No matter how much you love teaching, it’s easy to get discouraged this time of year. There’s so much left to do, and not enough time to get it all done. Spring fever always hits at the worst possible time – right before testing! How do you respond? If you’re like me, your natural reaction is to push your students harder and harder academically, ignoring all signs of their resistance, until you reach the end of your rope!
When you get to this point, it’s time to take a deep breath, calm down, and accept the fact that something has to change.
But what? And how can you turn things around and end the year strong?
Believe it or not, it IS possible to regain your enthusiasm and get your class back on track. But you need more than motivation… you need practical strategies and concrete action steps to take today. Angela Watson’s newest book, Unshakeable: 20 Ways to Enjoy Teaching Every Day … No Matter What, has that and more! Every chapter is AMAZING, filled with wisdom, encouragement, and specific strategies to implement right away.
Angela Watson is the teacher who created The Cornerstone for Teachers website, and she’s been sharing awesome resources with teachers for years. This is her 4th book, and it’s just as inspirational as her others. I was excited to be invited to participate in a blog series that examines each chapter in Unshakeable, day by day. Today is Day 15, so I’ll be sharing my insights about Chapter 15, “Motivate Students to Take Charge of Their Learning.” You can find all 20 chapter reviews on her Unshakeable page, where you can also download a list of all 20 chapter titles.