Dear Members of the SBISD Family:
Welcome back to the 2013-14 school year! I am very excited about the year ahead and look forward to working with each of you as we strive to provide the best educational opportunities anywhere in the country.
We are entering the second year focusing on our goal of doubling the number of students who complete some form of higher education (T-2-4). In SBISD, we define higher education as a technical certificate, military training, two-year degree, or a four-year degree. Last week, we welcomed nearly 350 new teachers to Spring Branch.
During our New Teacher Orientation, I shared with them some of my thoughts around our goal and my views of what makes a great teacher. Part of my talk centered on the four pillars of great teaching: content knowledge, planning, classroom management, and the human side of teaching.
I would like to take a few moments to explore these concepts further.
Content Knowledge – Great teachers have a deep command of their content. They are content experts and they consistently strive to build on that knowledge. They never stop learning.Plan, Plan, Plan – Great teachers are thoughtful planners. They spend a significant amount of time developing great lessons and are always trying to find new and better ways to reach kids.
Classroom Management – Great teachers are great managers of their classrooms. They realize that teaching is the transfer and discovery of knowledge and not merely the presentation of content. With that understanding, they manage their classroom to produce great outcomes.
Human Side of Teaching – Great teachers care deeply about each student in their classroom. They approach student struggles with a positive lens and take the time to ask critical questions to better understand a student’s situation. They understand that relationships are built on trust and respect and that caring for each individual student is critical to building a classroom culture of success.
I am fortunate to be part of a school system that has so many great teachers and support staff who strive every day to provide the best educational opportunities to over 35,000 students.
I hope you have a great school year and I look forward to working with you to meet our goal.
Sincerely,
Duncan
0 comments :
Post a Comment