Let's Celebrate Teachers of the Moment

I truly believe that the magic in schools does not happen in the over-the-top, newsworthy lessons, but in the consistent, positive relationships between educators and students. There are many of these moments that occur in schools, and it’s time for schools to open the gate from the inside and share the small, wonderful, magical moments with stakeholders.

A lot of teachers have a hard time sharing what they do in their classrooms. One teacher I worked with saw a picture a teacher from another school had posted from her classroom about a book her students were reading. The teacher with whom I was working asked, “Is there a video with that or is the teacher just bragging?” School cultures aren’t always collaborative, and isolation causes competitiveness and comparisons.

Also, many times teachers think that what they do is ordinary and not worth sharing, like in the video below.

At my school, we celebrate Teachers of the Quarter and recognize a Teacher of the Year, and they are all very deserving individuals.

 

However, we also have many “Teachers of the Moment,” and I use social media to share them with the world. I couldn’t be prouder of our staff and students, and it takes the pressure off of teachers to “brag” on themselves or share their “ordinary” interactions. I think school leaders have a responsibility to promote the great things students and staff are doing at their schools in order to tell their school's story effectively. 

The idea of Teachers of the Moment is one of the biggest "aha's" that I've heard from educators who have gone through my step-by-step mini-course. Teachers of the Moment happen all day, every day, and THAT is what makes public education awesome.