1. Don’t do anything for students that they can do for themselves. They
need the practice.
2. At least part of your job is to make students associate school with
thought. Teach your students the difference between thinking and not
thinking.
3. Reliance upon extrinsic motivation makes students lose sight of
education’s true rewards.
4. Teach smarter, not harder. Student learning is not necessarily proportional
to the hours you work.
5. You may occasionally have to compromise to avoid burn out. Students
will learn more from you if you don’t quit the profession.
6. Don’t call in sick when you’re not. We don’t like students lying
to us, and taxpayers don’t like us lying to them.
7. When the principal asks for attention at faculty meetings, stop
talking immediately and listen respectfully. Sound familiar?
8. At least part of your job is to keep students excited about learning
for next year.
9. If a method doesn’t work, don’t use it again.
10. Be an undercover teacher of civility, fairness, and integrity.
For more advice and opinions, see the Note of the Month at mentalnotemusic.com