Randy Howe - 1001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said

To Alberto, Suzanne, and Nicole

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Howe, Randy.

1001 smartest things teachers ever said / Randy Howe.

p. cm.

One thousand one smartest things teachers ever said

Includes biliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-59921-882-3

1. TeachersQuotations. I. Title.

LB1775.H65 2010

371.102dc22

2009043595

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Teachers are lifelong learners. They tend to be naturally curious and reflective. The best teachers present their curriculum with confidence, but unbeknownst to their students, they are constantly thinking, rethinking, and refining. In addition, the best teachers always know they can further hone their craft to build an even better mousetrap to ensnare the minds of their students. This book is about those teachers. It is writtenliterallyby those teachers. The 1,001 quotes contained herein all have something to say about a life spent working with kids.

1,001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said has its roots not in a classroom, but in a conference room in which a wise editor and her sage sales team decided a book like this would sell well as a gift for teachers. I agreed and quickly signed on to edit the book, more than happy to combine my two professions in one wonderful project. Together, the editors and I envisioned a scene experienced by many teachers at the end of the year or during the holidays. An appreciative student quietly approaches the teachers desk, says Thank you, hands the gift-wrapped package over to his or her teacher, then shuffles away. That night, the teacher unwraps the present, jots down that students name on a thank you card list, and then flips through the pages before shelving the book for some later, more convenient time after the school year comes to an end.

This book has turned out to be more than that, though. Not just inspirational, it is a book that is downright informational. In fact, it isnt just a gift for a student to give to a teacher. It is a book a mentor might hand to a new teacher. It is a book a proud parent might give to a recently graduated son or daughter, getting ready to step into the classroom for the first time. It is a book that even a veteran teacher can learn from. This is because 1001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said is built to teach. As it should be.

Right off the bat, there is a chapter on the art of teaching. The quotes in this first chapter of the book serve to celebrate the fact that no matter how much teachers use data and the latest research to inform their teaching, it is still a profession for the creatively inclined. Quality educators make the work look easy and know how important it is to infuse their teaching with the kind of fun and flair that gets students excited! In the second chapter, we dive deeper into the nitty-gritty. At the core of our profession is one simple goal: to build knowledge. Of course teachers are dedicated to turning students into conscientious, hard-working, ethical adults, but assessments are designed to gauge knowledge and report cards are intended to deliver the news on what has been achieved and what areas require more work. Thus, Building Knowledge.

The third chapter is titled The Philosophy Behind Good Teaching. Since time began, great thinkers have been pontificating on teachers and their craft. In this manner, the great thinkers themselves are teachers. That is why I included some folks who taught with their words, even though they never spent a day in a traditional classroom. In Mastering the Craft and Managing the Classroom, the hardest aspects of the job take center stage. The nitty-gritty gets even grittier with words of wisdom about asking oneself the tough questions after a lesson or unit, about helping a school go from good to great, and about how a teacher will make the transition from needing a mentor to serving as one. The nuts and bolts advice continues with contributions about the foundation of good teachingclassroom management. Here, more than in any other chapter, 1001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said shows itself to be a teaching tool and not just another bookshelf decoration. Without holding the classs attention, the teacher will find it very hard to enjoy the company of his or her students. Without a large toolbox of classroom management skills, a bad situation can quickly snowball into an awful situation. For everybody. In the end, this book should benefit the students as much as each teacher who reads it. Kids want someone they can trust at the helm; they want to know that the classroom is a calm, safe place for them to achieve their goals. Only in this kind of environment can students truly be held accountable, and that is why the next chapter is called Advice and Accountability.

Learning is a road with twists and turns as well as the occasional pedal-to-the-metal straightaway, thus the chapter Learning as a Process. When we learn, we are changing; not in a vacuum, but as part of a greater movement. In the classroom, a teacher issues a challenge, then another, then another. Done correctly, the challenge meets each student where he or she is, in terms of knowledge and skills. Once the student, or group of students, meets the challenge, its time to celebrate! All sorts of challenges and celebrations are covered in Doing It for the Kids. In addition, there are quotes that provide justification for both challenging them and celebrating them.

The chapter that follows is sure to strike a chord with all teachers. It is called The Importance of Schools. Three cheers for that! It is hard to argue against the idea of keeping school doors open so that we may someday close down unnecessary jails. The final chapters of the book are fun and funny, educational and inspirational. On the Lighter Side runs the gamut of gallows humor to straight-out hilarity, and then there is Closure to the Lesson. This is where you will find motivating quotes, so very important because just as kids need to be inspired, so do their teachers. I hope 1001 Smartest Things Teachers Ever Said will inspire you in your work.

The e-mail programs most of us use offer the option of a signature line as a way of signing off with a little personal touch, and this is the perfect place for a favorite quote. For some time now, an important part of my signature line has been, Nine-tenths of education is encouragement, from Nobel Prize-winning novelist Anatole France. It is the perfect message for me to send as a special education teacher. It is a little reminder to frustrated parents to stick with their child; to not give up or think that they have a bad kid. It is also a message to teachers who dont necessarily want to put in the extra effort any more. Sometimes people get burned out on a particular student. France is telling us, though, that with encouragement, anything is possible. And rather than sending a direct statement that might put someone on the defensive, I am trying to subtly say the same. Teachers need encouragement, too.