Doing More Isn’t Doing BetterHow to Be an English Teacher and Have a Life

Kevin English@KevinMEnglishWayne, Michigan

Lindsay Grady@LMGradyFenton, Michigan

Dave Stuart Jr. @davestuartjr Cedar Springs, Michigan

Beth Shaum@BethShaumAllen Park, Michigan

Amy Watkins@MrsWatkinsBHSBelleville, Michigan

Join the conversation on our Google Doc

http://bit.ly/ncte15j03

The Teacher Bag

What’s on your plate?

Amy: One Teacher’s Story

Why did you become a teacher?

● “I love kids.”● “I love learning and want to inspire

kids to learn and grow.”● “I am passionate about my subject.”● “I want to make a difference.”

What are you doing every day in your classroom that directly contradicts the very reason you became a teacher?

“The way of the Essentialist isn’t about setting New Year’s resolutions to say ‘no’ more, or about pruning your inbox or about mastering some new strategy in time management. It is about pausing to constantly ask, ‘Am I investing in the right activities?’”

The Essentialist:● Lives by design, not default● Distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many● Enjoys the journey, not just the destination● Recognizes not just the mental discipline but the EMOTIONAL discipline it

takes to say no ● Doesn’t say yes. It’s either HELL YEAH! or no.

“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

Have a repertoire for saying no“No, but…”

Awkward pause (Own it!)

“Let me check my calendar and get back to you.”

“Yes. What should I deprioritize?”

“You are welcome to X. I am willing to Y.”

“I can’t do it but X might be interested.”

Pareto’s Principle...

The Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

davestuartjr.com/five

(free e-book)

... and Parkinson’s Law“It is a commonplace observation that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion…” (Parkinson, The Economist, Nov 19, 1955)

Practical Implications

Work schedule post:davestuartjr.com/

teacher-work-schedule

You’re probably never going to hear someone in your school system say, “Yep. It’s fine to cut corners here. Go ahead and spend time with your family.” You are responsible for drawing your own boundaries around your time. You can’t wait for someone to give you permission.

- Angela Watson

Are you a martyr?

Or a trickster?

Martyr: Life is pain.

The world can never be solved.

Through my torment, the truth shall be revealed.

Life is interesting.

Perhaps not… but it can be gamed.

I didn’t come here to suffer, pal.

Trickster:

Aspects of Technology● Google● Apps & Add-ons● Social Media● Cell phones/tablets ● Setting limits

Creative Grading Techniques● 4:1 Ratio● Credit vs. grade● Socratic seminars, partner/group/class discussions, etc.● Self and peer editing/grading of assignments● Feedback vs. grading● “Never work harder than your students.” -Robyn R.

Jackson

From Short Term Solutions to Long Term Goals

How to think beyond just survival

Are we asking students and teachers to live authentic lives in school?

Or manufactured lives FOR school?

Hold Yourself Accountable to Your Students“I’m just gonna read all hour. I’m not gonna do a crossword puzzle.”

What does an authentic reading and writing life look like?

● Write Beside Them● Read beside them ● No more language arts and crafts● Realistic goals● Teach for knowledge, not test results● Real-World Writing Purposes -Kelly Gallagher● Less busywork, more REAL work ● Remind ourselves what we are asking students to do all day● Student input

Is what we’re doing necessary? “At the high school level, the correlation is weak and tends to disappear when more sophisticated statistical measures are applied. Meanwhile, no study has ever substantiated the belief that homework builds character or teaches good study habits.”

--Alfie Kohn, “Rethinking Homework”

Students should NEVER fail because of articles of the

week (or homework).

Slow Down to Speed UpRoutines allow for more work to be accomplished when the kids are actually in front of you and you are directly responsible for their learning.

Time = ValuesIncrease Decrease

● Student choice of writing topics.● Prewriting, drafting, revising,

and editing. ● Teacher modeling. ● Reading aloud to students. ● Give time to read choice

materials and required texts.

● Teacher-decided writing topics. ● Writing assignments that are

given briefly and completed in one step.

● Whole-class reading. ● Teaching reading as a one-step

act.

“If they’re not reading with you, they’re not reading without you.” -Kelly Gallagher

from Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde’s Best Practices

Identify and Communicate Your Values

And “research says…”

How the narrative of the caring educator does more

harm than good

If you just work harder

If you just stay at school longer

If you’d just care more…

...YOU can singlehandedly fix education.

It’s all on YOU.

The time is NOW to advocate for our profession

“It's not about making the case for advocacy. It's about making the case for you as advocates.” - Ernest Morrell

When Legislators Attempt to Stifle Teacher Voice

Did you know...

Since 1960 NCTE has formally advocated for teachers to have no more than 100 students per day?

Since 1960 NCTE has formally advocated for teachers to have no more than 100 students per day?

Resolution on Teaching Loads of English and Language Arts Teachers

Inform and empower yourself● NCTE Position Statements ● NCTE Advocacy Day and Month● Know your senators and congressmen AND even their staffers● Know the people on your school board - and develop

relationships with them● Go to school board meetings● Invite stakeholders into your schools and classrooms● Inform yourself and vote at the local level, where change is more

immediate● Find ways to build collegial relationships with your administrators

and not just see them as your evaluator

We can care, but we can’t carry the burden alone.

What are ways that we are telling our stories and inviting others to share the load in a time that places more and more responsibilities on our shoulders?

“Adults need to have fun so children will want to grow up.” - Erica Bauermeister

Continue the conversation on our

Google Doc

View our presentation on Slideshare

bit.ly/ncte15j03 www.slideshare.net/beths0103