E is for ENTHUSIASM

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter E.

E is for Enthusiasm. Dave Burgess discusses that excellence as a teacher sets sail with your passion for what you do in life, and lands on the big red "X" with your enthusiasm.

What you have already accomplished...today, this month, last year, during your career...doesn't matter. You have to bring it now! The big secret to enthusiasm is that unlike passion, it can be faked! If you just aren't feeling it...fake it. Make a conscious decision to change what you focus on. Concentrate on what empowers you. Enthusiasm is completely contagious. Be sure to spread it liberally every day because our students have plenty of encounters with people trying to dampen their spirits.

How do you plan to bring your A-game every period? How will you show enthusiasm to your students? Infect your lessons and everything you do with enthusiasm...watch it grow exponentially!

T is for TRANSFORMATION

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter T.

T is for Transformation. Do you have children or grandchildren who just finished their first week of school? Or perhaps you have siblings or neighbors who have attended school recently. No? What about you? Can you remember the typical school day when you were a kid? Do you want your classroom to stand out in the sea of sameness?

Provide an uncommon experience for your students and they will reward you with an uncommon effort and attitude. -Dave Burgess

Do you want to be great? It's not about ego; it's about effectiveness. You should aim for having the most talked about class at Fulbright.

If your students didn't have to be enrolled in math, would you be teaching in an empty room? Is there something about you and the experience of being a part of your class that draw students in like a magnet? Do you have any lessons you could sell tickets for?

Honestly, our students don't actually hate math. They just really hate the way it has been taught to them in the past. They hate the fact that the have struggled to learn math in the past. Our priority should be filling our math class with passion, enthusiasm, and creativity so our students view our lessons as pirate treasure.

The goal is to transform our classes into something irresistible to our students!

A is for ASK & ANALYZE

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter A.

A is for Ask and Analyze. Dave Burgess is often asked how a teacher can become more creative when designing lessons. He explains that for must of us, creative genius is developed through hard work, directed attention, and relentless engagement. To a large extent, the presence of creativity is the result of consistently asking the right questions. To make a difference in our classroom, we must develop our ideas and implement them for our students.

Spend your genius hour asking the right questions and developing ideas for student use! What is your vision? Describe your destination. And what is your action plan to set sail for this treasure?

R is for RAPPORT

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter R.

R is for Rapport. This statement from Dave Burgess resonates with my core belief as an educator:

No content standard matters to me until I have established the safe, supportive, and positive classroom environment I need to successfully teach my students. Any time I spend on the front end of the year to establish this environment is not time wasted. In fact, I know it will pay dividends a hundred times over before the end of the year.

Stop. Read it again. Are we doing this? Or do we allow ourselves to be locked to the pacing guide and curriculum calendar? We monitor and adjust for snow days, right? (When we're fortunate enough to have a snow day!) Then why can't we monitor and adjust at the beginning of the year to build the classroom environment necessary for learning to occur?!? First things first! We must earn the trust of our students by creating a safe and supportive environment where our students feel valued both in our classroom and at FJHS.

Building a positive rapport with students...

• greet your students at the door
• develop a classroom climate where students have fun learning
• engage your students
• fine tune transitions to maintain engagement
• interact with your students in the halls
  

What other suggestions would you add to the list above? How do you ensure your students are engaged? Engagement can be difficult when students are bored or overwhelmed. What are some ways you differentiate instruction?

I is for IMMERSION

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter I.

I is for Immersion. Dave Burgess suggests the secret to becoming a better teacher is total immersion. Our ability to be "all in" is a powerful technique. Dave Burgess paints a picture of how every teacher can be classified as either a lifeguard or a swimmer. A lifeguard sits separate from the action and supervises the pool. A swimmer is an integral part of the action through participation.

Are you a lifeguard or a swimmer? Don't miss the moment! What does total immersion in math look like? What does it sound like?

P is for PASSION

Our book discussion is brought to you today by the letter P.

P is for Passion. Dave Burgess writes about three types of passion for teachers: content passion, professional passion, and personal passion. Content Passion: Within your subject matter what are you passionate about teaching? Professional Passion: Within your profession, but not specific to your subject matter, what are you passionate about? Personal Passion: Completely outside of your profession, what are you passionate about?

Dave Burgess suggests that in order for us to keep our passion for teaching alive, we need to find as many ways as possible to incorporate our personal passions into our work. And when we focus on professional passion, teaching is no longer about relaying the content standard...it's about transforming lives. We teach students...not math.

Students love to be in classrooms where teachers are passionate about their profession. And a student's like or dislike of math has a lot to do with their feelings about their math teacher. Beware: We cannot fake passion!

It's a great time to reflect about your passions. As the FJHS doors open on Monday, think about what drives you as an educator. What exactly is it that ignites a fire inside of you?