Celebrating Our Strengths

(Day 15 of the Teach Thought blogging challenge: Name three strengths you have as an educator.)

Every teacher is different, each having their own set of strengths and areas for development. For the most part, I think teachers can talk a lot about the things they still want to learn or improve upon, but tend to shy away from celebrating their strengths. We are pretty humble, but I think it's important we share our strengths too. We are doing amazing things in the classroom everyday, and they deserve to be recognized. After all, we are the profession which produces every other profession, aren't we? 

Today, I'm sharing my top three strengths.

1. Building relationships- My students know me not only as their teacher, but as someone who really cares about them as individuals. They know I have their back, I will protect them, and I will help them. We're tight. We're a family, and no one messes with family! I take the time to know and understand them, which I believe directly affects their efforts in the classroom. They will take chances, try something new, and truly listen to me because they trust me. Obviously I can't guarantee such a strong connection with every child, but I can guarantee I will do everything in my power to make this happen. There will be some level of rapport and some level of a meaningful relationship with each one. 

2. Classroom Management- Preparation, organization, and behavior management are all keys to a successfulI school year. It takes some student training at the beginning of the year, but my classroom runs like a well-oiled machine. I have trained and mentored teachers in this area as well. 

3. Seek Continuous Development- I don't think a teacher can ever stop learning. As national mandates, educational trends, and student needs change, it's vital for teachers to stay on top of these topics and adapt to these changes. This is why I'm on Twitter. I'm constantly learning new things which both strengthen me and challenge me as an educator. I'm open to new ideas and thoughts which aren't my own. 

So, what are your strengths? Think about them and begin to share them with other teachers. You might just be helping someone in the process!