This marks the halfway point of the top
100 traits that made teachers memorable as identified by students entering the
teacher profession. We now start to present the traits that were mentioned
again and again in at least 4 of the 19 years of the surveys. From this point
on, these traits recognized more often should be considered seriously if we
want students to feel that each day is memorable and exciting for the learner.
51.
Thoughtful
Definition: showing
consideration for others; considerate, characterized by or manifesting careful
thought, a thoughtful essay, occupied with or given to thought; contemplative; meditative;
reflective: in a thoughtful mood, careful, heedful, or mindful:
Key
Thoughts for Application: astute, attentive, careful, cautious courteous, deliberate,
friendly, gracious, helpful, polite, tactful, observant
If we want our students to think critically and be successful in
applying the skills and facts they learn, we need to be role models of that
same process and create opportunities for them to use higher levels of thinking
in the learning process. The lessons need to be of high caliber, well-thought
out, and apply to the needs of the learner. Planning needs to be done for
content needs, learning styles, and access for all in the final result of
performance expectations. Each lesson is important and can contribute to the
life of the student. Educators should have that same urgency to provide opportunities
for students to learn, with high potential of success, that are well executed,
and result from good planning for all.
52.
Personable
Definition: of
pleasing personal appearance; handsome or comely; attractive, having an
agreeable or pleasing personality; affable; amiable; sociable.
Key
Thoughts for Application: likable, amiable, attractive, charming, easygoing,
gregarious, affable, pleasant, winning
The learning environment is not only for academic growth, but
involves the social and emotional growth for the students. Therefore, school-wide
interactions should be based on relationships and create a great place to “live”
for learners. That one-to-one feeling of the person who is “there for you”
drives us all to do better. Later in life, we choose a job and environment that
looks like a culture of living. Working with satisfaction of being in a
profession is becoming a trend. Students who feel satisfied in coming to school
with an advisor/coach/mentor/facilitator will perform better than in the
traditional model of a place to work where you are being dictated to by a sage
on the stage. Sit and get still is still in use. However it needs to change
into collaborative, collegial, engaging, and interactive set of experiences
that will maximize the application of thinking and learning in the classroom.
This is the workforce model for the 21st century and schools should
emulate what the learners will experience in their life.
53.
Rewarding
Definition: affording satisfaction, valuable experience, or
the like; worthwhile.
Key Thoughts for Application: advantageous, fruitful, gratifying,
productive, satisfying, valuable, worthwhile, fulfilling,
The models of intrinsic and extrinsic reward has been discussed
for ages. The value of work should be the ultimate reward. But like anything in
the world, there are qualitative and quantitative structures to rewarding
people for their efforts. Sometimes it’s the little things and gestures that
make the biggest impact. Commendations, fringe benefits, tokens, structures,
freedoms, responsibilities, recognitions, and personal comfort are becoming
common in the workforce. Schools need to infuse these aspects into the schools
to ready our learners for the transition to workers in society.
54.
Honest
Definition: honorable in principles, intentions, and actions;
upright and fair, showing uprightness and fairness, gained or obtained fairly, sincere;
frank, genuine or unadulterated, respectable; having a good reputation, truthful
or creditable:
Key Thoughts for Application: authentic, conscientious,
equitable, fair, forthright, genuine, honorable, impartial, proper, reliable,
sincere, straightforward, true, trustworthy, virtuous, ethical, frank, open,
upright,
What we stand for is what we should portray to students. The
impact of an honest educator establishes the comfort of expectation the
students will have coming to school every day. An environment should be open
and trusting, feedback given constructively, a feeling of taking a risk minimized,
a partnership of working in the classroom established, and ownership given to
the student. These actions will represent honest efforts and minimize the
dishonest and distrust that students feel towards teachers at times in school. No
games, no lies, no favorites, no sarcasm. Again back to that concept of healthy
relationships.
55.
Kind
Definition: of a good or benevolent nature or disposition,
as a person, having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence, indulgent,
considerate, or helpful; humane (often followed by to), mild; gentle; clement:
Key Thoughts for Application: affectionate, amiable,
charitable, compassionate, considerate, cordial, courteous, friendly, gentle,
gracious, humane, kindhearted, kindly, loving, sympathetic, thoughtful,
tolerant, humanitarian, understanding, altruistic, amicable, benevolent
There is an old saying, you get more bees with honey instead of
vinegar. Teachers already have an “authoritative advantage” in the classroom.
However, kindness is a lost theme in the world. We need to instill in our
students the kindness in action in all aspects of interactions and performance
activities at school. If you are kind there is a better likelihood that the
students and others will be kind as well. It’s setting a norm of expectation
for yourself. Success breeds success. Kindness breeds kindness!
56.
High Expectations
Definition: The concept of high
expectations is premised on the philosophical and pedagogical belief that a
failure to hold all students to high expectations effectively denies them access to a
high-quality education, since the educational achievement of students tends to
rise or fall in direct relation to the expectations placed upon them. In other
words, students who are expected to learn more or perform better generally do
so, while those held to lower expectations usually achieve less.
Key Thoughts for Application: equity, rigor, learning
standards, and stereotype threat.
I once was told the sloppiest piece of work you accept will be
the highest expectation you have for your students. There is no need to
criticize the students’ products. Just return it to them and “learn them” the
expectation you have. Each effort needs to be an opportunity to identify what
was done right, where they need to focus on next, and what they might do to
resolve the mistake. Once you do that have them repeat it back to you and
expect them to come back with that part accomplished. That’s true teaching and
coaching for performance. No one likes to lose. However, taking the “loss or
failure” and making it an opportunity to make things better gives you a more
likely chance of success- full glass (half full glass expectation half empty glass
scenario)
57.
Non Judgmental
Definition: Nonjudgmental" is an adjective referring
to a person's ability to not let personal standards and preferences impact
interpretations of the actions of others. Company leaders, parents and
counselors who are nonjudgmental are able to listen to others describe thoughts
or behaviors without thinking negatively about them
Key Thoughts for Application: tending
not to judge other people harshly or unfairly, not too critical of other people,
avoiding judgments based on one's personal and especially moral standards
We all come to the classroom with biases from our past. We have
baggage that contributes to judgements we make. As educators we need to leave
that baggage at the door. Our sole effort needs to be “bettering” that child in
front of us. There are many factors of life established by research that impacts
learning; poverty, background, language, parents education, disabilities,
giftedness and family mobility to name a few. All kids can learn and no child
should be held back because of the judgmental bias of a teacher. An educator
looks at the students and prescribes, like a doctor, a plan for each child’s
educational health in their classroom. That prescriptive approach is the difference
between a teacher and an educator. Be an EDUCATOR WHO “LEARNS” THE KIDS!
58.
Loving
Definition:
a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person, a feeling of warm
personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
Key Thoughts for Application: admiring, amiable, attentive,
caring, benevolent, considerate, cordial, dear, doting, earnest, faithful,
friendly, generous, loyal, passionate, thoughtful, warm, attached, concerned,
valuing, respecting
You are all that child has for that year of their life. Your
attitude is to do everything in your power to make their individual life
better. Once they walk in that door how they feel in the classroom is your
responsibility to maximize. The two words we work with involving kids’ feelings
each day are love (like) and hate. No one wants to, or should ever be, a hater
or hated. Make the life of the child one that they feel that you LOVE that they
are in your classroom, are cared for and protected, and that their well-being
is the utmost thought on your mind and in your intentions.
59.
Hard (work)
Definition: productive
activity, especially for the sake of economic gain, physical or mental work,
especially of a hard or fatiguing kind; toil, a job or task done or to be done.
Key Thoughts for Application: backbreaking, drudgery, hard
way, groove, labor, pace, routine, sweat, task, tall order, uphill battle,
difficult task, chore, toil, rote, tough assignment,
Work is hard. It needs to be. Otherwise it would be play. How
you make work seem like play is the magic of education. If you can balance that
students go home and say” Wow! I am so tired but had so much fun today!”
Teachers too need to work smarter not harder. They don’t sacrifice the quality
of instruction for just “drill and kill” activities. Ray Hunt says in the video
Turning Loose that “you don’t make things hard. Your make them difficult
and fix it up so they can work through that.” Once you make it “hard” then they
give up and quit on you. SO don’t quit on them in your planning.
60.
Art (istic)
Definition:
of, like, or thought of as characteristic of an artist, exhibiting taste, discriminating
judgment, or sensitivity, showing skill or excellence in execution.
Key Thoughts for Application: aesthetic, creative,
decorative, dramatic, imaginative, musical, cultivated, exquisite, graceful, harmonious,
pleasing, refined
Art(istic) efforts in the classroom can be environmental,
attitudinal, social, emotional, cultural, and personal. Some of the application
thoughts are listed above. The dichotomy of quantitative and qualitative
aspects of life are always opposing. We demand rigor as quantity and work hard.
We appreciate quality and strive for enjoyment through efforts made. In schools
we need both, but have been in the quantitative mode since the 1990’s. Students
will always experience the quantitative nature of learning as a result of the
accountability systems. Educators who infuse the qualitative aspects of living
and learning and will always be MORE MEMORABLE!!!
