Fisher's Tacklebox
December 2015
Our Second Adventure
It is so hard to believe that December is upon us! Whether this is your first year of teaching or your 30th, making it to that half-way point in the year can be very gratifying. I must say that I have truly been blessed this year to be a part of the Disney and Bingham communities. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for all of us and our students!
On our first port, we explored passion, immersion, and rapport. Our second adventure is all about asking and analyzing, transformation, and enthusiasm. These are very fitting topics as we head into the second semester.
Ask and Analyze
Do you feel like you are a creative person? Many people think you are either creative or you are not. Dave Burgess says that the quality of the questions we ask determines the quality of the answers we receive, and the type of question determines the type of ideas your brain will receive and conceive. For example you might ask yourself, "What can I write on my board for this lesson that would spark a conversation or create buzz even before the bell rings?" The critical process starts when you ask the right questions and then actively seek the answers.
Transformation
Dave Burgess tells us that to be effective we must stand out. Give the students a reason to be in our class. "Students are hit with so much information and stimuli every day that to stand out in their minds, you must be remarkable. Remarkable means that you are so exceptional and different that people talk about you- in a good way." He challenges us with two questions: 1) If your students didn't have to be there, would you be teaching in an empty room? 2) Do you have any lessons you could sell tickets for? Wow! Those are some tough questions. The goal is to transform our class into something irresistible to our students.
Enthusiasm
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
According to Dave Burgess, "Enthusiasm is the closer that comes into the game in the ninth inning and finishes it off. If you consistently ramp up your enthusiasm level in the classroom, you will be far ahead of the game and a dramatically better teacher. Enthusiasm is that important."
Coming in January
Ideas for crafting engaging lessons.