Dear Teacher: it’s OKAY

Dear Teacher: its OKAY

I’m headed back to school tomorrow. I’ve been thoroughly trained during this last week of PD and my classroom is mostly ready. My lesson plans are written, copies are made, and books are ready. Everyone is in full on prep mode! I’ve been seeing a lot of thoughtful, reasonable, and well written blog posts out there about all the things you should or should not do in your classroom. But what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t add my 2 cents into the mix? So here I go! :)

Dear Teacher:

Dear Teacher: it's OKAY

Dear Teacher: it's OKAY

I’m here to tell you that other teachers’ opinions don’t matter when it comes to how you run your classroom. It truly doesn’t matter WHAT system you pick, as long as you pick one and do it! And change it when the need arises. Or when you think it doesn’t work. Or when you find something you like better. The bottom line is that you just need to do what works for you and your kids- not what other people tell you to do.

Dear Teacher: it's OKAY

Dear Teacher: it's OKAY

It’s OKAY to do what you know to work. In teaching, there is no plain right or wrong. Clip charts, expectations, rewards, consequences, seating arrangements, supply management, morning work, dismissal routines, teacher desk vs. no desk, cute vs. simple classroom, staying at school late vs. working from your couch, worksheets vs. hands on activities (and I’ll openly admit that I do give my students worksheets to assess and show their learning. I just balance it out with more engaging activities, too! :) ) … the list is endless! One of my favorite things about teaching is that I don’t think there are 2 teachers in this whole world who do every single thing the exact same way. We are all different and we can all learn from each other. We all have something we can learn.

Dear Teacher: it's OKAY

The WHAT is not what is most important- it is the WHY. Why are you choosing this over that? How does it change your teaching? Does it help your students grow and learn and change? Does it help you grow and learn and change? Try to think more about the why than the what.

There is always going to be someone or something out there that is telling you to do something differently. You just have to trust yourself and remember that you know what is best for your classroom and your students. It’s OKAY to make your own path! :) (Of course, I am not advocating for doing something unethical!)

Please feel free to share this article with anyone you think needs to read it! :)

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6 thoughts on “Dear Teacher: it’s OKAY

  1. Thank you for stating “do what you know will work.” It’s funny how seasons change in teaching. I love the clip chart system, it works so well for me, but them this last year I have seen so many posts about NOT doing it, I was beginning to feel like (gasp) a failure! Thanks!

  2. I only wish our administration believed this, as well. It was so disappointing this year to hear how much the principal expects us to be doing the same thing in our rooms at the same time.

  3. Thank you SO much for sharing this! I definitely needed it during this back to school time. My favorite point was that the what is not as important as the why. Thanks again!

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