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It's a Great Day to Learn!
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Mr. Kevin Bibo
Kevin Bibo teaches high school computer multimedia in Southern California. He holds a Master’s of Education degree and is currently a teacher credential program instructor. In addition, Kevin is the author of Cal Teacher Blog.
Most importantly Kevin loves spending time with his wife and five children.
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More articles from this author:
Kevin Bibo
“It’s a great day to learn!” This should be the message teachers give students at the start of each class. Deep down in our core, a teacher should be excited to greet eager, young learners. Unfortunately, that’s not always what we communicate to students. When students enter our classrooms, we need to consider our words, expressions, and attitudes carefully. If students feel like teachers are just grinding through another day, that’s exactly how they will feel about their own education.
I know teachers that refer to their school campuses as “The Factory.” These teachers tend to align the seats in their classrooms in neat and tidy columns and seat their students alphabetically because “it’s easier that way.” Students in these classes are expected to show up, sit down, and shut up. These teachers spend an inordinate amount of time at the lectern pumping out fact after fact. Students fight to keep up with their notes, or even worse, to stay conscious. These teachers are in grind mode, and students get shoved through the grinder day after day, year after year.
Other teachers I know have become so discouraged with the education grind that they have taken up residence on The Island. Do you know about The Island? It’s commonly known as The Island of “I don’t care.” Every once in a while, a teacher or two who lives on The Island gets a spark of inspiration and goes out for a swim in the ocean looking for some way to freshen up their curriculum, try out a new reform, or implement a brilliant idea that will revolutionize teaching. Ultimately, they return to the Island and the everyday grind of teaching just like they’ve always done it.
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Early on in their careers, many teachers find a classroom management system, instruction delivery technique, and approach to grading that works for them. Unfortunately, once these methods are discovered, many never change. Look around your campus at some of the veteran teachers. For many, their classrooms are functioning the same way they did “back in the day.” Are they efficient, effective, and full of engaged students? Maybe, but probably not. Teaching should be an evolving and every-changing exploration. It is neither fixed nor stagnate in its methodology or pedagogy.
I’ve been asked to apply for a district position that will pair me up with veteran teachers who will either be reassigned or lose their jobs. These professionals have reached a point in their careers where they are either unwilling or unable to grow and adjust to the changes and challenges of teaching in today’s schools. My job will be to spend time with my colleagues, evict them from the Island, and reawaken the teacher within.
A teacher’s attitude towards students, the teaching profession, and themselves is critically important to success. Teachers cannot be allowed to mislay their passion for learning. Enthusiasm for learning is the most important gift that teachers give their students. Students will absorb either a teacher’s passion for the subjects they teach, or their disdain. It’s unavoidable. If the teacher has a lousy attitude and sees the time spent teaching as a grind, so will the students. Ultimately, the kids will hate their teacher and eventually refuse to learn from them.
I believe that all teachers are drawn towards teaching for positive reasons. However, many lose sight of those reasons throughout their tenured years. Choosing to teach is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The excitement can get set aside by a rigid set of standards, an unrealistic evaluation system, and both state and federal mandates that frustrate and restrain the creative side of educating. Our focus needs to be pointed back towards the students in our classrooms. They deserve more then just another day on the grind.
