Teaching’s Little Instruction List

Laurian Phillips
Aug 17, 2009

I love to read books by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  He writes little books with quotes and words of wisdom like “Life’s Little Instruction Book” and “Live and Learn and Pass It On” among others.  I was reading one of his books the other day and it made me think of a few “words of wisdom” that people in my life have passed on to me through the years.  I would like to share a few here:

Learn the techniques of being a great teacher.

Always keep in mind that you never know everything.  There is always something new to learn as a professional.

Strive to be the best teacher at your school.

If you are the best teacher at your school, strive to be better.

Students will remember you.  What do you want them to remember you for?

Spend more time teaching it right the first time and you won’t have to re-teach it over and over again.

If you just want to cover the material, use a good shovel, dig the hole deep, throw the book in, and cover it well with dirt.  You accomplish pretty much the same end.

Nobody ever said teaching was going to be easy.

No, you do not get summers off.

Let your students know that no matter what happens you are there to help them learn.

Never ignore the fire or tornado alarm.  Take them seriously.

Always try to be positive and surround yourself with positive people.

Do not let negative people take away your positive attitude.

Remember that teaching is a calling, not just a job.  You do not do it for the money.

Every once in a while, think back to your first week of teaching and bask in the glow of that feeling.

Write a thank you note to a teacher that made a difference in your life.  Try to be that kind of teacher to your students.