multiple subjects, bringing information to an audience that has no previous idea.  Within a teacher’s classroom is the sanctuary and culture that they lead and create.  


And yet it’s time to get over yourself and engage the students more. 


Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt was quoted in 1962 saying, “People don’t want a quarter-inch drill bit, they want a quarter-inch hole.”  Now this seemingly simple concept has huge implications for not only business school students but also for teachers in their classrooms.  



Here are 3 Ways for Teachers to Get Over Yourself and Build Better Engagement


1. Your “End-of-Year Survey” is not telling the truth. 

Each year I would have my students do an end-of-semester and end-of-year survey to see what they thought about my class.  Which units did you enjoy, what was a memorable PBL that we did, and what was your favorite part of school?   Let’s break down that last question


Teacher: “What was your favorite part about school this year?”

Students: Lunch, Recess, PE, Art, Lunch, Days Off, Christmas Break, Pizza Day in the Cafeteria, etc. 


The question didn’t yield any encouragement or constructive feedback for me as a teacher and the culture that I was trying to build with my students.  So I had to modify the question. 


Old Question: “What was your favorite part about school this year?”


New Question: “What was it that Mr. Williams did during class that distracted you from learning? 


Old Question: “What are the hobbies you like to do outside of school?”


New Question: “What passions and skills do you have that we didn’t see in the classroom on a daily basis?  How could those skills have been used (or could be used) in our classroom? 


As with the quizzes and tests that are passed out each day in your classroom, if they are not written well, then they are yielding more recycling for the building engineers to empty out that evening. 


The phrase “work smarter not harder” floats through all industries.  This can apply to teachers as well.  Instead of 10 low-par, low-intelligence end-of-year questions, ask 2 deep, heavy hitters who will challenge how you feel about the class and what you need to remodel for next year. 


#2 Don’t check the Labels

The goal for any teacher is to be well-prepared for the year, and to support any challenges or concerns that might come from the previous year.  This is an excellent practice in alignment and continuity until it becomes about the label of the kid vs. the kid. 


If we are trying to sell our students a ¼” hole, we need to understand what that might entail.  Students are chaotic, varied, confused human beings who are looking to their teachers for direction, barriers, feedback, and encouragement.  If a student comes to the next grade with a label of “trouble” do you have to listen?  Possibly?  Should you develop your entire understanding of this student based on last year’s experiences?   Summertime is and the beginning of school brings fresh opportunities for growth. Most students see this, some don’t, but each year it should be on the student to show us who they are instead of a label that follows them from year to year. 


#3: Stop doing things because it is how it has always been done. There is always something to fix. 

To say we are in the age of information is an understatement.  We have incredible access to new ideas and perspectives from all around the world.  Yet the “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” mentality still thrives within classrooms and school hallways.  From assessment practices, school policies and procedures, there are a variety of spaces in our schools that need updating.  Think about your classroom? What areas of the classroom need an updated to help support and develop student understanding and skill. 


Here’s an Idea! Digital Word Wall.  Word walls are a fantastic strategy to continuously expose students to the vocabulary that is being covered in your units.  The word wall gives reminders, builds connections, and gives a visual space for students to understand the vocabulary.  But what if every word that was on the wall had a QR code attached to it?  What if that QR code took students to a Padlet or Wakelt that not only defined the word but also enriched the definitions with practical examples and connections to help students master the terms.


Give them the quarter-inch Hole


Closing out, our unwavering commitment lies in empowering our students, nurturing their mastery, and equipping them for the future. Recognizing the individuality of each student’s abilities and interests, we embrace a forward-thinking approach that prioritizes adaptability and growth over rigid notions and resistance to change. It is time to foster a mindset of flexibility and continuous innovation for the benefit of the student experience and the teacher’s limited time.  Find the quarter-inch hole, and figure out the best way to create that experience for your students.

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