It could be just as simple as a note sent to school… that doesn’t say the dog ate Sally’s homework. It says, “Thanks for being Sally’s teacher.”
Teachers provide so much to our students—inspiration, motivation and, ultimately, their futures. They change the lives of millions of children every day, and their work and impact extends far beyond the boundaries of the classroom.
If you’d like a certificate or ready made card:
Kati Morton’s YouTube Channel will keep you watching! She’s high energy and entertaining… a licensed therapist who produces two videos per week on mental health topics.
While I’ve not “vetted” everything she’s produced, I previewed a few and was favorably impressed. She’s down to earth, not overly clinical, and covers a wide diversity of topics in an easy way. So her YouTube Channel has been added to my . A recent video shared some great information on how to talk with kids about school shootings.
Binge watching is allowed!
While working at school recently, I dropped by a classroom to pick up a couple of students for an activity. The class was finishing up a “Show ‘N Share,” so I had an opportunity to learn a few things about a contemporary toy and a somewhat bedraggled teddy bear.
For history and trivia buffs, Show ‘N Tell began as a toy combination record player and filmstrip viewer manufactured by General Electric in the mid-1960s. It was pretty high-tech stuff then.
Somehow, the concept has morphed over the years into what might be more accurately described as “Show ‘N Share.” For the educationally minded, the activity meets the English Language Arts standards in Kindergarten and primary grades.
A not-so-subtle difference is that kids are actively learning more about the item instead of passively watching and listening. One of the things I particularly enjoyed and admired was watching the teacher facilitate the discussion. He was truly interested in the items and asked questions that demonstrated his interest.
A recent Trainer’s Warehouse Blog post made an interesting comparison between gossiping and asking questions. One suggestion was that gossiping is about bonding and it’s easier to bond by offering information than it is to ask questions. When we have a good gossip about someone or something, all we usually do is agree with each other and reinforce what we already believe.
But good questions can be much more effective when we are trying to establish a human connection. For the few minutes I was part of the Show ‘N Share, I noticed the teacher used different types of questions. Most people are familiar with the difference between “closed-ended” questions (can be answered yes or no) and “open-ended” questions that require more information. The teacher was asking both, but also varying between reflective questions (that make people think) and probing questions that cause the answerer to go deeper and provide more information. He didn’t use a lot of leading questions (that actually suggest the desired answer).
I’ve provided a stock photo of a teddy bear with this article for those wanting to develop their questioning skills. If a child brought it to Show N Share, what sorts of questions would you ask? An obvious one (probing question) is, “Why is he wearing a band-aid?” I might start with “Does he have a name?” (closed-ended) in an attempt to “get to know” who we’re talking about.
Show N Share is really about communication and conversation. We don’t always have a prop in conversation, but we do have a subject.
Some of the kids get really excited waiting for their turn to “show.” But we are also learning this is not just about showing and telling. Steven Covey once observed, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” I think he’s right. But if we understand Show ‘N Share, maybe we realize our reply might best be a good question.
“You have to promise me something…” requested a real estate student a few years ago. I remember smiling when he finished, “You can’t retire until I’ve completed all three licensing courses.”
Some quick math at the time suggested I would be making at least a four-year commitment. It was tempting. I do enjoy teaching and really had no firm retirement plans but still managed to avoid the promise. After all, life happens.
I’m not sure it counts as a testimonial, but I did consider it a compliment. Unfortunately, I haven’t kept the data, but I do know there are many real estate licensees who’ve taken the three licensing courses with me. There are times when it makes me feel old. But it always makes me feel good.
So, if he’s reading this and hasn’t finished his journey, I’d like to assure him I’m not retiring. A few years ago, I did announce that I was because it’s supposed to be about learning. While I am not retiring I am taking another step in the direction of making it more about learning than it is about teaching.
Starting in 2018, I will become an adjunct instructor with The Real Estate Learning Group. I do so with eager anticipation of teaching “differently” using some exciting technology and what are commonly referred to as “blended” courses. These courses reflect the Kahn Academy model sometimes described as “flipping the classroom.”
Wikipedia describes the flipped classroom: “Flipped classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning that reverses the traditional learning environment by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally been considered homework, into the classroom.”
Don’t get me started or we’ll also have to discuss the Learning for Mastery (LFM) model—not often easily applied in required learning situations such as pre-licensing courses. We could stay up late discussing that one! In the simplest form, LFM is about student-centered instruction that’s more about learning than teaching.
From a practical perspective, joining The Real Estate Learning Group also means some new course locations and schedules. Stay tuned! I’m currently scheduled to teach the blended “fast track” Sales Agent Course in the Augusta area in January and the blended version of the Associate Broker Course in Bangor starting in January. Click the links for additional information and to register.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Many things will not change, including my commitment to helping students learn and master in a positive, enjoyable way. You can still find “” on my blog. I will also continue to publish the occasional issue of my Learning Opportunities E-newsletter.
“Thanks for another successful class! All three licenses have been garnered under your careful educational care!”
Recent Broker Student
Upcoming Courses:
ZIPNON / Pixabay
The recent Substitute Teacher Workshop sponsored by MSAD 53 in Pittsfield included a nice mix of people who are already subbing and some who will be subbing for the first time. One of my favorite comments on the evaluation was “The class taught that being a substitute was far more than a fill-in babysitter in a classroom.”
Okay, so my ego also liked the comment, “Mr. Boomsma is an excellent teacher!”
Folks who’ve participated in the workshop know that my bias is that we can worry less about classroom management if we keep a laser focus on teaching and learning. In an engaged and energetic classroom, there simply isn’t time for disruption.
It’s always exciting to welcome new substitutes to what can be an enjoyable and rewarding job. Remember, Mr. Boomsma’s “rule number two” is “we will enjoy learning!
For the benefit of all those who are embarking on substituting, I’ve recently created a one-page guide. It will remain available on the for future downloading.
