What teaching advice would you offer?
Dear Applied EQ-ers,
Our CEO experienced a social experiment of sorts on twitter, by accident.
Adam Saenz, licensed psychologist, author, and emotional intelligence expert, posted this on twitter on the eve of his substitute teaching position:
He asked for advice for his first day and hundreds of followers responded. The responses were overwhelmingly positive, and there were also some funny tweets of warning.
One theme was people asking Adam, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Run! Run as if you were being chased by a starving lion! Run!”
“Pray!”
“Duck.”
The basic vibe of this category was: “Are you sure you’re up for this? Substitute teaching is no joke.” A fair warning.
Then there was the theme of practical advice. These were our favorites:
“Remember your why.”
“This may be very basic, but stand at the door. Greet them, and smile. Ask about their day. Ask them what their favorite subject is. Break the ice a bit. THEN take attendance. You’ll do great!”
“Make connections, don’t forget the quiet ones.”
“Respect and kindness are everything. I would 1000% rather have my sub be sweet to my class and get half the work done vs get all the work done while yelling and berating them.”
“Act like you belong in the room and the school because you do! Our subs are a valuable part of our school community.”
“Use positive narration: Wow! 3 students are getting pencils out. Now 7! Now 3/4 of class is ready, etc. 1/2."
“Be empathetic, compassionate, and firm. Have a great day!”
“Kids say weird stuff. Remember that and remember to take deep breaths. It will help you listen and respond at your best.”
“Be curious about the kids!”
“Treat the students as you’d want your own children to be treated.”
While the advice was practical and thoughtful, my favorite theme from the comments was the heartfelt encouragement that so many people offered:
“Learning takes patience and time…and coffee. Welcome to the profession.”
“Thank you for coming back to the front lines with us. Boots on the ground. Much respect.”
“Go get ‘em! My hope is that you see how much teachers love kids, how hard they work & that through teamwork we are successful!”
“Thank you for the journey you are embarking on. We NEED quality and reliable substitutes! You are essential!”
“Just, thank you....”
That last one, the “Just, thank you…” comment gets me every time.
The word that kept coming up in my mind while reading the comments of advice and encouragement was “honor.”
I also remember that my own experience of teaching often didn’t feel “honorable.” When I was giving feedback on the gazillionth essay or talking with a kid in the hallway after he dropped the f bomb, my teaching job didn’t feel especially honorable. It felt tedious and impossible. But teaching is an honorable profession. There is so much hope for what children can be and so much responsibility in being a steward of these kids.
School is this strange, magical place where everyone comes together to try to learn and be better. There is a lot of messiness and failure, but everyone keeps showing up and trying again.
So if you were like me and prone to get swept up in all the tasks of teaching, please don’t forget to stop for a moment, look around at all the people depending on you, and pat yourself on the back. Who you are and your willingness to keep showing up for students is an honorable act.
So, thank you. “Just, thank you…”
Where does this land for you today?
Do you remember your first experience teaching?
What advice were you given?
What advice would you give someone new to the profession?
Would you enjoy reconnecting with your Why of teaching? You are not alone. We would love to connect with you and your school.
Applying EQ with you, Elizabeth Eason Martin
(P.S. What does applying EQ look like in your school/classroom/life right now? Comment below or email me at Elizabeth@appliedeqgroup.com. I would love to hear your story.)
