How to not Suck.

After asking students to write their opinions of "How to not Suck" as a teacher, I decided to put them into Wordle and see what popped out.

So, not as cool as expected. They are so small that you can't even read the majority of them.

Some of them were so simple and made me so sad:

• Be nice
• Don't yell
• Help when needed
• Don't embarrass me

What kind of teachers have they experienced in the past that make them feel like these need to be written down? 

I just want to pause and think of how little they are asking of me and how much I ask of them.

My favorite one of all:

Be interested.

I think teachers overlook the best resource for growth and improvement on a daily basis: asking their students. I LOVE asking for student input and doing student surveys. I have a great time seeing the world through my student's eyes.

Students are baby humans who just want to be valued and appreciated, much like the way we want our teaching and classrooms to be valued and appreciated.

What would make students listen more, participate more, understand more? Ask them.

No, really. Ask them.

They are ready and willing to be as honest as you will allow.