The Great Teacher Inspires

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ~ William Arthur Ward

Inspiration in teaching is made from two ingredients: a passion for what we’re teaching and a love for our students. But what if we don’t find ourselves particularly enthusiastic about a unit we’re teaching? We need to figure it out. As experts, we need to find something about that Algebra unit that we can take and run with for the sake of our students. It may be challenging, but inspiration often requires authenticity and struggle. 

Remember, we are teaching out of love and concern for our students. Think of how many people you have heard say something to the effect of, “I really liked my seventh-grade teacher because he was a huge history nerd! I never really cared about history, but I loved his class because he was so passionate about history, and he genuinely cared about us.” You have that opportunity today. Who might your expertise inspire?

(Adapted from “Called to the Classroom: Daily Reflections for Educators” Day 28 - I Am An Expert by Christina Meline)