What should you focus on RIGHT NOW to best grow as a teacher?
A seemingly simple question but one that’s not always easy to answer. With so many questions bouncing around in your head & so many challenges on your plate, it can be hard to figure out what to focus on next.
That’s why we’ve developed the Teacher Success Roadmap.
Get all the links at www.teach4theheart.com/roadmap.
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The Teacher Success Roadmap
This roadmap is meant as a guide – a clear path towards success that will show you step-by-step what areas you need to focus on as you seek to grow as a teacher. As well as the resources you need in each area.
These steps are sequential. So take a look at each one in order. If you believe you’re doing pretty well with the first step, move on to the next – until you get to an area where you know there’s room to grow.
And that – right there – is the perfect spot to focus next. Don’t worry too much about the rest of the roadmap. Just take the next step. Once you’ve mastered that, you can come back and continue on the road to success.
Step 1 | Walk with God
Experience the power of a vibrant relationship with God as you spend time with Him and talk with Him throughout the day.
If you try to teach in your own strength, you may be a great teacher – you may even make a difference in your students’ lives. But you won’t have a fraction of the impact that you could have if God is working through you.
That’s why we must value our relationship with Him and make it a priority. We must realize that spending time with Him and talking to Him throughout the day is the most important work we can do – way more important than our never-ending to-do list.
If you haven’t yet developed the habit of spending time with God each day, then that’s where you should start. Here’s some great resources that can help you get started:
- Summer Bible study for teachers: Grace Changes Everything with Bonnie Kathryn Hunter
- FREE daily devotionals: Our Daily Bread
And if you don’t know God personally, I encourage you to start with this article here:
How (and why) to Have a Relationship with God
Step 2 | Manage your classroom
Create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.
It's tough to teach when your students aren't listening. That's why great classroom management is key to any successful classroom.
Think of it as the foundation - it's not really exciting, and it's not the most fun piece of the house to work on, but without it, everything else you build will eventually come crashing down.
If you're struggling with classroom management, this isn't something you can just ignore and hope it gets better. You have to make changes. You have to figure this out.
The good news? We’re here to help!
Free resources to get you started:
- Top Recommendation: Classroom Management MiniCourse: 3 Days to Regain Control
Go straight to the all-in-one solution:
Step 3 | Plan & execute effective lessons
Structure your lessons so your students truly understand and master key skills.
Are your students struggling in your class? Are you seeing way too many D’s and F’s and getting way too many confused looks?
Our default reaction is to blame the students for not trying, but the hard truth is that sometimes we’re not doing the best job explaining the concepts in a way students can actually understand.
We owe it to our students to be continually improving our teaching methods – always looking for better ways to create more of those lightbulb moments.
Need help planning & teaching effective lessons?
- Read: Blog posts on teaching effectively
- Cult of Pedagogy instructional articles
(My friend Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy has a wealth of helpful advice on how to teach effectively. Please be aware, however, that her advice is NOT from a Biblical perspective – so use discernment as you decide what strategies to adapt for your classroom.)
Step 4 | Find balance
Don’t let teaching take over your life. Find balance by learning to teach in a way that is actually sustainable.
Are you overwhelmed by your workload, stressed by your mile-long to-do list?
You can’t let teaching take over your life or you’re headed straight for burn-out. Or, at the least, I’m-so-tired-and-stressed-I-can’t-think-straight-ville. Neither of which make you a very effective teacher.
The good news is that it IS possible to be an amazing teacher without working 24/7. But to achieve balance you must make it a priority and seek out creative solutions.
Which we’d love to help you with 🙂
Free resources to get you started:
- Watch: 5 Summer Secrets to a Stress-Free Fall by Angela Watson
- Watch: Teaching with Balance Video Series
- Listen: Season 2 of the Teach 4 the Heart Podcast: Balance & Time-Management
Go straight to the all-in-one solution:
- Join Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club (accepting new members at the end of June)
Step 5 | Teach Uplifted
Teach with God’s peace and joy, even in the midst of challenges and frustrations.
So often as teachers we’re worried, frustrated, anxious, or discouraged.
But not only is this not what God intended for us, but we’re also not as effective when we’re distracted by these negative feelings.
Praise the Lord, He has something better. In learning to trust Christ, think Biblically, and surrender everything to Him, we can overcome anxiety and teach with peace and joy, even when everything around us seems to be going wrong.
And what a powerful testimony that can be!
Free resources to get you started:
- Live Training: Teach Without Anxiety: 3 Habits to Develop Now
- 3-Day Challenge: Renew Your Joy, Refresh Your Perspective
- Read: Encouraging blog posts
Go straight to the all-in-one solution:
- Join the next session of Teach Uplifted
Step 6 | Embrace Your True Mission
Fulfill your God-given mission to shine His light in the public school or make disciples in the Christian school.
Once you’ve gotten this far on the roadmap, you’ve mastered the basics and have overcome some key challenges. Now you’re ready to truly make a difference as you embrace your mission as a Christian teacher.
Public school teachers: If you teach in a public school, you may not be used to thinking of teaching as a ministry, but that’s exactly what God has called you to. He desires you to be a bright light pushing back the darkness all around you – and drawing others to Him.
- Shine Like Stars Bible Study by CEAI
- We’re also considering partnering with CEAI to produce a program that will help you teach with faith, not fear as you navigate the minefield of living out your beliefs as a Christian teacher in a public school. If you’d be interested in hearing more about this program as it becomes available, click here to request updates.
Christian school teachers: As a Christian school teacher, you have the privilege (and responsibility) of directly instructing students in God’s word – not just in Bible class but in every area of the classroom. You must intentionally disciple students and show them how to examine every topic through the lens of a Biblical perspective.
Resources:
- Online Course: How to Cultivate Biblical Discipleship Day by Day (FULL version)
- FREE LITE version of the course
Step 7| Inspire & lead your students
Make a lasting difference in your students’ lives as you learn how to inspire, motivate, mentor, counsel, and lead them.
At this point, you’re a strong teacher – ready to grow your influence and make a lasting difference in your students’ lives.
But how exactly do you best inspire them, motivate them, counsel, mentor, and lead them?
We’re hoping to develop more resources in the future to help with this final stage of the roadmap. But in the meantime, we hope you’ll find these helpful:
Resources:
- Read/Listen: 10 Traits of Impactful Christian teachers
- Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
One More Thing...
In order to be most effective, all of these topics must be studied
1) From a Biblical perspective and
2) Within community
Biblical Perspective: The Bible is not just a wise book that helps us be good. It is the source of truth – the only thing we can be absolutely sure of. We must view every other topic through the lens of Scripture & allow its truths to shape how we think and act.
At Teach 4 the Heart, we strive to examine each topic from a Biblical perspective so that we aren’t simply running from one new idea to the next but are seeking to apply never-changing truths to every challenge.
Community: Too often we make the mistake of trying to learn & grow on our own, but that’s not the way God designed us. God created us to learn and grow together – in community with fellow believers.
At Teach 4 the Heart, we strive to connect Christian teachers in meaningful ways so that we can support & encourage each other. Community happens all over Teach 4 the Heart but most notably in our Facebook group, live trainings, prayer challenges, and premium programs.
Do you dread tackling that ever-growing stack of essays? Does it take you forever and a day to get through them?
In this episode, we give a simple & easy way to grade writing quickly - while still giving valuable feedback to students.
Get notes, links & a sample grading form at www.teach4theheart.com/gradequickly
You're tired, exhausted, wondering if you can make it to the summer. But what if instead of counting down the days, you could make these last days count!?
Join us as we discuss 6 tips to finish the school year strong.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/finishstrong
Students LOVE review games, but when we can't afford to spend more time on the game than we do on the review.
Fortunately, you can play a fun review game without taking time away from the actual review.
Join us as we discuss 7 review games that won't waste your time.
Get links & written explanations at www.teach4theheart.com/reviewgames
Ever think about flipping your classroom but not really know where to start?
Join us as we answer all your most questions about how to flip your classroom - and why you (and your students) will love doing so.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/flip.
Find out more about MathLight at www.mymathlight.com.
Blank stares, confused looks, bombed tests - these are all signs that your students just aren't understanding what you're teaching them.
Join us as we discuss practical tips to help your students understand concepts that they're confused about.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/understand
If you're thinking seriously about quitting teaching, you owe it to yourself, your students, and your families to make the right decision.
In this episode, we discuss 6 key questions to ask yourself when you're considering quitting teaching.
Get links & notes at www.teach4theheart.com/quitteaching.
Ever suspect a student of something but you're just not sure? Maybe you think they cheated - or that they're lying to you. But how can you proceed when you don't know for sure what happened?
In this episode, you'll discover a simple solution for those times you suspect a student but just aren't sure what happened.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/suspect.
Find out more about Classroom Management 101 at www.teach4theheart.com/cm101.
Are you struggling with classroom management? Is your class (just a little) out of control? If so, you won't want to miss these 10 classroom management changes you should make right now. (Yes, even if it's the end of the school year.)
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/10changes.
Sign up for our free live training at www.teach4theheart.com/training.
Dressing professionally can make a big difference in how your students perceive and respect you - especially if you are a younger teacher or if your students are older.
But how do you dress professionally on a limited teacher's income? That's what we're discussing in today's episode.
Get notes & links and see pictures of cute professional outfits at www.teach4theheart.com/dress.
A student's failing your class - what on earth do you do? Don't panic, don't take it personally, but don't throw your hands up in the air either.
Here are 9 practical ways you can help a failing student.
Get notes & additional resources at www.teach4theheart.com/failingstudent
Do you ever feel like you're alone as a teacher? Like you're facing all these challenges and there's just no one there to help you figure it all out?
In this episode, you'll learn how to connect with like-minded teachers who can encourage, support, and advise you.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/alone.
Find out more about Teach Uplifted at www.teachuplifted.com.
If you're feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, surrounded by negativity, then this episode is for you.
Join us as we discuss 8 reasons you might be feeling discouraged as a teacher - and how to overcome them.
Join the free 3-day challenge for Christian teachers: Renew Your Joy & Refresh Your Perspective at www.teach4theheart.com/joy.
Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/discouraged.
When you lose your voice as a teacher, you'd do almost anything to get it back!
Join us as we discuss 5 effective methods to restore your lost voice.
Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/voice
As a Christian teacher in a public school, you may be surprised to discover that religious discussions are not quite as taboo as you might think.
In fact, it is legal to teach about religion in the public school as long as you do it in an academic matter and don't try to convert your students.
Join us as we speak with Finn Laursen, director of CEAI, who shares with us his knowledge of what is and isn't legal for Christian teachers in the public school.
Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/religion.
Next week we'll be discussing how Christian teachers can legally bring up God & religion in the classroom. But before we get there, we have to answer a very important question - should we?
In other words, is it morally or ethically right to talk about religion in a public school?
In this episode, we examine two common objections to religion in the classroom and see why they might not be quite as valid as so many tend to think.
Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/objections
Tracking homework and trying to hold students accountable can quickly become a teachers' nightmare. But before you bang your head against the wall, try some of these simple tips to manage homework without going crazy.
Get links & notes at teach4theheart.com/homework.
When parents complain about you to administration, it's easy to get defensive, frustrated, and even discouraged.
But if you take the right approach, you can turn a parent complaint into an opportunity for growth and even increased cooperation moving forward.
Get notes at www.teach4theheart.com/complaining
Sometimes we think there's no way to escape the 24/7 teacher stress cycle. But that's just not true.
Join us as we discuss 5 simple but powerful techniques to reduce your stress and save your mental brainpower.
Get links & your Intentional Procrastination To-Do List System at www.teach4theheart.com/stress
Find out more about Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club at http://teach4theheart.com/40hourteache
Imagine a teacher who was full of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. What a powerful testimony that would be!
But that’s exactly the work the Spirit wants to do in our lives & is our topic today as we discuss the 10th and final trait of impactful Christian teachers.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3
Do we trust God in our day-to-day lives, or yield to stress, worry, and anxiety? Join us as we discuss the 9th trait of impactful Christian teachers: releasing fear & trusting God.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3
Amidst all the confusion of our era, we must look to the Bible for wisdom and answers. Impactful Christian teachers seek wisdom and truth and make a habit of thinking Biblically.
Join us as we discuss this 8th trait of impactful Christian teachers.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3
Imagine being so close to God that you can hear His voice and direction day-to-day in your classroom. What a profound impact you would have!
That’s why a strong relationship with God is so important, and it’s the 7th of 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers that we are discussing this season.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3
If we want to make a real difference, we should be encouraging and edifying not only our students but the adults as well. In this episode, we discuss how to build up and support students, parents, fellow teachers, and even administrators.
This is the 6th of 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers that we are discussing this season.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3
We continue to examine 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers in this 3rd season of the podcast. Today, we discuss how being humble and genuine can open doors for incredible impact.
Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3