The Best Teacher Advice I Have Received

As a novice teacher, you will have countless questions about teaching, the new building, meetings, classroom management, and the curriculum.  As you advance in your career, you may need a refresher course or professional development to keep you current with the latest best teaching practices.  I transferred schools, and I had to learn about the new school’s way.  I gathered the books and resources they used and began using them within my classes. To be a success at my new school, I had to change my way of thinking.    It was during my transition that I received the best teacher advice in the areas of teaching strategies and classroom management.

1. Marzano-My first year at my new school, they handed me The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J. Marzano and Teach like a Champion 2.0 by Doug Lemov. I scanned the books, but it was not until I started my blog that I read and studied the books.  I bought Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement by Robert J. Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock.  Instantly, I could tell the strategies they listed were rigorous.  For example, I have used a Venn Diagram countless times, but when I created the comparison matrix, I knew my students would have trouble comparing and contrasting items.   Using the strategies helped me become a better teacher because the work was more student-led versus teacher-led.  I learned strategies like “no opt out”, which is a strategy that teaches students high expectations.  Students aren’t allowed to “opt out” of an answer; they must give a correct answer even if the teacher guides them along the way.  I also learned how to develop stronger learning objectives using the 4Ms method.  When designing the lesson’s objective, ask yourself if it is manageable, measurable, made first, and most important.  The lessons I learned from Marzano and Lemov have completely changed my way of teaching.

2. Mrs. White (name has been changed)-I was placed in a ninth-grade English Language Arts class to assist a high functioning autistic student.  He had Mrs. White the last period of the day.  For one quarter, I encouraged the student to do his work.  When I was not encouraging the student, I was taking mental notes of Mrs. White.  She would begin the class with a short film of the topic the students were learning, and she would place a typed agenda under the digital camera.  Mrs. White would discuss vocabulary words or review a reading assignment under the digital camera.  Everyone appeared to be engaged and quiet.  They were extremely quiet for the last period of the day.  After she would teach the students, they had an independent assignment that was due by the next day.  I never witnessed her raise her voice or threaten anyone.  Students would quietly approach her desk for help.  Her room was neat and organized.  She had black binders with white labels on them lined up behind her desk.  In her classroom, she had a round table and a comfortable futon, but I never saw a student use them. 

I began questioning myself and my classroom management.  The first step I took was to stop talking.  Yes, I stopped lecturing to the class and asking questions.  I gave instructions and allowed students to complete more independent work.  My stress level immediately went down.  I was no longer firmly encouraging students to do their work, and my classroom was a quiet place of learning, not just a teacher lecturing or completing the assignment next to the students. Click here to read more about my experience in Mrs. White’s class.   

3. Professional Development-Every summer, my district has a week-long professional development conference.  They email e-books with keynote speakers and mini-sessions taught by some of the best names in education.  I enjoy going to the sessions because I always get the latest and best practices in education.  Early in my career, I attended a workshop named “I-Control”.  I was surprised to see it was a taught by my fellow college alumnae, Rachel Armour.  “I-Control” was a writing program that bridged the writing gap using acronyms, hip-hop references, and Power Notes. I used the program for many years because of the Power Notes, which were an outline for a five-paragraph essay.  Rachel’s presentation was one of the best professional development sessions I have ever attended, and the lesson I learned will stay with me throughout my career. 

There have been other professional developments that have resonated with me.  Some of the best ones included learning technology and new book adoptions.  I love attending them because I love being around other language arts teachers, I learn new strategies, and I get a bag full of items to take back to the classroom. 

Regardless of the time, you invest in your career, you need to improve and remain educated on the best practices.  Although I was a confident teacher, reading books written by Marzano and Lemov helped me improve in areas such as writing lesson objectives.  Visiting other classrooms and co-teaching with other teachers assisted me with identifying my classroom management weaknesses and working to resolve minor infractions.  Attending my district’s annual professional development conference has taught me the latest best practices, technology, and newly adopted textbooks.  The best advice from the three areas has been learning about Marzano.  It has changed my view on how I teach and has allowed me to promote independent learners within my class.   In conclusion, the three types of advice have helped me become a better teacher to my students and have helped my career.