Getting out of the way

Sometimes (and not always) an influential teacher knows that it’s time to get out of the way. A student is progressing, he or she is getting it and getting ahead – so don’t pull them down – let them keep going as far as they can.

Yes, you can keep challenging them, and yes, you can keep setting higher goals with them, but the last bit of it they have to do themselves. When they find their footing, and when they’re on course its time to get out of the way. You’ll be there when they need it, you’ll pitch in when you see them going off course, but that’s it…its smooth sailing…and you’re just watching them glide.

What’s the big picture?

Your students are wired. 24/7. Whether they are on social networking sites such as twitter or facebook or elsewhere students more than ever want to know: What’s the big picture? How do I fit into all of this?

As an influential teacher – every lesson no matter how local it maybe has a bigger picture behind it. Can you show them that? Can you give them a glimpse, a peek at how it relates to them?

In a high school economics class, a teacher could talk about the value of a tweet or a facebook like. What revenue models are being utilized. How are brands engaging these channels?

In an English class, a teacher could provide perspectives on how twitter impacts our language and communications skills daily (for better or worse). When discussion centers on poetry a great question to pose would be: Is twitter the haiku of our age?

An influential teacher magnifies the lesson. What seems so dispersed at first now becomes engaging and relevant.

What’s the value of a great teacher?

An article in the New York Times quotes from an amazing study done by economists from Harvard and Columbia about the long term impact of a great teacher. The study focused on grades 4-8 and found that teachers have an impact on all of the grades.

The study measured the earning power of students as one of the long term effects of great teachers. While this is never the only reason why we need great, influential teachers – their contribution to the economy is also an important part of the value they create.

How much value? $25,000 more over a lifetime — or about $700,000 in gains for an average size class according to the The Value of Teachers article.

The detailed study is also available online here: The Long Term Impacts of Great Teachers.

Watch your thoughts

Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. – Frank Outlaw

This is a great quote by Frank Outlaw, and I believe a very important one at that for those wanting to become “influential teachers.” Whether at home or in the classroom, we want to display our best. Often times though stress, relationships, financial burdens and what have you get the best of us and we show our ugly side. So how does the influential teacher help himself and help his students.

He stays calm and watches (read: guards) his thoughts. He doesn’t let them turn negative. He knows that its not only his life he will impact but the lives of his students. When he has mastered the act of guarding his thoughts, his words are well-thought out, not blurted and not punctuated by impatience.

So watch your thoughts…