Teaching with Success by Gini Cunningham
Teaching with success is a state of mind, a positive view on your job, your students, and your quality instruction. When you feel good because you have guarded your health and prepared well, achievement arrives with a bang.
- Come to school well prepared and set for success every single day. Every day.
- Dress like a professional. You are setting the standard for your students and sometimes your colleagues.
- Believe that every student can learn. You just have to discover the magical key to unlock success.
- Remember that some students are suffering. Our students sometimes come to us from abusive homes with parents who are unable to care for them. Your classroom may be the safest, most stable environment in their lives.
- Your job is to educate and expand the thinking of young minds. It is an honor and an enormous responsibility. Only your best will suffice.
- Love your job – and it will love you back. Energy and vibrancy add to a successful teaching experience.
- Take classes, converse with bright peers, read books and articles on teaching techniques, observe worthy colleagues – never miss an opportunity to improve and expand your talents.
- Share your expertise. When an idea is great, shout it from the rooftops, or at least whisper it into the ear of a caring teacher-friend.
- Every student wants to learn. Never did a child wake up and come to my class hoping to be a failure, a drop-out. I did not reach them all, but I tried every day. You are making a difference!
- Pity those sad folk who moved into high paying, low motivating jobs in industry. You may not have the same cash flow, but the cash back from students who benefit from your instruction is a hefty, intrinsic motivator.
© Gini Cunningham (adapted from her book, The New Teacher’s Companion: Practical Wisdom for Succeeding in the Classroom (ASCD). In addition to her writing, Gini is an author, workshop leader, and consultant who provides education for educators.
For more suggestions related to designing your professional presence for success, you will want to access the Get a Plan! Guide® to Deliberately Designing Your Professional Presence, which is part of the Get a Plan! Guides® series. The Get a Plan! Guide® series will give you the ideas and inspiration to do your work easier, faster, and in a more focused fashion – so that you can accomplish your goals more smoothly, i.e., peacefully, productively, and predictably.
