There's Never a Time When You Can't Start Over

Today is the last day of the semester for me, which makes this a good time to share some advice to help you reflect and plan for next semester.  Back in October I went to a TFA School Leadership Summit in Houston, and while I was there I was asked to record a brief audio for the organization's Corps Stories oral history project.

I decided to talk about the critical points in the year where everything seems to be going wrong, and some ways you can get things back on track.  I'm certainly thinking about my own advice going into next semester, and I hope you find it helpful as well.  Enjoy:

"There's never a time when you can't start over." | Corps Stories

Singing About Domain and Range (Again)

Today I'm performing the Domain & Range Song for my math models students:



I'll let you know how it goes this time around with my kids, but feel free to show it (or perform it) for your own.  In the meantime, read the original post on how and why to use ideas like this in your classes.

Make Everything a Whiteboard: IdeaPaint Classroom Makeover Contest

IdeaPaint, the dry erase whiteboard paint company, is running a 360° IdeaPaint Classroom Makeover contest.  Just post a video or photo gallery of the space you want to makeover along with a description of why you want to do so, and submit via their online form.

Two schools will have up to 500 square feet of their classrooms professionally painted with IdeaPaint!  Deadline for submissions is September 30th.  Click through to read all the details.

I'm curious to see your submissions, or any spaces you've already used whiteboard paint to engage your students. Share links and ideas in the comments.

New Ideas for Basketball Review Games in the Classroom

Recently, a reader emailed me to ask about one of the first lesson ideas I ever shared on the blog:

I am hoping you won’t mind sharing some info with me.  I love the basketball hoop in your blog picture.  I’m going with a “slam dunk seventh” theme this year and would love to get one for my classroom.  I’ve seen a lot of little tykes and fisher price versions on craig’s list, but those look weak for seventh graders.  Who makes yours?

Best,
Melissa

The hoop in question, which is the basis for Idea #9 from my book Ten Cheap Lessons, is this Monster Basketball Set.

Unfortunately, it seems to no longer be available for $20 as it was back in 2007.  I think that's alright, however, because what I learned after trying to reuse it a couple of times is that it tends to spring leaks that are nearly impossible to find and patch.  The best part about it was that it is huge, colorful and bouncy, which strangely enough why it works with older students (even high schoolers).  It is way over the top visually, and kids immediately think it will be easy to shoot baskets (it's not).  I haven't found a suitable replacement yet, but I also hadn't been actively looking for one.

Now that I'm returning to the classroom full-time after a couple years away, I want to find something similar but better.  $100 for something that can only be used once or twice is not worth it, no matter how ideal it looks in the photo.

After some online searching, I like this humungous Super Hoop, but it's too big for inside the classroom--we'd have to take class outside, which is okay.  It is also a bit pricey (just under $200), but if it can hold up for multiple uses, it might be worth it.  A cheaper alternative would be to get this inflatable hoop designed for swimming pools and put it on top of a desk or table, but it's not quite the same.

As I've reflected on this idea over the past few weeks, I wonder if I should adapt technology for the same purpose: why not use a Wii or Kinect-based basketball game, projected on the big screen?  There's a 3-point shooting contest inside Wii Sports Resort, along with bowling, archery, watersports and more.  That one game could provide just enough variety to allow you to revisit the same basic team-based review again and again (see the original Basketball Review Game post for a primer) without losing the novelty.

Have you seen any basketball hoops or other types of games that you could use for review inside the classroom (the cheaper and easier to set up the better)?  Know of any Wii or Kinect titles that would serve the same purpose using engaging technology?  Share your resources, ideas and questions in the comments.

What to Do When You Take Over a Class Mid-Year

Just before winter break, a friend of mine revealed that she was unexpectedly switching assignments at school, taking over for a teacher who was leaving mid-year. Worse yet, the switch happened one week before the break began, meaning there would be little time to plan the crucial first days with her new class. It was not the ideal situation.

In Boston, I faced this situation myself. Heading into the school year, I was all set to teach Algebra I. The day before school started, my principal emailed me to explain that I would also have to teach a section of Algebra II. A few months later, I took on an additional Algebra II class that had been moved over from a colleague in order to even out class sizes, resulting in students shifts that fundamentally changed the culture of all classes. In essence, I had to take over new classes twice in the same year, so I had quite a bit of unsolicited advice to offer.

If you're in this situation, I'll tell you the same thing I told my friend: first, DON'T PANIC. Secondly, your first day with your new classes should be treated like the first day of school.  This means that your primary goals are:

• Get to know your students
• Start to build strong relationships with them
• Let them get to know you better
• Invest them in ambitious goals

The course content, while important, is secondary to building the foundation needed for a successful classroom. You can and should try to pick up where your departed colleague left off, but in a way that allows you address the goals above.

For example, one suggestion I made to my friend for the first week was to give students assignments that they could work on independently or collaboratively for the most part (addressing the necessary content), and pull students asides individually for a few minutes each. In these short conversations, you could get their perspective and feedback on the transition, ask what you as the teacher can do to help make this student successful the rest of the year, and tell them the particular way they can contribute to the class going forward.

To facilitate the transition and these kinds of conversations (whether you have them individually, in small groups or as a whole group), start by giving the students simple, open-ended surveys (see below).  Use them to inform what you discuss and how you discuss it.

Besides your philosophical approach, you should think about your new classroom aesthetically. The classroom needs to look different to help put your students in this "let's start over" mindset. Everything from the desk and furniture layout to what's on the walls should reflect this. (Side note: an aesthetic change in the classroom like this helps when you're turning around your own classroom mid-year.)

To help you with your transition, I've collected my most relevant resources to draw from:

• New Spring Semester Student Survey
• Mid-Year Student Surveys
• Five Questions You Should Ask Every Students
• Questions to Ask Yourself to Be Ready for the First Day of School

If you're frustrated and stressed out about this, I wanted to also give you an idea of the kinds of struggles I've had even after years in the classroom.  Perhaps it can give you a little perspective:

• The Day I Realized I Lost My Students' Respect (Or Never Had It In The First Place)
• Special Series: "On Failure" & "On Success"

I'm happy to help people who have specific questions or need other kinds of resources.  Just ask.  If you have your own advice (or opinions about mine), please share them in the comments.

Five Questions You Should Ask Every Student

One of the easiest and most powerful ways to build relationships with your students is to ask questions. The mere act of asking tells your students you care, and what you do with the information you gather will largely determine how effective you can be with those particular kids. Many times knowing what to ask just involves taking their lead, such as asking about an interest or achievement they express in class. Sometimes, though, you need to jump start the conversation.

I’ve found that there are a few seemingly straightforward questions that can open up deep, powerful conversations with students. You may need to adjust them slightly to fit the grade level you teach, but these five questions will prove essential for all students.

1. What do you want to do after high school? In other words, what are your goals for the future? This opens up avenues to discuss college, supporting yourself, living in the real world, and what they need to do now to reach their goals later.
2. What do you want to be when you grow up? This is not the same question as the first one, largely because students don’t always see the connection. You can help them make it. You can also encourage them during your regular class activities when something related to their desired career pops up. Even if they end up changing their minds several times over (as we all do well into adulthood), it’s another way to show you care.
3. How can I help you do better in class? This core question takes different forms depending on when you ask it. At the beginning of the year, you might ask for the one thing you need to do to help them do well. By the end of the year, you should be wondering what you could have done better.
4. What do you think about school? Learning a student’s opinion about school helps shape your approach to helping them achieve.
5. Do you think you’re smart? You’ll be surprised how many bright, talented young people say, “No.”

In truth, this list could include fifty questions, but these five are key to opening up the hearts and minds of your students.

Veteran teachers, share your ideas and questions to ask every student in the comments.

All About My New Book: Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word

It took over a year of work and innumerable delays, but my new book is finally here. Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job is about overcoming the challenges that lead to abysmal teacher retention rates across the country.

The book is based around a single question: “What is the most important advice I can give to other teachers?” None of my answers are revolutionary, but rather straightforward ideas that teachers often take for granted (myself included). You’ll find a lot of common threads throughout the short lessons in the book:

• Creating a positive classroom environment
• Building strong relationships with students
• Working constantly to learn, grow and improve
• Finding an elusive work-life balance
• Trying to influence change in and out of your classroom
• Dealing with and avoiding problems with colleagues, school leaders, and your district

These are really the keys to surviving and thriving.  I don’t really focus on classroom management or lesson delivery too much; there are plenty of other books I would recommend for those topics. This book is about keeping you happy, sane, healthy and in the classroom or any position where you can deeply, positively impact students.

We’re on the cusp of the back to school season, and Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word is something you should consider giving to anyone you know who’s headed back in to the classroom—new and veteran teachers alike. It would certainly spark a lively debate and/or discussion in your teacher book club or PLN. No matter how you plan to use it, it’s a quick, easy read that you can literally carry with you (it’s pocket-sized).

Right now, the book is available exclusively through Lulu.com, but it will soon be available on Amazon and elsewhere. You can also download a PDF version and save some trees. Either way, I appreciate your support.

Thank you for reading, subscribing to and supporting this blog over the past 2.9 years (we’re about a month away from our third anniversary). Without you, there would have been no Ten Cheap Lessons, let alone this new book. I hope I can continue to pay you back for all the support you’ve given me over the years.

Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job by Tom DeRosa (paperback / download)

Have Fun With Your Students By Telling Them Unbelievable Stories [Video]

If you're interested in getting a review copy of my upcoming book, Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job, email me at teachforever@gmail.com.

Mr. D TV is my weekly video series where I give advice to teachers on just about any topic. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, email me. If you like the video, check out the last week's episode or my YouTube channel for more. See you next week!

Reclaiming the Lost Moments of Your Teaching Career

I frequently ask my students for feedback, both formally and informally.  Arguably the most important feedback I get is from mid-year and end of year surveys that ask a lot of probing questions.  Normally I look at the results just after the school year is over, but last year was different.  I had a traumatic year, both personally and professionally, that shook me to my core.  I questioned my ability and desire to continue subjecting myself to the internal and external pressure that had overtaken me.

Needless to say, I wanted to distance myself from the events of the past year as much as possible.  Last year's end of year surveys were filed away quickly, and although I did look at them, I completely blocked it from my mind until I found them this week.

I've always preached that you should find the good in everything, whether it be a useless professional development workshop or that one class that drives you crazy.  I've spent a good deal of the time since last June thinking about everything except last year, failing to confront the issues and emotions that basically crushed my soul.  I neglected to follow my own advice, and in doing so, I threw out the good with the bad.

Today I was finally ready to go back and look at what my students had to say at the end of the year, both good and bad.  As I consider my options for the upcoming school year, I needed to confront these issues before I could move forward as a teacher.  Below you will find some very interesting responses that I wanted to share.

If you found out that your friend/family member was going to be in Mr. D's class next year, what would you tell him/her?

"That Mr. DeRosa is an excellent teacher."
"I would say that Mr. D's class is the best class that have PCA honestly is more better than other classes!" [from an ESL student]
"Don't do it to yourself (JK) He is a really good teacher you just have to pay attention."
"That you can actually learn something in his math class, and you probably won't forget it."
"He's a good teacher and speaks Spanish."
"Listen because he can teach you alot and when you need help he is there."
"To be prepared for all the hard work cause its going to be a long ride."
"Well what I would tell them is that I was a pain in the [butt] and every teacher should have one."
"He is always on point and he is very smart.  He is willing to help you with anything."

What did Mr. D do well this year?  What should he keep the same when planning his classes for next year?

"Improve his attitude, kept his class going even when the boys who sit in the back were making it hard on him."
"Everything, if I was a teacher I give him A+... you don't have to change anything"
"He has good teaching skills. He is also a good friend, he jokes around & talks to us.  Explain things in all the ways possible.  He should keep all this the same."
"You did everything good this year but when your mad dont take it out on us. :)"
"He kept me on track telling me to do my work."
"Give us opportunities to make up all our work to get grades up." [ironically, that was from a student who didn't take advantage of most of those opportunities!]
"Controlled his temper :) Cuz he never exploded at me."

What did Mr. D NOT do well this year?  What should he change when planning his classes for next year?

"He wasn't tough enough."
"Did not kick out the boys from the back"
"He lets people get to him and he takes it out on everyone he is a really good teacher but needs to control that."
"...make the class a little bit more exciting and with more discipline."
"...he should learn to try not to take his anger out on us when he's having a bad day."

What is the one thing you will remember most about his class?

"He's a warm hearted person and love his students."
"Getting A's in math (a subject I don't really care for)"
"Mr. DeRosa's teaching and his Domain & Range Song, 'To the left' "
"All his fun activities M&M project, carnival game, dice game."
"Mr. D being the funniest teacher even though he'd be grumpy half the time!"
"When Mr. D brought his guitar and sang."
"Comedy, understanding math"

Anything else you would like to tell me?

"I love you Mr. DeRosa!"
"I wish you the best Mr.  Hope your new place brings you good things.  We'll all gonna miss you.  Keep being the smart good teacher that you've been to us!!"
"Mister, you're the best I wish you would be here next year.  I had fun in this class, especially our arguments & making me laugh.  YOU'RE AWESOME!"
"Thank you for teaching Mr. DeRosa.  I'm going to miss you even if you don't think so.  I know your going to miss me and my attitude too. Thank you!" 

What would your students say to these questions?  Have there been periods of your career that you've all but blocked from your memory?  What would you find if you went back and revisited those times now? 

Eliminating "No" From Your Vocabulary [Video]

Mr. D TV is my weekly video series where I give advice to teachers on just about any topic.  If you have a question you'd like me to discuss, email it to teachforever@gmail.com.  If you like the video, check out the last episode or my YouTube channel for more.  See you next week!

Tear Down the Ladder of Consequences: How to Become a Master of Classroom Management

This is the latest from my teaching advice video series "Dear Mr. DeRosa". I love the randomly selected still picture (thanks, YouTube!).  It says, "I can chop you right in half!"

Check out or subscribe to my new YouTube channel to see the rest of the series and future videos as well!

Making Learning "Cool" is Easier Said Than Done

In this month's Wired magazine, Daniel Roth wrote an article entitled "Making Geeks Cool Could Reform Education", in which BetterLesson founder Alex Grodd takes center stage.

A venture capital firm in New York recently hosted an education conference (why is not explained) that started out with discussion of tech innovations, but took on a different tone when Grodd explained why most of their ideas wouldn't work:

"The driving force in the life of a child, starting much earlier than it used to be, is to be cool, to fit in," Grodd told the group. "And pretty universally, it's cool to rebel."
... "The best schools," Grodd told me later, "are able to make learning cool, so the cool kids are the ones who get As. That's an art."

The author goes on to give examples of this idea at work in successful charter schools across the country. Of course, therein lies the problem: nowhere is it discussed how we would even approach such a fundamental change in a traditional public school setting.

It's not that this is an inherently bad ideal to work towards, but the realization of what Grodd and the author proposes is nearly impossible for two reasons: the system isn't set up to accommodate it, and charter schools are not like traditional public schools.

Traditional public schools are too busy trying to meet minimum standards to encourage the level of creativity, academic focus and recognition that would be required. Those of us that have taught honors, gifted & talented, Pre-AP or AP classes know that those students are pretty much left to their own devices; schools assume they'll pass all their standardized testing. We give lip service to challenging them and raising standards, but are content to raise the lowest students to the middle while letting the best drift downward to about the same place.

Thus shifting school culture would first require the complete realignment of our country's educational standards and goals from the White House down to every schoolhouse. That's no easy task, obviously, but even if we were to free our schools from this "race to the bottom," it would still be incredibly difficult to pull off what the charter schools mentioned in the article have accomplished.

Everything they're able to do stems from the freedom to build charter schools have by nature. If they have the culture, curriculum and staff to make this focus work, it's because it's written into their charter, and every incoming student has to buy in or find a different school. I'm not begrudging what charter schools can do; I hope they continue to do it. I'm just pointing out what should be obvious: traditional public schools can't do what charters do.

There is, however, one possible way to make this work: on the micro level, in individual classrooms. Making learning cool is entirely possible in a classroom where a great teacher has built a positive culture. The aura of coolness will likely fade away quickly when your students leave class and head back into the soul-crushing reality of growing up. It sounds hopeless, but the academic focus and recognition they receive from you can make all the difference in their lives in the long term.

20 Cheap Ways to Decorate Your Classroom

1. Word Wall
   
2. Weekly Contest
   
3. College corner (featuring your alma mater)
4. Examples of great work from your former students
5. Artwork, pictures and notes from your former students
   
6. Class job postings
   
7. Subject-related news articles
8. Subject-related career articles
9. A PostSecret-style project - My students came up with something like this on their own last year. It started as a couple of post-it notes anonymously detailing their feeling on the wall behind my desk. By the end of the year, it was a tremendous piece of art!
   
10. Challenging question of the week (something tied to your current unit)
    
11. Student of the Week
12. Puzzle, riddle or game of the week (pulled from any brain teaser book or website)
    
13. Personal photo collage; something that reveals a bit about you
14. Plants (or grow some from seeds!)
    
15. Decorative lighting, a cool floor lamp, disco ball, etc--something that adds a little color and a different feel to the room when in use (Check the fire code first!!!)
    
16. Service learning project information (i.e. Kiva)
17. Paint a piece of old furniture--a table or bookcase you're allowed to paint--with chalkboard or whiteboard paint and start an ongoing art project
18. Work together with students to create a mural, even if it's done on paper covering the wall (and not on the wall itself)
19. Turn any picture into a huge block poster.
    
20. Nothing at all - Tell your students that you've left the walls empty because together, you are going to fill them up with classwork, artwork and other stuff to make this a space they are proud of and comfortable in.

No matter what you decide, after school has started, you should "commission" as much student-made artwork as possible. This builds classroom culture and gets them invested; it becomes "our" room, not your room.

First Day of School Resources You May Have Missed

I realized the other day that while I had written about getting ready for back to school several times over the years, I had not collected those ideas in one place. I also know that there have been many, many new readers since these were originally posted over the last two years.

• First Day of School: Sample Student Surveys, Parent Letters and More -There are two versions of the surveys and letters to help you write your own.
  
• First Day of School: Mini-Lesson on Calculating a Tip - For those of you who want to get down to business on day one, or at least are thinking about alternatives to icebreakers.
  
• Updated First Day Student Survey - This is the most recent one I used. Notice that I don't ask a lot of the typical questions any more; I really pared it down to only the things I really needed to know to teach them well.
  
• Questions to Ask Yourself To Be Ready for the First Day of School - If you've covered all of these, you're all set!
  

Just remember that there are a lot of new ideas that have been posted this month to check out as well!

Tips To Keep Your Students Healthy At School

Monitoring your students’ health while they’re at school isn’t a specific part of the job description for a teacher, but it’s still important. Whether you teach elementary school kids or college students, or you teach in a disadvantaged district or a well-funded private institution, keeping your students healthy and safe is a challenge. Some children arrive to school without eating breakfast and no packed food or money for lunch. Others are junk food addicts who sneak food at their desks, and still other students may have unhealthy relationships with food that could turn into an eating disorder. Between the grading, lessons, field trips and test taking, here are some helpful tips for teachers concerned about student health.

• Talk about it. If you never mention healthy eating, hygiene or sickness, students will assume it’s a topic that’s off-limits in the classroom. Make sure that your students know how important their health is, and that it’s always considered an open discussion.
• Designate a time to ask health questions. Even if you’re not the science teacher, designate time once or twice a week to let students ask health-related questions. Set up a box in front of the room or by your desk to let kid drop anonymous questions.
• Explain to students how food impacts their body. Let them know which foods give them energy and help them grow, and which foods cause harm to their body or make them feel sleepy.
• Encourage students and parents to bring healthy snacks during parties. You don’t have to serve carrot sticks during the Halloween party, but you can ask parents to bring healthier options like oatmeal cookies, 100% juice instead of soda, or baked chips instead of fried goodies.
• If you’re concerned about a students’ health, speak up. Depending on the student’s age, you may have to speak with his or her parent first. But if a student is sleeping all day, losing or gaining weight rapidly, or is showing other signs of being unhealthy, speak up.
• Keep your classroom stocked. Always have Kleenex, hand sanitizer, and regular hand soap on hand, and encourage kids to wash their hands after sneezing.
• Set a good example. Eat healthy snacks at your desk and bring healthy lunches to show your students that eating right isn’t hard.
  

This post was contributed by Tara Miller, who writes about online teaching degrees. She welcomes your feedback at TaraMillerr00 at gmail.com.

52 Teachers, 52 Lessons #22: Teach in a Dynamic Environment

Our contributor this week is an expert in English as a Second Language. After four years teaching English Language Learners in Texas, Shelly Terrell moved on to teach children, teenagers and adults who are ELLs in Germany! She blogs at Teacher Boot Camp. Her wise advice comes in three parts:

Teach in a dynamic environment!

When students walk into my classroom, I want them to be motivated to learn. Sitting in desks that face you is boring! Create a dynamic environment full of rich sayings, learning stations, and student expression. In my high school classroom, we would sometimes go outside for lessons or sit on pillows on the floor for discussions. Students learn in different ways! Moreover, environment impacts mood and behavior. I now set my classroom up for cooperative learning and to cater to different learning styles. The workforce is dynamic and students will have to be prepared to work in a variety of settings. Students will probably never work in an environment with a desk facing the boss all day!

Pause!

I have taught what many would term "trouble" students. I learned quickly that getting angry only spurs the situation. What works best is allowing "cool-off time" for the student and teacher. If you have stations set-up, the student can find some alone time. When you feel the student has calmed down, then speak with the student in an area away from the other students. Find out what is the real problem behind the outburst. Most of the time you find out that your students are juggling some serious issues and your talk with them can help them more than the punishment.

Continually self-reflect!

My students offer me feedback through dialogue journals, surveys, and conversations. Critiques are opportunities for growth. Along with the criticisms are incredible heartfelt messages of what a difference I have made. Therefore, I am never afraid to hear my students' opinions. Teachers should constantly self-reflect to ensure their teaching strategies and lessons are evolving and purpose-driven.

Read more about this project here or add the 52 teachers 52 lessons tag to your favorites. Email your entries to teachforeverATgmailDOTcom. Week 23 is scheduled for next Monday, July 6th.

Sample End of Year Survey

I realized after posting my senior end of year survey that I wouldn't need to change much to make an end of year survey for all of my students. Indeed, I only had to change a few words here and there to make it suitable for everyone. The survey is available on Google Docs:

Sample End of Year Survey

End of Year Survey for Graduating Seniors

I always give students end of year surveys, but as I've mentioned this is the first year I have graduating seniors in my classes. I had to edit and update my usual survey for them a bit; for example, I wanted to know how this class compared to the other math classes they had taken in high school. Otherwise, the survey is pretty close to what I will give all of my students at the end of the year.

This survey is by no means original--it is an amalgamation of questions from several sources. The original source is Emma, my Program Director when I was in Teach for America. The survey has evolved quite a bit in the six years since then. When I see a good question on sample student surveys posted by other teachers, I "borrow" it. If one of my existing questions doesn't get productive responses, I edit or delete it. So thank you to the many teachers who inspired this ever-evolving survey.

I'll be posting different versions as well as some of the more interesting feedback I've received soon. You can download this version from Google Docs:

End of Year Senior Student Survey

Five for Friday: Spring Break Edition

Today I'm leaving for spring break--taking a trip down memory lane in the Rio Grande Valley. After four years of mid-March spring break in college, followed by five more years of the same thing in the RGV, it was weird to have two breaks this year. I vaguely remember things being like this growing up in New Jersey, but in any case, I'm not complaining. Enjoy this week's must-reads:

1. Shibaura Institute of Technology Students make more rules [via Larry Ferlazzo] - Michael Stout, an EFL teacher in Japan, shows thoughtful examples of negotiated class rules.
2. Things It Took Me Way Too Long To Learn [from f(t)] - In the midst of her fourth year as a math teacher, Kate compiles a top ten list of good advice.
3. New Free Flash Tool for the Classroom [from Technology Education Know-How] - Greg Smith details free Flash animation software and ideas for using it with students.
4. Computer Repair Kit Packs Dozens of Tools in One Portable Package [from Lifehacker] - Many programs I use and recommend to keep my school and home computers running smoothly (and tons more) are included here. Load this on a flash drive and you'll be prepared for almost anything!
5. 5th Graders Best College Students in Egg-drop Contest [from Geekdad] - I just had to pass along this story of how far students can go if you let them.

Share your best links in the comments. Thanks!

On Success, Part 3: Fostering Positive Change in Students

This is part of a two-week series on my five biggest successes and failures as a teacher this year. This week is focused solely on success.

Early in my career, as I struggled to learn my craft, I would often get down on myself (not surprising from someone who just published a week-long list of failures for the world to see). At the end of my first year of teaching, I forced myself to make a list of "Good Things I Accomplished" to remind myself of all the good things I was doing that I still have.

I included lists of students who made huge improvements, that I built strong relationships with, and even a group of students who didn't like history before taking my class. I was happy that I had pushed my students towards great success on our benchmarks and standardized test, but most importantly "my dedication to what's best for my students, not the administration".

The list of students in whom I helped facilitate a genuine positive change became a staple in each subsequent "good things" list I did. This year has been my most challenging, and I need to remind myself of the good I'm doing now in order to keep myself going.

I can't name names, of course, but I know I have students who...

• are brilliant and continue to excel in my class.
• have told me they didn't understand math much before my class.
• never passed math before taking my class.
• received their first A in math from me.
  
• have sincerely thanked me for helping them one-on-one or in general.
• came to school just because they didn't want to miss my class.
• call me their favorite teacher even though I don't have them in class!
• have failed or lost credit due to absences but are now passing.
• aren't satisfied even with a 98 average!
• told me I was responsible for teaching them what they needed to finally pass the MCAS.

I admit that I don't feel like I've made a difference to as many students as I believe I did in years past, but I would be lying to myself if I didn't also admit some success this year.

In a Sentence
Take stock of all the good things you've accomplished this year--it will be a longer list than you think!