7 Principles for Teachers

Jennifer Partrick
Mar 08, 2010

Never Work Harder Than Your Students & Other Principles Of Great Teachers by Dr. Robyn R. Jackson (2009) is a ‘must read' for any educator. This book is filled with pertinent information that will positively impact everything that teachers do in their classrooms.

The foundation upon which this book stands are the 7 Principles. They are:

1. Start where your students are
2. Know where your students are going
3. Expect to get your students to their goal
4. Support your students along the way
5. Use feedback to help you and your students get better
6. Focus on quality rather than quantity
7. Never work harder than your students

A chapter is devoted to each principle. Dr. Jackson explains the principle, gives concrete examples of the principle along with strategies for teachers to try as they endeavor to implement the principle. Also, there is a section in each chapter entitled "Yes, but..." for teachers who may want to give excuses about why they cannot possibly do or try a strategy. Remember the old saying, "If we do what we've always done, we're going to get what we've always got."

This book validates the frameworks and strategies of LEARNING-FOCUSED. Principles 2 and 3 are all about goals which should be your state standards. Teach the standards but also support students where they are (Principle 1). We can support our students where they are by making sure that we differentiate instruction and accelerate learning. LEARNING-FOCUSED offers workshops devoted to differentiation within whole group instruction and in small group settings using Flexible Grouping in order to support all students regardless of where they are in relation to grade level expectations as well as on Catching Kids Up with Acceleration.

Principles 4 and 5 are embedded in the LEARNING-FOCUSED Acquisition Lesson. The lesson plan is designed to ensure that you stop at designated times to use Assessment Prompts in order to gather feedback which directly impacts instruction. These stopping points give students an opportunity to discuss and/or practice what they have just learned.

Principle 6 is related to quality. LEARNING-FOCUSED Unit design directly influences quality in terms of structure, foci, time, levels of learning, vocabulary, conceptual themes, and an overriding key learning. This design, along with exemplary teaching practices, results in quality instruction and learning.

Principle 7 binds all the other principles together. How often do you leave school absolutely exhausted while your students seem to skip towards the bus? Your students should be working harder than you. If not, who is doing most of the work? It must be your students who are working the hardest.

References:

Jackson, R. (2009) Never Work Harder Than Your Students & Other Principles Of Great Teachers. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.