Hi,

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer…well, what’s left of it

As we all know teaching can be a very draining and exhausting profession. It is easy to get “burnt out” which is why 50% of teachers quit within their first 5 years of teaching.

However, there are many little things teachers can do to help themselves avoid burn out and stay motivated.

One of the teaching newsletters I receive (and actually read) is Marjan Glavac’s The Busy Educator. Marjan is a veteran teacher who truly understands what teachers go through day in and day out…

Recently Marjan has published a 5-part series on how to stay motivated in teaching.

With his permission I will be posting this series on my blog over the next few weeks. I hope you find the tips “motivating”

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How To Stay Motivated In Teaching (Part 1): Teacher Movies That Inspire
by Marjan Glavac

For me, one of the first things I do to relax during the summer is to pick up a page turner spy thriller and catch up on some teacher movies that will inspire me for next year.

The Emperor’s Club (2002)

I rarely buy movies after I’ve viewed them.

This movie is the exception.

The Emperor’s Club with Kevin Kline is one of my favorite teacher movies. It showed me that although I can try my best, do all I can for my students, I can’t “fix” them all. There will be failures, especially with students whom I tried to reach, but for whom I was unable to change their behavior. There will be students you can’t stop for whatever reason, from going down the wrong path.

The Emperor’s Club more than any other movie, shows the internal struggles of the classroom teacher.

This movie also shows that for every student you can’t change, there will be hundreds of students where you will make a difference.

Those you will inspire to do their best through all the little things you do with them all year long.

Even though they don’t tell you or acknowledge the impact you have on them, in later years, they will remember and be grateful for the things you did.

Other movies I’ve enjoyed:
Freedom Writers (2007)
Stand and Deliver (1988)
The Ron Clark Story (2006)
The Karate Kid (1984)
Glory Road (2006)
Hoosiers (1986)
Coach Carter (2005)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
Renaissance Man (1994)

To read reviews of these movies and others, check out The Internet Movie Database, the biggest, best, most award-winning movie and TV site on the planet:
http://www.imdb.com/

Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies (FILM)
http://www.youthfilmproject.org/programs.htm
This site features curriculum materials to support a curricula for youth that uses movies to promote literacy, learning and service.
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Marjan Recommends…

How to Thrive and Survive in Your Classroom

“Do You Want To Know How To Create Your Ideal Classroom, Motivate Your Students, Maintain Their Attention And Keep Them On Task Without Screaming, Pleading Or Burning Yourself Out?”

“In one word, this course was practical!” B. Carriere, Grade 4/5 Teacher, Ontario

Audio recordings available now!
Click Here To Discover More About How To Thrive And Survive

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About a month ago I made a couple of posts on the importance of having students evaluate their teachers and how teachers can use this evaluation to make themselves even better teachers.

I also posted a link to the teacher evaluation form that I use. Unfortunately, as I stated in that post, it was not exactly the best quality copy.

Fortunately, Helena Cantrell, a fellow Teaching Tips Machine subscriber, edited the form for me (and you).

I converted it into a .pdf document so everyone can now easily download and print out the form for their own use.

I know it’s a little late since most of us teachers are on summer break, but just download it now and save it for later. Also, remember that the teacher evaluation form does not have to be saved for the end of the school year. I have used it with success half-way through the school year as well.

Here is the link: http://www.TeachingTipsMachine.com/TeacherEvaluationForm.pdf

**Simply left click to open and print or right click to save to your computer.

Enjoy your summer! You deserve it!

Best Wishes,
Adam Waxler
Teaching Tips Machine, LLC

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Don’t get stale this summer…stay fresh and brush up on some the most effective teaching strategies anywhere!

Read eTeach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers @ www.TeachingTeacher.com

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Summer is a great time to really separate yourself from the job. Personally, I find teaching to be absolutely exhausting. So when summer comes I take it OFF!

Well….at least the first half of summer.

It is important for me to take the first half of summer completely off…think about it…we don’t get paid much, we don’t get Christmas bonuses, we work after school and on the weekends during the school year, but we do get our summer…that’s my bonus!

However, about half way through the summer my mind and body are ready to start thinking about the upcoming school year. Down here in Florida we are just about half way through.

With that said I came across a timely article in Marjan Glavac’s The Busy Educator Newsletter written by retired school principal Paul Jackson entitled: Invest in your P.D. Portfolio

You can read the article below…

Before you do though…if you don’t know anything about Paul Jackson or Marjan Glavac, let me tell you…these guys know there stuff! Last fall they came out with a teleseminar that was absolutely fantastic. It’s a series of four 90 minute recordings, a 166 page handout and 3 bonus products. If you’ve got a minute to spare right now, visit this page and you’ll get the whole story: http://teaching.telesem.hop.clickbank.net.

Enjoy the article:

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Start Article
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Invest in your P.D. Portfolio
Written by Paul Jackson

Classroom teachers and school administrators NEED to invest in their own Professional Development on a regular on-going basis. Educators have a difficult job that drains them of energy. P.D. helps rejuvenate!

Those outside education often see professional development of educators as a luxury that can easily and justifiably be withheld without affecting student learning. We educators know better!

There are ways that individual teachers and administrators can get regular on-going professional development.

They include:

*Reading professional magazines, books and articles

*Attending workshops, seminars, programs, lectures…

*Creating and/or participating in “discussion groups” of teachers in the school, in the district, on line chat rooms, informal get-togethers with other teachers…

*Involving yourself on committees and task forces

*Working with local, state, provincial, and national educational organizations

*Writing and publishing support materials or units of study for fellow teachers (sharing your expertise and experience)

And you can add to the list. If you truly desire and need P.D., YOU WILL FIND A WAY!

The Internet is a tremendous resource for teachers’ and administrators’ professional development opportunities. You can accomplish almost everything on the previous list using web sites, eZines, blogs, chat rooms, discussion groups, newsletters, programs and other resources (eBooks, books, DVD and CD programs, audio files, video presentations…) to provide yourself with professional development. No need to wait for someone else to provide it.

Choose your own form of professional development. Invest your money to meet your own needs. Take advantage of what the Internet has to offer like the program “How to Thrive and Survive in Your Classroom” found at http://teaching.telesem.hop.clickbank.net.

To maximize your P.D. activities beyond personalizing them to your needs, keep an accurate and up-to-date record of everything you do. Request certificates or letters of acknowledgement or receipts after you complete your activities. How to Thrive and Survive in Your Classroom provides a certificate of completion and will, on request, mail a cover letter and certificate to your supervisor for inclusion in your professional portfolio.

Most teachers and administrators have a personnel profile with their school board. Be prepared to be proactive in adding your P.D. to that file. That could include books you have read and magazines you subscribe to. At least once a year you should add to your profile and keep duplicate copies at home. Your reputation as a “professional” among professionals can only be enhanced.

It is a minor inconvenience to have your school secretary or supervisor makes an addition to your file once a year. You may also be surprised at just how much you have done in the year and accumulatively over time. If you are impressed with what you have accomplished others will be too.
Invest now in your personal and professional development.

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Paul Jackson is a retired elementary school teacher and Principal, co-author of How to Thrive and Survive in Your Classroom, and author of many eBooks for educators and entrepreneurs. In particular he has an interest in helping educators produce eBooks that share their expertise with fellow educators. You can contact Paul at http://www.ebooksforeducators.com or http://www.ebookauthoringservices.com .
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End Article
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I couldn’t agree more…take control of your own professional development. Remember, professional development is really your responsibility. Now that my summer is at the half-way point, I know it’s time for me to get back into professional development as well.

Best Wishes,
Adam Waxler

P.S. Remember, to get the whole story about Paul and Marjan’s teleseminar visit: http://teaching.telesem.hop.clickbank.net

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