Teaching is Fire

Inspiring teachers is all about sitting on the veranda with a Mint Julep or a Sarsaparilla and a few good friends, dreaming of what a classroom could be. It’s quadrant two of the Eisenhower Box — a time to consider ways to hone or enhance one’s craft. As a catalyst, I create the space for educators to remember what they love about their work and envision how that work could be better. Beverages not included.

What do you actually do?

I work in small groups with teachers who have chosen to work with me. Using my sparkling personality and wealth of experience, I invite teachers be real with me, with one another and with themselves. Together, we contemplate our teaching and brainstorm/blue-sky strategies to enhance/revitalize our work. Check out the menu for suggested topics.

Every teacher has experienced this — the colleague whose classroom is a sanctuary. In that setting, after the airing of complaints and when enough irreverence has set in, the magic happens. Teachers learn from each other, feel invigorated and are able to access their innate creativity.

As a venerated mentor, Pam Rosa, reminds me, “It is not our job to help or fix teachers. It’s our job to create opportunities for thinking, problem-solving and student-centered decision making.”

What does a typical visit look like?

A Professional Development Series would include an introductory presentation followed by four sessions spanning the school year. Between these sessions, I’m available for remote consultation. There’s little that’s more rewarding than getting a fellow teacher to stop hyperventilating from the comfort of one’s own living room.

A One-Day Visit would include a morning session and an afternoon session. For example, a group of 15 teachers might meet at the beginning of the day to think about ways to integrate SEL into their curricula. I’d set the stage, spark some ideas and share some strategies. After discussion and collegial sharing, teachers would work on their own to consider and flesh out an idea that would work for them. I’d be on hand to offer individual guidance and feedback. In the afternoon, a different group would gather to think/learn/share about another topic, such as project-based learning, discussion strategies or engendering authenticity in the classroom.

A Two-Day Visit would include a short introduction to all faculty at the beginning of the first day — explaining the process and four possible sessions. Teachers would then choose which of the four (if any) they’d like to attend. At the end of the second day, all faculty would gather back for a jigsaw-share of what strategies/ideas each teacher had developed. The second day would close with words of wisdom and theme music. Doves available upon request.

Why do teachers need to volunteer?

First of all, ordering a teacher to develop is about as effective as ordering a student to develop, probably because they’re both people. Establishing the understanding that working with me is voluntary vests teachers in our shared efforts. Also, my personality inspires most teachers and sets them at ease. About 10% of teachers find me so irritating they’re already halfway to throwing me out of a window within only a few minutes of meeting me. And as much as I tell my students there will be actual times in your life when you will use the word “defenestration” as part of your everyday vernacular, I’m not so keen on proving it.

Do you work with teachers individually?

I’m available for instructional coaching on an individual or small-group basis. Typically, this would include in-person meetings, classroom observations and serving as a remote resource.

Why don’t you work with large groups?

The easiest way to alienate and irritate teachers is to work with them in a large group. Since annoying teachers is scientifically proven to be bad luck, this is a hard pass. My presentations, on the other hand, are an amalgam of storytelling, inspirational speaking and stand-up comedy. Those entertain and reignite, so the bigger the audience, the better.

Why don’t you lead sessions on discipline or classroom management?

In my experience, when you teach from the heart and build genuine connections with your students and capture their attention with dynamic lessons, everyone in the learning community (including you) is able to manage and discipline themselves. Offering a training on how to get kids to behave themselves would be akin to the menu of a gourmet restaurant including the number for poison control.

What’s so special about a sparkling personality?

When we laugh, we learn. My affable nature and finely-honed sense of humor create an atmosphere where teachers can relax, and their innate desire to grow can have free rein. For those of you who, like one of my favorite colleagues, get their hackles up when someone casually prefaces their nonsensical declaration with a pompously delivered “studies have shown,” this article references a study that has shown. You’re welcome, Brian.