It’s great to get positive notes from our students. Who doesn’t love to be popular with students? But, it’s ok to be unpopular, too.
Last year I got my share of hate notes. The beginning of my first semester of teaching I began with a poetry unit. A fellow teacher ran to me with various hate notes students turned into to her during that unit. I also found a few scattered around the classroom from time to time. I thought it was a bit funny that most of the notes were written in poetry form. I thought, “Well, hey, at least they’re using what I taught them.”
As a first year teacher, it never felt good to receive such notes, but I also realized that students rebelled because I was pushing them. I wanted them to perform, and work hard.
As I gear up for another year, I want to stay positive, love all my students, and greet them with a smile everyday, while also stretching and pushing their thinking.
I want to bring out their best–and be the teacher my students need–not always the teacher they want.
Teacher Excellence: Passion. Planning. Perseverance. 