Who Is the Teacher?

I tell the students during the first week of school that I am not their teacher. Of course, this comes as a shock, and they wonder who it is. Then I say that their teacher is in the room. Who could it be? That certainly gets them thinking.

I’m just telling the students the truth about learning. They are their own teachers and always have been. I am only a coach. They don’t believe me until I ask them who taught them to talk, walk, and ride a bike? Parents encourage them, keep them from hurting themselves, give advice, but they were the ones who had to figure it out and get it done.

Their first grade teacher gave strategies, information, exercises, practice, tricks, etc. but they taught themselves to read. No one else can do it. ( I know this is true from being a first grade teacher for 13 years.) The coach is still in charge, just like for any team sport they play, but they are in control of their own growth. Therefore, to be their own best teachers, I tell them they need to sit where they can see, choose the best learning partners, listen carefully, ASK QUESTIONS when they don’t understand, follow directions, and never give up. These are just some of the strategies they need to use to become their own best teachers. It really gets them thinking about their learning. I tell them that probably no other teacher “coach” will ever tell them they are their own teachers, but it will always be true; in fourth grade, middle school, high school, college, etc. When I get notes at the end of the year telling me what a wonderful coach I was, then I know THEY GOT IT!

It works well for behavior issues, too. It is very powerful to tell the class to make good teaching decisions. If someone isn’t, I just have to ask ,”Are you making good teaching decisions for yourself?” WOW! It has never failed to make them think, and then change their behavior. Third graders still look up to teachers, so to ask them to act like one improves behavior instantly. Building this idea of personal responsibility for their learning changes the atmosphere in my classroom. Most people visiting my classroom notice a difference. I also use this strategy when I teach summer school for 4-6th graders. Letting students know who the teacher really is gets quick results. This is especially important when summer school is only 4 weeks long.

I have two valuable posters in my class that I refer to all of the time (Quality Work and Avoid Accidental Learning).  Please feel free to click on the links and use the posters however you would like.