10 Reasons the Word "Teacher" Shouldn't Exist

The actual definition of teacher is this: one whose occupation is to instruct.  Speaking as a teacher, daughter of a teacher, and friend to many teachers, this definition falls depressingly short.  That being said, I have to give good ol' Webster the benefit of the doubt as the actual definition of "teacher" wouldn't fit nicely onto a dictionary page.  Here are 10 reasons why the word teacher shouldn't exist:

1.  A Teacher is also a Mentor:
Good teachers don't just teach material, they teach life, and live by example.  They don't just do their jobs, they are passionate about learning, students, and helping students learn.  There is one teacher in particular that will always stand out to me as an example of this: My 6th grade teacher, Mr. Madison.  He taught Social Studies, but he knew Social Studies was about more than just our history.  After the Columbine shootings, he scrapped his entire lesson plan that day.  We talked about how we felt and what we thought.  He respected us as individuals and knew this life experience would teach us far more than the material he had to share.  This same teacher also shared with us a story about never making excuses.  It was about a boy who didn't have arms or legs and yet accomplished as much or more than any other able-bodied person.  He taught us to persevere and to have strength of character.  His occupation was to instruct, but his passion was to inspire.

2.  A Teacher is also a Caregiver:
Let's face it, teachers spend 7-8 hours a day with their students.  This is 1/3 of their day.  If you count 8 hours of sleep, teachers see students for half of every waking day.  If you are a preschool teacher, you may see your students even longer.  Teachers wash boo boos, give hugs, offer comfort when a child is sad.  They make sure children have something to eat, and a coat if it's cold.  They provide for their students.

3.  A Teacher is also a Parent:
For some students, their teachers are more parents to them than their parents are.  Sometimes a teacher will fill a space that an absent dad or mom has left.  Ask teachers how many times they've been called "mom" or "dad" by a student.  If you are a teacher, you know what I'm talking about.  This is absolutely not a slam on parents.  Some of you are very involved and are invaluable to your child's teacher, more than you know.  Still you can't be with your child all day, and you trust your child's teacher to guide him or her in your absence.

4.  A Teacher is also a Mediator:
Teachers have to mediate conflicts every day amongst a multitude of students.  They have to know how to remain neutral, see both perspectives, and help the students resolve their differences in a productive way.  Sometimes a teacher must negotiate between the two students to come to a resolution.

5.  A Teacher is also a Psychologist:
No not all teachers attended school for several years to earn their PhD in psychology.  They are not permitted to counsel you or your child.  They are not qualified to diagnose any student's psychological state.  That being said, teachers have to understand their students in order to motivate and develop them.  Many teachers have a basic understanding of ADHD, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, Autism, Emotional Disabilities and more.  Good teachers want to understand the road blocks a child faces so that he or she can overcome them and be more successful.  They want to understand the emotional toll these road blocks take in order to improve the child's self-esteem.  In order to do this, a teacher has to attempt to understand each student's mind and way of thinking.

6.  A Teacher is also a Punching Bag:
Sadly this occurs more than you might think.  Teachers actually put themselves in harms way in order to help their students.  We have heard story after story from a friend of ours that teaches in a special needs class.  She has been punched, kicked, bitten, and more from her students.  There are preschool teachers that work through this on a daily basis as they show little ones proper social behavior.  Teachers in middle and high school will often deal with physical altercations either directed at them or between students.  There are numerous scenarios when teachers allow themselves to be abused for the sake of their students.

7.  A Teacher is also an ATM:

Due to budgetary constraints in some school districts, teachers will often spend their own money $400-500 per year on behalf of his or her classroom for supplies, materials, teaching resources, and everything else they provide for their students.  Every holiday gift, Valentine's surprise, Friday treat, is paid for by your child's teacher.  Teachers will sometimes spend countless dollars just so that their rooms can look nice for the kids, or they'll grab some fidget toys for their more restless students.  They will create treasure boxes to encourage good behavior.  It is estimated that each teacher spends about

8.  A Teacher is also a Data Entry Specialist:
Now more than ever teachers are having to track data on their students.  As education moves toward a more individualized approach, teachers test students throughout the year, input their benchmark scores, and analyze the scores to determine which objectives need extra focus.  Teachers assume this role to make each student's educational experience more successful.

9.  A Teacher is also a Bodyguard:

From 1996-2012 alone, there have been 45 school shootings.  During each of those shootings, teachers adhered to the lockdown protocol, turning off the lights, hiding in a dark place away from all the windows.  Those teachers had to keep their students safe.  They had to remain calm while their hearts beat so hard they almost exploded in their chests.  In the Sandy Hook massacre, one teacher died protecting her kids(article here).  In these times, teachers show up at work every day to protect their students.  Many of your children's teachers would die for them.  

10.  A Teacher is also a Teacher:  In addition to filling all these roles, a teacher is one whose occupation is to instruct.  They relay information to students in order to help them learn.  They guide them through each school day, helping them to be successful and doing everything they can to show students a love of learning.

Since it is a time of thanksgiving, take a moment to be thankful for your child's teacher or teachers.  They are much more than those whose occupation is to instruct.

I'll leave you with this comical insight from Lily Eskelsen Garcia:

Please share what else a teacher is:

Have a great holiday!

Fun Fall Friday and a Freebie

This week we wanted to share a fun Thanksgiving activity with you to get your kiddos ready for the coming holiday and practice sight words.  Our Cornucopia Cards have cornucopia horns with sight words written on them.  The students use the fruit manipulatives, matching the letters to the words on the cornucopias.  She said her students had so much fun and asked if they could "play again."  They liked it so much they thought it was a game!

Here is the teacher's guide:

Laminate the cornucopia cards and the fruit pieces then use it as a word center.  You can also copy them in BW to use as independent work. Just place the cornucopia  cards that you want to use with the letters that you will need to build the words in the cornucopia.

   • You can also use playdough or magnetic letters to build the words that are on the cards.

   • Another fun activity is to place the fruit pieces on a surface and let the students make new words.      They can write them down on a piece of paper to see how many words they are able to create.

Pam's students were able to use their alphabet charts, and match the letters to them.  The chart isn't included because it belongs to the county.

Download your freebie here.  If you like this activity, check out the whole party pack.  All your Thanksgiving party needs in one download.  Click below:

Stay tuned for our Holiday Party Pack coming in Dec.  We're very excited!! Your kiddos will love the Christmas sound boxes:)

Have an awesome weekend and holiday!

What if the "Real World" Was Like School?

Imagine your worst meeting day ever.  How many hours were you in meetings?  5, 6, 8?  Now imagine experiencing that every day.  Every day of work is comprised completely of meetings.  Imagine the content of those meetings is completely theoretical.  You are asked to learn, reflect, retain, review, regurgitate without ever being asked to DO something with what you've learned.  Now imagine not being able to doodle while you listen, or confer with your coworkers regarding any of the information you are receiving.  Imagine only having the opportunity to complete your to do list after work because there's no time during.  To top it all off, every assignment you complete is scored and you are tested at least once or twice a week on every facet of every meeting.  Would you stay at that job or would you quit?  I know I personally would quit.  It's amazing that more high school students don't.
  Here's the disconnect:
-The skills students are learning in high school do not accurately reflect the skills they need for college and the work force.  In this 2013 study(page 4) of student readiness for the business world, students scored less than 50% in most of the skills categories former employers saw as vital to their profession.  Now I'm sure you're saying, "well not everyone goes into business."  The reality is that everyone has to make money.  Business is the underlying unifier for most sources of employment, unless you decide to enter a field in government.  Even then, the government has to earn money to pay people.  Even non-profits have to earn money.

-Students' overall understanding of economics and finance coming out of school has created a financial burden for millenials.  In a June 2015 study(page 5) of millenials' financial health, newamerica.org determined that only 19% of millenials have both financial education and a simple savings account.  Given this information, does it matter that they have the quadratic formula memorized or that they know the Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620?

Please don't get me wrong.  Education is important, and there are some things students have to learn because they're unsure which career field they want to enter.  There are also things they need to learn because they are valuable, lifelong tools.  There are ways in which the structure has to be different because they are not adults yet.  However, think about back in the 1800s and early
1900s.  There weren't established high school attendance standards and "students" went to work at a young age.  Biology hasn't changed, which means our students are still capable of functioning in a work-like environment.  We just need to provide them with the right tools.

We will be exploring the idea of transforming high school throughout this series.  There will be interviews with colleges, businesses, administrators, teachers, and students as we try to imagine a secondary utopia that adequately prepares students for what lies ahead.  As this is a hot-button issue, we ask that your comments be respectful.  That being said, we welcome you to share your agreements and disagreements as we embark on this exciting endeavor.  View more innovative ideas at: http://xqsuperschool.org/

Have a great week!

Thankful Teachers Giveaway

We have so much to be thankful for this year! First and foremost are  you wonderful people who have been so supportive in following us on social media, purchasing our products, and giving us such kind feedback.  Thank you!!  Thank you!!

TeachersPayTeachers has been awesome in sharing us on their Facebook page, blog, and newsletter!  To show how truly humbled, thankful, and blessed we feel, we are sharing something we are thankful for every day this week.  Also, we are giving away our really fun, BRAND NEW Thanksgiving party pack.  This handy little pack has everything you need to survive the dreaded madness of the Thanksgiving party and make it educational and enjoyable for all!  We are still in the process of creating this awesome resource, so stay tuned for more previews throughout the week.  Sign up for the giveaway below.

This pack includes our really fun Turkey Scoot.  A great math game to practice addition and subtraction to 10.

 It also includes our cornucopia cards from our Team25 sight words activity pack along with a craftivity and guide to a past and present feast.  PLUS, we are throwing in a $25 gift card because we are beyond excited about all you have done for us this year!

Pam used this center with her kiddos during reading groups today and it went great!  "They loved it and asked if they could play it again. I love that they thought they were playing a game:) First I gave out the cornucopia cards and had the students try to sound out their words."

 Then they started to build their words with the fruit pieces.

"The students pointed to the letters and sounded out each sound as they placed the cards down. I had been working with sound boxes so the students understood what I said when I told them that we were using the fruit letters like sound boxes to help sound out words. This center really helped them to sound out the sounds."

 "Later, I had the students match letters on our letter cards that our school system uses."

"We will also use the letters and make our own words tomorrow:)"


Day 1: We are thankful for students and the awesome things they say.  Here are some funny quotes from a daycare in Nebraska.  I'm sure you've had some doozies too.  Comment below to share your laughs with us!

Day 2: We are thankful for teachers and their contributions to our success as teachers, and of course, our sanity.  Brittany personally has learned much from teachers with more experience, and cried much with teachers she relied on at work.  When the two of us worked together, we had a huge support system in our prayer group at school.  That group of ladies and a gentleman got us through some difficult times and vice versa.  Pam is so thankful for all those cohorts who have been kind enough to share their great ideas with her as well as listening to her vent about administration and offering helpful thoughts about problem students that she's had.   What support systems are you thankful for amongst your coworkers?

Day 3:  We are thankful for veterans and the freedom they give us to live our lives and teach children.  This article is a twist on the traditional Veterans Day approach.  Not sure if we agree completely, but it does shed light on the reality that we as civilians know nothing of what these men have been through on the warfront, or sacrifice in their daily lives for that matter.  Whether or not you agree with our military, the fact that it is completely comprised of people who choose it means we don't have a draft.  We are not pulled from our families as part of a civic duty, but are permitted to sit securely stateside, blissfully unaware of what actually goes on.  This applies to other service workers who don't have a holiday as well: police, firemen, government agencies.  If for no other reason, thank a service worker for the sacrifice they make so that you don't have to.

To celebrate Veterans Day, we want to offer you this FREEBIE.  If you want a lesson idea, check it out HERE. Enjoy:)

Here is one of Pam's kiddos illustrating this fun free song:

Day 4: We are thankful for those "Aha!" moments in the classroom.  We think many teachers can agree that one of the most rewarding things about what we do is seeing the gleam in a child's eye when they "get it."  All of those long nights lesson planning, all the jumping around the classroom, making fools of ourselves become completely worth it in those few brief minutes as that triumphant smile spreads across a student's face.  What have been your most rewarding "Aha" moments in the classroom?

Day 5: We are thankful for those awesome parents that show us so much support throughout the year.  Their assistance in the classroom, and investment in the lives of their children makes our jobs

so much easier and more enjoyable.







Day 6: We are thankful for our wonderful families who have shown us so much support throughout our time as teacherpreneurs.  We have gone from eagerly watching our email inbox for our first sale to being blessed with multiple followers in our store and on social media.  Our families have sat through tireless nights as we pinned, posted, crafted, and sculpted our business over the years.

Day 7: We are so thankful for you awesome followers and all the support you've given us.  Your loyalty and kind words keep us going every day, working to give you more resources to benefit your students.  We feel so blessed to be able to use our creative passion to influence your classrooms and aim to continue bringing you great resources.  Know that you can reach out to us anytime to provide feedback.  Your thoughts and ideas are what help us improve continuously.  Thank you again!  And for those of you that don't win our giveaway, we would like to offer you a free product on our website.  Click HERE!

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Images provided by Bigstockphoto.com

We are on TeachersPayTeachers FB page!

We are so excited! Our Word of the Day Calendar was posted on TeachersPayTeachers Facebook page today!

https://www.facebook.com/TeachersPayTeachers/photos/a.315937646873.182534.73502446873/10153996786631874/?type=3

Each calendar piece has a November word on it. 

This is a sample of the cut and paste student calendar. 

I use these words in a calendar center. My kiddos cut and paste the word of the day on their calendars and then write about the word in a calendar notebook.

Here are a few writing samples of using the words from our November Calendar: These words have helped my students stay on topic:)

They keep their calendars and calendar pieces in a folder. They also keep their Word of the Day books that can be purchased separately in their folders. They highlight the words in the little books. The words in these books can be sung to familiar tunes. Read more about the books by clicking on the picture below.

The kiddos highlight the calendar words in the books. They wanted to highlight journey because it was our October word. I just love that they remember words from last month:) This book is also sung to the tune of "Clementine."

We just created a brand new resource where we combined these November calendar words with our first Team 25 sight words in 5 November poems, fill in the blank/ABC order sheets, fun Thanksgiving activities and teacher guides! 50% off for the first 24 hours! Click on picture below to see more:

This is such great timing too!

I wanted to share the awesome connections that my kiddos have made as they find these words in other places.

After lunch, my students wait in the hall to go to the bathroom, so here they are sitting when this student says:

This word was on November 1, and this little guy, who is also one of my ELL students said, "Look Mrs. Beckner! This is our calendar word today. I just love words Mrs. Beckner-You were right, our words are everywhere!" How cool is that:) 

Well then my other students started pointing out words all through the hall.

This word was from October and the student said. "We had this word on our calendar when we talked about Christopher Columbus."

 This word was from our September Calendar.

 October Calendar

 These words were from our September Calendar and I just love that the kiddos are still remembering them!

 So, as y'all can see I am pretty excited about TPT sharing this calendar because I feel pretty passionate about it! Hope that y'all will try one of our calendars and you will see how excited your students get seeing their words in other places:)

Have a great weekend!!