Restoring Humanity to Teaching, and Delight to Our Classrooms - Education Week

Restoring Humanity to Teaching, and Delight to Our Classrooms - Education Week

I have resolved to put less self worth into my students’ test scores, and more into the degree of excitement and curiosity I see in their faces each day.

I have made time to find out what my students like about our class, what they don’t, and why. One of the simplest ways to do this is the “Stoplight” activity, where students write one thing they want you to keep doing, one thing they want you to stop doing, and one thing they want you to start doing.
As a result, I took down the behavior chart this year. I have found ways to teach my students to work hard and be kind to one another without resorting to punishments or prizes. Being a teacher is harder now, but it’s better, too.

I love Philip Pullman’s line that “Responsibility and delight can co-exist.”