I was in the bookstore today and started Ron Clark's latest book, The End of Molasses Classes.  As I flipped through I thought I should write a book like this. As I read the last chapter I was crying.  Yep, tear a flowin' right there at Barnes and Noble.

That's what I'd call my book.  Teach Kids First.

Why that?  Several years ago, there was a teacher leaving our school.  He and I had taught for a year together and he was, quite possibly, the most well respected teacher I have ever met-by teachers, parents and students.  Teachers wanted to be him, kids wanted to have him and the whole school loved him.

We only taught together for a year but we stayed connected because we seemed to always end up on the same "observation circuit."  People came in to our rooms all the time.  New teachers, aspiring teachers, congressmen, whoever.  Two at a time, four at a time.  One time I counted fourteen standing in the back of my room.   It was always odd to me, though, we had very different approaches to teaching.

He was super laid back where I was crazy strict.
He hated people observing him where I loved it.
He didn't really like to use our Teach for Success techniques where I did.

I just didn't know what it was that made people always come to BOTH of our rooms to observe until that good-bye speech he made.



He stood up at our last Staff Breakfast, and said a bunch of stuff I don't remember and then he said, "I'm gonna give some advice.  Teach kids first.  The rest will come."

By this time I was crying my eyes out, as most people do at this particular breakfast and I thought, that's it.  We had such different styles but the biggest thing we had in common was that we always, always taught kids first.  Not standards.  Not test.  Not material.  Kids.

So, here I go, as the narcissist that I am.  I am starting a how to, dos and don't guide to teaching kids.  I am very well aware of the fact that I totally haven't "arrived" when it comes to this.  There are lessons, moments, days I would do so differently if I were still in the classroom.

Here's what I do know...I have spent the last 11 years totally focused on how to be amazing at my career.  We won't get in to the other side of that coin which is the fact that having a sole focus on anything means the rest of your life goes to !@#$.  No husband, no kids, no future in sight?  That's ok.  I got pretty damn good at teaching, she says in jest.



This will be a totally no nonsense mini-series.  Not how I would coach a teacher.  Totally straight forward.  If you don't wanna read it.  Don't.  If you do.  Do.  If you think I'm off base, tell me.  I just might listen.  I'll always title it, Teach Kids First, so you know if you wanna read it or skip it.  The title, obviously, stolen words from my former colleague-hoepfully he won't mind.

You are probably an amazing teacher who would write this completely different.  But that's the thing about MY blog-I get to write like I'm the "Be all, end all" of EVERYTHING ;)

What?  What's that you say?  You're a teacher and on summer break and the last thing you want to read about is teaching?  I know.  I'm just getting you motivated for next year!