The Master Teacher Blog

Few schools across the nation have all the teachers they need and can be confident that they will have a wealth of quality candidates for future openings. Too few of today’s young people are choosing teaching as a career to fill current and future needs, which means that we need to do all that we can to make teaching and other education roles attractive and rewarding. Despite their importance, these steps will fall short if young people are not exposed to and supported to choose teaching as a career.  

Research points to the reality that tomorrow’s teachers are sitting in our classrooms today. Most teachers in most schools grew up near where they began their teaching careers. It follows that if we can interest and support students with high potential and an inclination toward teaching to explore what it means to teach, we are more likely to have the quality, number, and variety of teaching candidates we need and seek. However, we must do more than occasionally encourage students to think about teaching. An intentional, comprehensive, and varied approach is required—that's where Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can be so immensely valuable. Here are six strategies to consider and build on.  

Offer a paraeducator certification program.  

A structured program that leads to paraeducator/paraprofessional certification can give students a strong foundation in various aspects of learning and working with learners. Mini courses on topics such as child development, effective classroom practices, and the science of learning can provide a solid foundation for students to serve as paraeducators while also helping them see themselves as future teachers. Observing and assisting in classrooms can also give students an intimate experience of teaching as both a role and a career. Experience as paraeducators also positions students to observe teaching from a perspective other than as a student. Further, a structured program can expose students to the thinking and decision-making processes of professional teachers.  

Provide paid internships and apprenticeships.  

Roles such as classroom aides, summer teaching assistants, and after-school tutors can offer authentic opportunities for students to “try on” teaching roles. Having the experiences paid for also adds value and responsibility to them. Internships and apprenticeships can also expose students to a wide range of challenges and experiences that reflect what it means to be a teacher.   

Create opportunities for students to engage in micro- and peer-teaching.  

Some less-intensive options for students to experience what it means to teach can be attractive to students who are curious about teaching and want to try it out but either do not have time for or are not yet ready for more intensive experiences. Micro- and peer-teaching also entail lower investment and risk for students who are curious but unsure of their interests.   

Offer dual credit courses to give students a college head start.  

Courses that offer high school and college credit can be a great option for students who are certain that teaching is in their future. Not only are students exposed to more advanced content and skills, but credits earned prior to college enrollment can reduce tuition costs and build momentum for students’ preparation for a career in teaching.  

Offer mentorships with strong, supportive, and inspiring teachers.  

Having opportunities to engage with and learn from someone who is passionate about and an expert in their work can help students gain a positive, realistic view of what it means to teach. Mentors can also advise students on areas of experience and learning that will help them to be better prepared for teaching as a profession.  

Sponsor a future teacher club.  

Clubs for students interested in teaching were once common in schools. However, their popularity has waned over the past few decades. Nevertheless, an organization designed around student interests, with opportunities for student leadership and experiences that students find appealing, can support students considering a career in teaching. Students might engage in activities such as lesson design, visiting and observing classes, hosting teacher panels, and conducting interviews. Participation in a future teacher club can also give students a sense of identity and stimulate pride in their career interest.  

The truth is that tomorrow’s teachers are sitting in today’s classrooms waiting to be noticed, nurtured, and prepared. When they have meaningful opportunities to experience teaching, learn from skilled mentors, and see the impact they can have on others, something magical happens: Teaching shifts from something they observe to a future they can imagine.

We want our students to be successful learners. We also want to experience success as we teach students. Unfortunately, students do not always come to us with the attitudes and skills that make them proficient learners. Trying to teach students who lack an understanding of how learning happens and how to be successful learners can be a challenging and exhausting experience.  

We have a choice: We can ignore the understanding and skills students lack, or we can help them to build the learning capacity necessary to become better learners. Fortunately, there are several accessible and effective strategies and insights we can share with students to start them on a more successful learning journey. Equally important, we can teach many of these lessons in the context of daily routines and the required curriculum.  

Here are six research-based and practice-proven learning insights to help students strengthen their learning and expand their capacity to succeed in school and in life. Key insight: If we position the insights and skills that build learning capacity in the context of helping students rather than class requirements, students are often more accepting and more readily adopt these practices. We might even frame behaviors that support learning as experiments and games to prove their worth.  

First, teach students how learning changes the brain. Students are often not aware of how experiences, repetition, feedback, and even failed attempts change the way their brain functions. New experiences, insights, and skills create neural connections and strengthen existing ones. The more often these connections are activated, the stronger, more efficient, and more durable they become. The brain pays attention to repetition, so practice is a great way to grow brain capacity. Focused, deliberate practice, followed by feedback and subsequent adjustments, grows the brain’s capacity and can make future learning more efficient.  

Second, help students understand the role of attention in learning. We might assume that students understand that paying attention is a primary driver of learning, yet too often, this is not the case. Attention is the gateway to learning and the doorway to memory. In the absence of attention, little or no learning is likely to happen. Students can increase their attention skills by employing strategies such as eliminating distractions, focusing on one attention-demanding task at a time, asking questions, and predicting what happens next in lessons, stories, and other learning activities. We might also have students monitor their attention and challenge themselves to gradually lengthen the time they can stay fully attentive and engaged.  

Third, instruct students about how their memory functions. The truth is that forgetting is normal. It is not a sign of failure. However, memory can be strengthened and lengthened. When students frequently return to previously learned information and skills, they become more deeply embedded in their memory. Retrieval practice—where students attempt to recall everything they remember about a topic or process—refreshes their memory and lengthens their recall. They might explain ideas in their own words. Or they might connect new ideas and content to prior learning. Engaging in memory challenges is far more effective than passive review.  

Fourth, explain the value of productive struggle. Students often assume that if they struggle as they learn, they must not be good learners. Yet learning that is easy often does not stay with students long. When students must struggle to grasp a concept or develop a skill, they are more likely to retain it once learned. Mistakes are also a natural part of learning, and they represent information the brain uses to improve future performance. We can counsel students to think “not yet” when they struggle rather than “not possible.” We might also remind them that confusion and struggle often happen just before understanding and success. 

Fifth, coach students to focus on getting better, not just getting it right. We can remind students that learning is a process, not a performance. Students often do their best when they think about learning as a journey, not a one-time effort and demonstration. Challenging learning more often follows a path of iteration and approximation than a track of error-free certainty. We can help students set learning goals and monitor their progress. We might even encourage students to interrogate their learning: What strategy worked well? What mistakes helped me to learn? What should I practice more or next? 

Sixth, nurture the skill of metacognition. The value of the previous five learning skills is enhanced when students learn to monitor their own thinking. Metacognition gives students the power to become their own best teacher. We might teach students to ask themselves: What do I understand about this topic or skill, and where do I still need to do more? Can I explain or teach this information to someone else? Where am I confused? What strategy might work better than the one I have used? Metacognition is a skill that positions students to regulate their attention, manage their effort, choose the best strategy, and take ownership and control of their learning.  

These skills help students not only be successful in our class, but they also can be life changing. Students begin to see themselves as self-directed, capable, independent learners. When students possess and practice these skills, they can also become easier and more delightful to teach. 

Once the school year is underway, we face the challenge of establishing routines, setting a pace, and creating a rhythm to carry our instruction and, by extension, student learning forward. We may be eager to introduce the curriculum and move forward with what we have to share with students, but success with these priorities depends on creating a solid context and processes to support what lies ahead. 

A successful launch to the new year will require some patience, discipline, and focus from us. Time spent in the first weeks of school helping students practice routines, develop confidence, and refresh their learning can make our work with students in the coming weeks and months significantly more successful. Let’s review five start-of-the-year practices that can position our students and us for success in the year ahead. 

Observe before expecting. We may have ideas and hold assumptions about what students should know and be able to do, but we must remember that what students bring to our classroom may vary widely due to a number of factors. Some students may not have fully grasped past learning or may have forgotten much of what they have learned. They may have had a summer filled with distractions and trauma. Or they may have engaged in activities that accelerated their knowledge and built new skills. The truth is that students will begin the year where they are, not where we expect or want them to be. By taking time to observe what students know, how they behave, and what they may be ready to learn, we can gain insights that inform our planning and guide our instruction in the coming weeks.  

Prioritize progress over perfection. We want students to find success. Yet, we need to remember that learning is a journey. Perfection may be a goal, but expecting perfection can be a recipe for frustration and disappointment—for our students and for us. The gap between where students are and where they are going will be closed by effort and progress. We need not lose sight of where we want to take students, but we must be realistic about the length and nature of the journey. Prioritizing progress is a better strategy than expecting perfection, especially in the first few weeks.  

Go slow to go fast. The beginning of the new year, those first few weeks when we meet and begin getting to know our students, is the time to focus on building a foundation for the rest of the year. Relationships built in the initial weeks can create a foundation of trust and reassurance that can prevent future resistance and conflict while building cooperation and commitment. Time spent refreshing concepts and renewing skills can save time and frustration later as students encounter more complex ideas and build new capacities. We may worry that we are off to a slow start, but momentum fueled by confidence and competence can easily make up for lost time.  

Repeat to automate. Students do their best when they know what is expected and when they are comfortable and confident with routines. We may think that a few repetitions should be adequate for students to learn and follow daily procedures, but when students are still trying to find their place and hoping to fit in, this type of learning can take longer than we expect. Rather than place a number on how many times we will explain and repeat, we might continue until students no longer need reminding. While getting started may take longer than we anticipate, well-established routines and expectations can pay rich dividends as the year unfolds.  

Assume positive efforts and intentions. Student behavior in the opening weeks may be erratic and unpredictable. Some students will withdraw until they feel a sense of belonging. Other students will act out and even be defiant until they feel assured in their relationship with us. Still others may test our boundaries and expectations until they are confident that we are serious and will follow through. In response to these varying and sometimes confusing behaviors, seeking to understand the reasons behind the behaviors we see will be more productive than drawing premature conclusions or assuming the worst of students. Unfortunately, when what we assume and expect is negative, we are more likely to encounter more negativity. Students often need time and a fresh start. We can help by assuming students’ intentions are positive—or at least suspending judgment until we have more experience with them.  

There is much to do and think about in the initial weeks of the new school year. We might find ourselves wanting to immediately launch into the curriculum and leave relationship building, routines, and expectations for later, yet this is usually a mistake. Trying to correct and undo unacceptable and unproductive behaviors and processes usually takes more time and effort than establishing a strong foundation from the beginning. 

Because many (if not most or all) educators also consider themselves to be lifelong lovers of learning, it’s only natural that we want to believe that students inherently understand why school is important and that what they learn in school holds value. Yet, the evidence suggests something different. Too many students see school as something they must get through to get on with life rather than an experience that will take them where they want to go.  

Every time a student asks, “Why do we have to learn this?” “When will I ever use this?” and “Is this going to count?” we are likely being presented with evidence that students do not see their school experience as valuable, purposeful, or alignment with their goals. As a result, their motivation too often remains largely untapped, their engagement is generally limited to what is demanded, and their commitment becomes driven by external rewards and meaningless symbols. 

On the other hand, when students connect their school experience to their interests and see it as purposeful and aligned with their goals, their motivation and engagement grow. Their commitment and persistence become stronger, and learning becomes a higher priority.  

The challenge we face is to employ strategies and approaches that help students to make the crucial connection between what they are asked to learn and what is important, interesting, useful, or worthwhile to them. The task is not easy, nor will the same strategies and approaches work in the same way or for every student. We need a variety of options and alternatives to make the connection in response to students' needs. Here are six strategies we can tap, test, and refine to take on the challenge. 

Learn and tap into student aspirations.  

If we hope to have students see alignment between their goals and in-school learning, we need to start where our students are. We need to understand their hopes, aspirations, interests, and desired identity. For example, they may like making things, helping others, leading teams, solving problems, or earning money. Of course, these elements may change over time, but taking time to ask students about what they hope for in life, the work they enjoy, the skills they are interested in, and who they hope to become can provide a rich context and anchors for learning.    

Frequently return to “Why does this matter?”  

When students do not understand the value and purpose of what they are learning, they typically default to what “will count” as a grade. Students need us to choose learning that matters and help them to see why. Frequently reminding students of the importance and real-world application of what they are learning can build stronger bridges between student goals and their school experience.  

Help students see possibilities for skill transfer.  

The more students understand how what they are learning in one class might be helpful in another or in life beyond school, the more likely they are to invest the time and effort to learn it. Broadening our explanation and discussion of what students are learning to include skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, persistence, and other crucial life skills opens doors to examples of how these skills can be applied in contexts beyond the current lesson or unit of study. Supplementing the discussion with examples of how these skills are used in a variety of settings and professions can further help students to make meaningful connections.  

Reinforce links between today’s choices and future opportunities.  

Students often struggle to link the decisions they make today to how those decisions will affect their future options and opportunities. One way to assist students in grasping this concept is to help them create an “if-then” chain. For example, if they do quality work today, success in their courses becomes more likely. If they succeed in their courses, then graduation is a higher probability and post-graduation options grow. If they create more post-graduation options, then they open more career opportunities. And if they have access to more career opportunities, then success with personal goals becomes more likely. Another approach is to emphasize to students the importance of consistently doing just one more thing than required. Over time, the difference between what would have been and what is possible grows in the same way that investing money creates even more money in the future.  

Connect learning to experiences of successful adults.  

Adults in the community, famous people, and even historical figures can serve as examples and reinforcers of the importance and value of what students are learning and the achievement of their goals. Consider inviting successful adults from the community to share their stories and examples of how what students are learning is important to their success in life. Similarly, we might share examples of how people whom students see as successful depend on the skills students are learning, which can reinforce connections to their goals. Further, selecting and highlighting historical figures who demonstrated habits and skills students are learning, and how they made them successful, can reinforce the alignment between students’ goals and in-school learning.  

Link learning to future identity.  

Helping students think about how they want to be seen and what they want to accomplish in the future can create opportunities for important discussions. We can remind students that success can be defined in multiple ways and that it can take many paths. What is most important is that they avoid closing doors they may want to reopen later and that they create and protect as many options in life as possible. 

We want students to see school as a place where they can build the knowledge, skills, habits, and character to pursue their goals and find success in life, not a collection of disjointed, disconnected, and distracting experiences. When they do, they become less dependent on external rewards and meaningless symbols and more focused on experiences that make them better people and prepare them for a better future. 

Our assumptions can have a powerful influence on what we see, how we interpret, and how we respond to what happens in our classroom and our interactions with students. When our assumptions are correct, this process can increase efficiency and improve our effectiveness. Unfortunately, when our assumptions are incorrect, they can launch a narrative that can lead to misunderstanding, misdiagnosis, and unproductive—and even harmful—responses. 

We might think of our assumptions as stories we tell ourselves that can drive our beliefs and actions. We carry them with us in our interactions, decisions, and relationships. These narratives are typically shaped by what we have been told, our experiences, our perceptions of students, and our perspective on our work. 

We need to be aware of assumptions we hold, regularly test them, and be willing to adjust them when they fall short. Here are seven of the most common assumptions that can get in the way of our success with students. Do any of these assumptions sound familiar? 

I must be in control, or students will not learn.  

This story assumes that learning is based on compliance. In fact, quality learning requires students to build ownership and engage in sense-making. These are processes that we can facilitate, but students must perform for themselves. When students have choices and a voice in learning, they are more likely to develop understanding, agency, and recall. Learning over which students feel no control tends not to be deep, nor is it retained for very long. 

Good teaching means that students should not struggle.  

This assumption sets a very high, even unrealistic standard for teaching. In fact, even if we meet it, we may not be doing a learning favor for students. Learning that comes too easily is often forgotten quickly. Struggle is often a key element in learning that is deep and lasting. We need to be ready to coach, guide, and support students in their learning, but preventing them from any struggle can deprive students of experiencing learning in ways that make it durable, transferable, and retainable. 

These students do not care.  

It may be that students are not responding to the way in which learning is being presented, or it may be that something is getting in the way. Though some of it certainly is, not all student disengagement is apathy. In fact, it may be a signal that something is interfering. What we are seeing might be confusion, uncertainty, or evidence of being overwhelmed. Of course, it might be a signal that students are not connecting with the content or our approach. Fortunately, we can adjust either or both factors. While we may not reach every student every day, we can do our best to maintain high expectations and use what we know about our students to position learning for the best chances of success. 

These students cannot handle challenging work. 

This statement is more likely to reflect our judgment than students’ capacity to learn. Our expectations matter. When we hold high expectations and support students to meet them, they are more likely to do so. On the other hand, if we lower our expectations, we risk not exposing students to learning that is deep and rich. We deprive them of the possibility of achieving more than they have in the past. We also risk underestimating our potential to lift the learning of our students to new and expected heights.  

I must cover all the content. 

This assumption prioritizes pacing over understanding. Coverage does not usually lead to competence, and superficial exposure does not lead to learning success. Time and curriculum requirements are certainly pressures teachers face, despite us knowing that choosing to prioritize coverage risks fragile learning and quick forgetting. A better choice is to decide what learning is essential, or at least the highest priority, and focus on those concepts and skills, even if it means some other content might not be addressed. 

This is the way I have always done this, so it must work. 

This statement falls back on tradition as a predictor of correctness. In fact, the first part of this statement may be correct, but it does not mean that the second part is also. Just because something worked in the past does not mean that it is the best approach today. The students we are teaching may have changed. Expectations may have shifted. Or some other factor may have been altered. The key is to focus on the needs, readiness, and characteristics of the students in front of us and ask what will work for them. 

We want our students to succeed. We also want to be confident in our ability to make their success possible. Consequently, we need to be thoughtful about the assumptions we make and their impact on our teaching and our students’ learning. Are there other assumptions you would add to this list? If so, what impact might they have on students and learning? 

Traditionally, memorization has played a significant role in the history of formal learning. Students were expected to memorize a wide variety of facts, terms, formulas, and other elements that adults deemed important to be recited. To some extent, memorization was especially important because students, during their education and later, did not always have immediate access to a wide range of information relevant to their success. Memorization was also seen as a key intellectual pursuit. Being able to recite poetry, significant quotes, and literary passages was considered a sign of an educated person and evidence that someone values and respects culture.  

The omnipresence of information today calls into question the role of memorization in education. The ability to recall and recite information and quote from important statements and writings of the past conveys a level of exposure and attention to what is historically significant. Having immediate access to some information, even when it can be obtained with little effort, remains useful.  

The key question is whether memorization still has a place in formal learning. If so, what role should it play and when? Conversely, when does memorization not have a role, and when should it be assigned a lower priority? Let’s explore five times when memorization continues to be beneficial to learning and five occasions when it is best to avoid or not require it. 

Times when memorization can be useful and important: 

Occasions when memorization should be avoided, or at least given a lower priority: 

We might think of memorization as a useful tool to assist learning rather than a goal to achieve. Memorization can help to filter, sort, retain, and apply information. It can also be a path to processing efficiency, a launch point for complex thinking, and a context for creativity. 

In addition to asking yourself when memorization is an appropriate learning goal, consider the following activities to broaden the scope of this conversation: Teachers, ask your students where they see the most value in memorization; you might need to guide them toward seeing examples in their everyday lives. Administrators, ask your teachers where they see the most value in memorization and how they can frame tasks that ask students to memorize information.

When designing learning experiences, we face a crucial question: Do we primarily want students to know something, or do we want them to do something? Should the focus be on content they will need to absorb or on skills we want them to develop? Our answers to these questions should guide our decision about the best instructional approach. 

It goes without saying that learning often—maybe even mostly—involves a combination approach, but sometimes the focal point needs to be on one or the other. At times, we need to build context and activate background knowledge to create a foundation for learning. At other times, we want students to build specific competencies and practice crucial skills. These two approaches are, respectively, commonly known as content-focused instruction and skill-based instruction.  

As the names suggest, content-focused and skill-based instructional approaches serve related but separate goals. We might think of content-focused instruction as providing broad context, emphasizing concepts, and building a foundation for understanding. Content-focused instruction is more likely to emphasize content knowledge, facts, sequences, concepts, and procedures. Skill-based instruction, on the other hand, emphasizes analysis, problem solving, application, and communication. Skill-based instruction focuses more on competencies and processes that enable learners to apply what they are learning. Content-focused instruction aligns well with building foundational knowledge and intellectual development, while skill-based instruction emphasizes hands-on learning and the development of transferable skills. Both types of instruction are valuable, but they serve different priorities.  

Traditionally, skill-based instruction has been more closely linked to practical skill classes and job training, while content-focused instruction has been more associated with traditional academic classes. However, today’s students and the world they are preparing for require foundational knowledge and skills to apply what they learn practically. Equally important, students want to understand why they are learning and what they can do with that knowledge.  

So, how might content-focused and skill-based instruction look in practice, and how can we decide which approach fits best? Here are five considerations to guide us: 

Obviously, content-focused and skill-based instruction each has a role to play in the learning experiences we design for students. The key questions are, “What is our primary instructional goal?” and “What do we expect students to do with what they learn?” We might use a combination of approaches in some lessons or choose a single approach, depending on our students' readiness, the complexity of what they are learning, and how their learning will be assessed.