For the Teacher Critics in Your Life

Thanks to my friend Harold Shaw this morning I found a good article from eSchool News titled Ten Common Myths About Teaching. In the article educators explain the truth in response to misconceptions about our profession. Read the article and keep it in your playbook for the next time you're at a dinner party with non-educators. And if that doesn't work you could always take the routes of Taylor Mali or Matt Damon.

DL Hughley Reminds Us Why We Teach

Kevin Jarrett posted this video on Facebook and I immediately knew that I had to pass it along to all of you. In this very short video comedian DL Hughley thanks his 5th grade teacher and reminds us all why we teach.

If you're viewing this in RSS you will need to click through to see the video.

Here are two other excellent videos about what teachers can do.

Taylor Mali - What Teachers Make


Dalton Sherman - Do You Believe In Me?

A Little Inspiration to Start the Day

I have a habit of trying to watch a short "inspirational" video or listen to an "inspirational" podcast before I start my teaching day. This morning I watched a video that has been around for quite a while, Taylor Mali's "What Teachers Make" performance. If you're looking for a little pick-me-up to start your day, I encourage you to watch the video below. To learn a little more about Taylor Mali visit his website or read the excerpt from his story about the poem that I posted below the video.



I did a little digging around on Taylor Mali's website and read the history of the poem. Mali originally posted it on his website without attributing it to himself. Taylor Mali has this to say about the poem being passed around, altered, used without attribution to him,
"Am I disappointed not to have received credit for writing this poem that has inspired so many? Used to be. But the truth will always come out in the end. And if I had to choose between inspiring teachers anonymously or not inspiring them at all, I would choose anonymous inspiration every time."