Teaching is the Most Important Job in the World.

I recently participated in a workshop facilitated by Doug Lemov, the author of Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College. He began the workshop by sharing the concept of teaching like a champion and stated, “Why not be great at what you do? If this is your career choice and your passion, then why not be great at it?” He went on to cite examples of famous athletes that never stop practicing just because they are seen as the best or just because they win a game or a race. Without practice would Michael Phelps have been able to capture all of his gold medals? Would Lionel Messi be considered the best soccer player in the world? Practice and hard work are the keys to all great achievements- it should be the same for teaching.

Teaching is an Art that needs to be sculpted, practiced, improved upon and worked towards. If teaching is viewed as an art and those that practice teaching take their art seriously and with creative flair then we have great teachers. If we have great teachers then we have achieving students and successful schools and communities. It is when teaching is not seen as an art and it is when teachers are not practicing their craft that teachers stop actually imparting information and knowledge to students, teachers stop teaching. If teachers are not effectively doing their jobs in the classroom a school cannot be successful and this has an immediate impact on the community and all of the families within the community.

Unfortunately, I often see great people treating teaching as more of a ‘been there done that’ model instead of an Art- something you do- good or bad, it just gets done and that is it. Fortunately, I was taught by a few champion teachers and I have taught alongside a few champion teachers and we need to extend this idea to all of our teachers- the practice and art of teaching are never completed- one can always pick up a new skill, try a different technique, attend a workshop, arrange the seating chart in a new format, practice the art of teaching.

“Teaching is the most important job in the world and the hardest job in the world and we need to be really great at it” – Doug Lemov

Below are two best practices that Doug Lemov highlights in his text that teachers can implement into their practice on their way to continuously work to be champion teachers

COLD CALL- Calling on students regardless of whether or not they have raised their hand.

This technique serves as a check for understanding that involves all students equitably. Cold Call builds student engagement and advances pacing. In order for Cold Calling to be effective it has to be predictable (happens at a certain part of the lesson cycle on a specific day), systematic (involves all students), positive (it is not a gotcha! We want students to get it right) and unbundled (not too many questions at once).

NO OPT OUT- Normalizing error by pushing students to provide the answer

This technique increases the expectations in a classroom as it ensures every student is held accountable for understanding the material. When a teacher does not allow students to opt out it eliminates the incentive not to work as kids know that they will have to answer either now or later. It is important when introducing this technique in the classroom that students understand that the expectation is to try- the answer will not always be right.

When No Opt Out can be used: If I were to ask a student a question and he/she provided the wrong answer, instead of simply moving on to another student I can try the No Opt Out technique:

Four Ways to Get An Answer:

-Call on another student and then go back to the original student to repeat the answer that the other student provided

-Answer the question myself (as the teacher) and then have the student repeat the answer

-Provide the student with a cue

-Have fellow students provide the student with a cue

**As an addendum to this conversation about Teacher Quality- I believe I cannot end this piece without a comment about Teacher Pay:

Over break I spent a few days enjoying the company of friends and family and eating too much food. During the midst of the holiday merriment we toasted a good family friend for her new promotion as a jewelry buyer for a large bridal store chain. Her six-figure salary was the main reason for the toasts – everyone was excited for her achievements. Along the way I started to wonder how a position as a buyer of jewelry earns triple that of a teacher. What do we value as a society? The necklace and earrings that a woman wears on her wedding day or the 12 years a child attends a public school? Until we embrace teaching as a profession and add value to this profession, changes are not going to be made to overall teacher quality.


 About the Author

 Julie's articles on So Educated

Julie Anderson is a teacher and a graduate student in Philadelphia, PA. She has been teaching and designing curriculum in public and charter schools in urban and rural settings for the past 5 years.

Throughout her career thus far she has seen strengths and weaknesses in the public education system and continues to look outside of the box and outside of the classroom for innovative ideas.