In Part 1, we discussed how educators gather teaching ideas from a variety sources. Now, how do teacherpreneurs use what they learned inside the classroom?
Attitude
Teacherpreneurs who are positive and optimistic are always looking forward to something. They:
- Generate ideas
- Welcome students with a smile and happy music
- Show excitement as soon as they open the door of their classrooms
- Revitalize worship, making it the best part of the day
- Transform the environment with their contagious smiles and positive attitudes
Environment
Make it a kid-friendly classroom! Fill your classroom with engagement, motivation, love, music, movement, collaboration, leadership, emotions and passion, and true learning will happen. Engagement and rigor need to join hands! Apply the best practices you know to make learning epic! Display in every way possible that Jesus is the center of your classroom through music, posters, books about HIM in prominent places. He will fill the atmosphere with the things your students really need!
Celebrate Learning
Dare to bring learning to life! Our job is not to come to school just to teach content. Our job is to teach kids to be leaders, thinkers, servants – content is just the instrument! Intentionally create love for learning! Turn standards into learning experiences!
Relationships
Relationships are the most important area you can invest in to benefit your students, yourself, and your whole class! The following are practical tips to invest in great relationships with your students:
- Smile. Say yes. Offer hugs.
- Have face-to-face conversations.
- Show pictures of you being a normal person, not just a teacher.
- Ask students to teach you things.
- PLAY WITH THEM AT RECESS
- Talk about things THEY like.
- Talk about things you like now and when you were their age.
- Invite them to your home for parties.
- Go to their birthday parties or recitals.
- Call students’ homes.
- Promote life-long friendships.
- Talk to them at recess, in the hallways, at lunch time.
- Don’t bribe for good behavior.
- Ask for suggestions and comments! They will listen to yours!
- Give Freedom, Create Studentpreneurs!
- If a student has an idea, listen. It might be an opportunity to grow as a class.
- Let them be silly, they are kids! There is plenty of time for seriousness!
I know YOU can be a teacherpreneur!
In summary, teacherpreneurs know their profession is no longer confined to teaching like they have in the past! Teacherpreneurs:
- Dare to innovate, embrace change, venture outside their comfort zones, and open their classroom doors to the world through seminars and media.
- Challenge the status quo, and eliminate pessimism and excuses. Students reap the benefits of doing the unexpected, the unexplored, the unconventional, and the unimaginable.
- Advocate for their students, knowing their students’ best performances.
- Invest in relationships.
- Remember the sense of childlike wonder in a kid-friendly and happy classroom.
- Become learners alongside students.
- Center everything on Christ – classrooms, curriculum, and relationships.
Teacherpreneurs lead without leaving their classrooms, because in their classrooms they can nurture their students to be leaders and servants for God and humanity.
Author
Yanina Jimenez
Yanina is an SDA multigrade teacher in Illinois, Ph.D. Student at Andrews University, and author of the book Brain-friendly Teacher https://bit.ly/BrainFriendlyTeacherBook.