Leisure
WORDS OF WISDOM FOR
TEACHERS
By PreSha Barnes
A
t the start of a new school
year, most educators go
through a range of emotional
responses. The two most
common emotions experienced are
feelings of excitement and some
amount of anxiety. Then the early
morning wake-ups, rush to avoid
traffic, teaching, meetings, CPD
sessions and driving in traffic to get
home all begin take their toll on you.
The weekends end quickly, giving way
to a new week of the same routines.
Naturally, some educators begin to feel
a bit disconnected after a while. The
inspiration disappears and counting
the days until the next break in the
school semester is all they seem to
be able to do. If you find that you are
already beginning to feel detached,
here are a few inspirational quotes that
will remind you of why you teach and
the intrinsic rewards that this noble
profession offers to us as educators.
“A good teacher, like a good
entertainer first must hold his
audience’s attention, then he can
teach his lesson.” - John Henrik
Clarke, writer, historian, professor.
An excellent way to approach teaching
is to do so from the perspective of an
entertainer. Prepare, be creative, inject
some fun and laughter, and ensure that
your students learn something new.
Always leave them with something to
think about. Would you want to view
an entertainer who isn’t entertaining?
If your answer is no, apply the same
principle to how you approach your
lessons. This does not mean that you
are going to do tricks to make your
students laugh. It simply means that
you find creative ways to engage them,
thus keeping their attention while you
teach. Students who are engaged and
excited about the lesson will display
good classroom behaviour and will
also find ways to surprise you during
lessons. Include a bit more games,
videos, group assignments, and special
projects in your lessons. Ensure that
the activities support the objectives
that you have for your lesson. Teach
students in ways that they learn best.
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Nov - Dec 2014
Perform. Be an entertainer and soon
you will find that you are inspired to
do more. You will also realize that your
students will become your biggest fans!
What lies behind you and what lies
in front of you, pales in comparison
to what lies inside of you” – Ralph
Waldo Emerson, lecturer, poet.
A lot of our motivation comes from a
deep desire to succeed. We desire
success to make ourselves proud, to
inspire others and to feel purposeful.
Often times, the biggest hindrance to
our success is our affinity for thinking
that we can predict the future, this way
of thinking keeps us from enjoying the
successes that we have in the moment.
Inside all of us, is the extraordinary
potential to surpass every goal that we
could set for ourselves. When you are
distracted by the noise of the past and
the uncertainty of the future, you are
not tapping into that powerful resource
inside you. What lies inside of you is
After The Bell
there for you to use now. The past is
over, the future is not promised, you are
here now. Be present in your moments,
recognize what is happening and use it
to create the life you desire.
These are just a few of the inspiring
quotes that you can use to snap out
of the monotony of daily routines. True
happiness comes from within. Tap into
that reservoir of inner strength, creative
genius, love of life and gratitude inside
you. You will find that there is no
need to count the days until the next
school break. You will wake up excited
about your day; waiting in traffic will
be a time utilized to further add to
creative ideas that you have for your
students and lessons and class time
will be enjoyable for everyone. A happy
teacher will ultimately find inspiration
in the simplest of things and will be
an inspiration to others without even
trying. There is true inspiration right in
front of you, take a look in the mirror.