40 Things About Teaching That Will Still Be the Same

Another school year is upon me and all I have been able to focus on is how different it is going to be. Running through all the scenarios and fretting about the what ifs has had me in a real emotional mess. Since I will be doing a little of both, virtual and in-class teaching, I decided to make a list of things that won’t change even in these crazy times. ​I truly believe that the enemy of our souls has an agenda to make us leave behind the main things of our lives. 

Some Things Will Still Be the Same

Relationships, routines, and the familiar processes have a very definite place in our society because they produce order and security. Satan is after the very heart of our community, and he is accomplishing his goal by disrupting our schools.

I hope this list will encourage you to see that some things will still be the same, no matter how hard he works. Some of these things are little and speak to the fun of all things educational, but they are also little reminders of the “normal” in a school day.

40 Things About Teaching That Will Still Be the Same

1. ​Pick a classroom theme you love because you will stare at it for nine months. (This year I am doing all things doughnuts!!)
2. Being with co-workers who love children, their subject matter, and the school that you teach at is a blessing you should not take for granted.
3. It is hard to make it through a day without a great stapler.
4. Masking tape/Duct tape is a go-to for just about everything.
5. If you are running low on Sharpies, you are in dangerous territory.
6. Stickers still hold a special charm and are great motivators.
7. It is amazing what a child will do for a Skittle...even teens.
8. Routines give your classroom (even a virtual one) a sense of comfort and hominess.
9. You win more students with honey than you do with vinegar.
10. Relationships are the pathway to cooperation and community.
11. The best lessons are caught, not taught.
12. Teamwork is the dreamwork.
13. “If You Give a Teacher Coffee and Baked Goods” should be a best selling book already.
14. Make a place to display all the pictures your students create. Put a date on them so you can rotate them to keep them current. 
15. Give each student individual goals and share yours for the year. It promotes accountability.
16. Keep all the things simple because children don’t require as much fancy as you think they do.
17. Reading is the key to adventure and should take place everyday.
18. Big, chunky erasers show that you are prepared for forgiveness.
19. A new day should come with a fresh start for your students, as well as yourself.
20. You can never go wrong with an endless supply of Post-it notes.
21. Whiteboards are the best assessment tools for everyday learning.
22. Legos equal creativity at every age.
23. Getting students input into rules and procedures will pay great dividends throughout the year.
24. It is better to focus on what a student can do than what they can’t do.
25. Being silly makes concepts memorable.
26. Acrostics make concepts concrete.
27. Hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes have always been on the supply list because germs are not new.
28. Carline calls for sunglasses or rainboots and an umbrella.
29. Every classroom needs its own soundtrack.
30. Teaching character and principles with short Scripture verses does double duty.
31. Fear is a liar and is not a respecter of age. This goes for trying new things, meeting new people, and standing up for what is right.
32. A Hydro Flask will always be a good investment, but especially in 2020.
33. Continue your regiment of vitamin C and probiotics, because it is a good idea for any season. 
34. Technology can be a great tool, but it can’t replace the teacher’s role.
35. Paper clips and paper trays are the easiest way to organize a messy desk.
36. Using a system of discipline that covers both behavior and responsibility can simplify expectations.
37. Rules and expectations should be clear, simple, and few.
38. If you can let go of perfection and embrace improvement, both you and your students will experience freedom.
39. Each student should have an “All Things” journal for free time and other random activities.
40. Starting your day in the Word and prayer is a must! It doesn’t guarantee a day free from stress, but it ensures grace and strength to handle it.

God is Not the Author of Confusion

His Word teaches us steadfast and unchanging principles to live by. Teaching our students, and our own children, that there is a constant in their lives begins with pointing them to the Word, and then to the ways God remains faithful even though everything else may vary and change.

​Psalm 143:8 says,

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.” 

Yes, this year may be very different, but because of Jesus, some things will always remain the same. The morning sun declares His consistency and should give us cause to trust Him. So, when the sun rises on the first academic day of the new school year, let it proclaim He is still the same!

Tell us what your school year looks like, and which of these 40 things hits home for you today.