Tomorrow is the BIG day! Back to school. As a seasoned teacher I always get asked the same question over summer break… “If there is one SECRET to being a great teacher what would it be?” This is never an easy question to answer. But it really all comes down to ONE SECRET. Here it is…
The best teachers COMBINE the TWO E’s.
ENTHUSIASM and EMPATHY.
WHY is this the secret to great teaching?
Simple. Ask yourself, what type of teacher would YOU learn best from? Would YOU want to be a student in your class?
In order to answer YES you need both enthusiasm and empathy.
Greet your students with a big “HELLO!” every day. Every class. Why? You don’t know what kind of day they have been experiencing. That’s where the empathy comes into play. Students may have anxiety, had a fight with their parents, or a sibling, a peer or worse. However, if you can provide a welcoming atmosphere combined with empathy it will be contagious.
If you have an online presence with a google classroom or even excel surveys then:
Be sure to decorate your google classroom with an animated header!
Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for bringing enthusiasm into the classroom! Let me know how your first day back goes!
Bring Google Classroom to Life
Howdy! How do you do? (Classroom Icebreakers 101)
Make a Magnificent Classroom Meme !
History’s Great Mystery (How can I make my classroom more interactive?!)
Why I put the SOCIAL back into SOCIAL STUDIES!
The Great Debate (Socratic Seminars in the Classroom!)
Bored of Giving Assessments? – Use Board Games!
Holiday Themes for Google Classroom
The Mannequin Challenge – for the Classroom