Before my 5th graders move on to middle school, they’ve shared some of their expertise in their Advice Columns. Here are some tips for teachers.
- What I want in a good teacher is one that is nice, but isn’t totally lame and just lets you do whatever so you don’t learn anything.
- I want a teacher that will still teach you so much and have a good time while doing it.
- You need to be funny.
- Make sure everyone is in a group and no one is left out.
- Try to collaborate with another class/school on a project.
- If there is a natural disaster, don’t freak out. Instead try to help out and start a fundraiser with your students.
- Be the kindest you can be.
- Don’t assume what a kid might say and ask, but listen to them.
- Try to help the world.
- Get kids involved. Try to do as many projects as you can.
- Get attached to your students. Make them feel welcome and happy to be in your class.
- Try KidBlog. It is a safe and easy way to blog with other kids on a kid safe website where you can track your kids’ writing.
- Don’t always be so serious.
- Trust me, I learned all this the hard way. I started the year by asking my teacher everything, instead of just doing what I need to do. She sure changed that. If you still can’t take charge of your own life by middle school the only thing I have to tell you is: good luck.
- I want a teacher that can take charge when they need to. But not a teacher that yells at you all the time just because she wants to.
- Make sure that you wear cute outfits all of the time. It not only makes you look better, but I think helps.
- Be a good combo of stern, nice, taking control, and teaching. I think that is the best kind of teacher to be like.
- When you have a sub, assign (within reason) fun things to do! DO not assign a boring thing just because a sub is there. It is like when I babysit. If I am boring or if their mom tells me to do boring stuff, then you have a big job to make it fun, but you will pull it off!
- It is not right to think that you know what is right for your students. The kids probably know what is good for them. I think you should know that the students know what is in their mind.
- Encouragement is one thing and Toughness is something else. I think that you should encourage the kids to think.
- Let us figure out things on our own so we get more responsible.
- Have a little fun with us.
- Do a lot of global projects.
- Think outside of the box when you are teaching.
- Look for a fun way to teach things.
- If you are a nice teacher who reprimands when needed and has fun with teaching and is fun to kids when you teach, then you are golden.