What Really Inspires Students: It’s Not the Lesson Plan, It’s You
The essence of this discourse revolves around the profound realization that what truly inspires students transcends meticulously crafted lesson plans; it is the authentic presence of the educator that leaves an indelible mark on their hearts and minds. As we delve into the intricacies of pedagogical impact, we assert that students will not retain the minutiae of pacing guides or worksheets, but rather, they will remember the teacher who demonstrated genuine care and empathy during times of struggle. The vitality of energy in the classroom is paramount, as it not only influences the atmosphere but also fosters an environment conducive to learning. Furthermore, we emphasize the significance of modeling human imperfection, as this cultivates resilience and encourages students to embrace their own challenges. Ultimately, our discussion seeks to illuminate the pivotal role that presence, energy, and humanity play in shaping the educational experience, thereby inspiring greatness in young individuals.
The discussion unfolds with an emphasis on a paramount truth: the essence of effective teaching lies not within the confines of meticulously crafted lesson plans but rather in the authentic presence of the educator. The host, Nicholas Kleve, poignantly articulates that students are inclined to remember the teachers who exhibited genuine care and empathy, who acknowledged their struggles, and who shared laughter amidst the challenges of learning. As educators, our capacity to inspire transcends the mere execution of pedagogical strategies; it is profoundly rooted in the relationships we forge with our students. Our presence, marked by steadfastness and authenticity, serves to cultivate an environment where students feel valued and understood. In this narrative, the quintessential message is clear: presence supersedes perfection.
Delving deeper into the discourse, Kleve highlights the contagious nature of energy within the classroom. He asserts that an educator's mood can significantly influence students' engagement and receptiveness. When we embody enthusiasm, curiosity, and positivity, we create a dynamic learning atmosphere that empowers students to embrace their educational journey. The notion that teaching should not be a performance but rather a shared human experience is reiterated as he encourages educators to model their own vulnerabilities and aspirations. By doing so, we not only foster resilience in ourselves but also inspire our students to navigate their own challenges with courage and authenticity.
Thus, the episode culminates in a compelling reminder: the most enduring impact we have on our students stems from our unwavering presence, our energetic engagement, and our genuine humanity. It is through these qualities that we leave an indelible mark on their lives, far beyond the limitations of academic assessments or standardized curricula. In essence, to inspire greatness in our students, we must first commit to showing up as our true selves, unencumbered by the pursuit of perfection.
Takeaways:
- The most impactful educators are those who show genuine presence and authenticity.
- Students tend to remember the emotional connections they form with their teachers.
- Energy and enthusiasm in the classroom can significantly enhance student engagement and learning.
- Being open about one's imperfections fosters a culture of resilience and authenticity among students.
- Teachers should focus on building relationships over adhering strictly to lesson plans and curricular standards.
- Inspiration in education stems from the teacher's humanity, which resonates deeply with students.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Be a Funky Teacher
Transcript
Yeah, he's Mr. Funky.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Mr. Funky Teacher inspires greatness, makes you feel good.
Speaker A:Like your favorite playlist.
Speaker A:Keeping that fresh and funky.
Speaker A:Yes, he does.
Speaker A:He got some funky cool ideas to share for all you teachers.
Speaker A:He can empower others, students and teachers.
Speaker A:It's all about hard work and creativity.
Speaker A:He brings out the kindness in everyone.
Speaker A:He's got the passion to teach.
Speaker A:You hear it when he speaks.
Speaker A:He knows how to build strong relationships.
Speaker A:If you're seeking the best bunkiest, he is it.
Speaker A:He will empower you to improve.
Speaker A:He'll be helping others and loving it too.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, he's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:This is Mr. Funky Teacher with Be a Funky Teacher dot com.
Speaker B:I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast.
Speaker B:Today's episode is titled what really Inspires Students.
Speaker B:It's not the lesson plans, it's you.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:That's what we're going to be focusing on on today's episode.
Speaker B:But before we get into it, let's talk about the three things I'm thankful for.
Speaker B:First thing I'm thankful for is time with my two sons at the Nebraska Cornhusker game.
Speaker B:Now my daughter and wife, they weren't able to go.
Speaker B:They had a baby shower they had to go to.
Speaker B:And so my two sons and I decided to go to the Nebraska Cornhusker game in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Speaker B:And wow, being there at the game together, watching their faces light up, that's the kind of memory you hold on to.
Speaker B:It was their first, a big Division 1 football game too.
Speaker B:And it was my second time going to a big Division 1 football game and boy, was it fun.
Speaker B:And getting to see the Cornhuskers get the win, that was even more exciting.
Speaker B:Next thing.
Speaker B:Second thing is my brother getting better.
Speaker B:My brother is has been in the hospital.
Speaker B:He lives with disabilities, mentally and physically disabled.
Speaker B:And so I've been going up every night to the hospital to see him, spend some time with him.
Speaker B:My dad, who's in his mid-70s, hasn't left the side unless I'm up there.
Speaker B:My dad will go home for a little bit, but boy, my dad won't leave his side otherwise and it stays up there with him.
Speaker B:And just getting to see my brother get better, he's got a infection near his pig feeding tube and just seeing my brother get stronger and getting feeling better is this is something that I'm very thankful for.
Speaker B:Next thing, former students and families with encouraging words.
Speaker B:I've had multiple, multiple people former Students actually over the last week with their families had reached out and it had said some very kind things about the impact I had on their kids.
Speaker B:The families, this very kind affirmational types of things.
Speaker B:And those.
Speaker B:Those types of things are worth their weight in gold.
Speaker B:I tell you what, they mean everything to me, and I'm so thankful for some messages I've gotten from some of those former students and their families just thanking me for everything I did for them.
Speaker B:They mean everything.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:It actually ties into this episode very nicely.
Speaker B:What really inspires students.
Speaker B:It's not the lesson plans, it's you.
Speaker B:So let's think first about the.
Speaker B:The one, the.
Speaker B:The big idea here is that presence over perfection is what we have to remember as educators.
Speaker B:Students aren't going to remember if you nailed every pacing guide or followed every script or every lesson plan that you had set in place perfectly.
Speaker B:Y' all know what they going to remember.
Speaker B:The teacher who noticed when they were hurting.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:They're going to remember if, If.
Speaker B:If we notice when they were struggling.
Speaker B:The teacher who laughed with students.
Speaker B:The teacher who consistently showed up, even on the tough days, even if we knew they were going to be tough days, and we show up.
Speaker B:Bottom line is that presence inspires more than polish ever possibly could.
Speaker B:You know, I think about this school year for me, with multiple new curricular resources.
Speaker B:Some of that has been clunky at times, and I don't always feel fully prepared, even though I spent hours preparing.
Speaker B:But I'm still present, I'm still steady.
Speaker B:I still try to be real.
Speaker B:And that's what I want kids to take away, that I cared enough to walk through the mess with students, the mess of learning something new.
Speaker B:My presence is there over perfection.
Speaker B:And I always tell my students, too, if you want a perfect teacher, you're not looking at them.
Speaker B:I. I come right out and tell students that.
Speaker B:That I'm not a perfect teacher.
Speaker B:They're not perfect students.
Speaker B:And so we're gonna be in our imperfection together.
Speaker B:And that's okay, because there's no such thing as a.
Speaker B:As a perfect human being.
Speaker B:No such thing as a perfect teacher, perfect student.
Speaker B:I'm trying to plant those seeds that perfection is not something that is attainable and to give ourselves some grace, especially if we're.
Speaker B:If we're present, that our presence is more powerful than any sort of idea of perfection that we can bring to learning environments.
Speaker B:The next thing, energy is contagious.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:As educators, you heard me say this before, and I'll Say it again and I'll say it again.
Speaker B:That energy is contagious.
Speaker B:Your classroom, y', all, often reflects your mood.
Speaker B:If you walk in tired, flat, or worn down, kids feel it.
Speaker B:If you bring energy, excitement, and curiosity, it shifts the whole room.
Speaker B:It does, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:It does.
Speaker B:Energy doesn't mean being on all the time.
Speaker B:I mean, how possibly could we?
Speaker B:But it does mean being intentional with how we show up for our students.
Speaker B:We have to use our voice as an instrument to.
Speaker B:To go soft, to go loud, to go dramatic.
Speaker B:We have to use that in our voice as an instrument that we have to move around the space in our classrooms, be animated with our hands.
Speaker B:We have to let ourselves laugh at the little moments in our classroom.
Speaker B:Even when lesson lessons are tough, our spark makes students lean in.
Speaker B:And you all know this.
Speaker B:There are some lessons that are tough.
Speaker B:There are some lessons that students struggle with.
Speaker B:And when we come to those lessons, still with a spark, with still an energy, it will make students lean into those lessons.
Speaker B:I think of over the weekend when I was at the Nebraska Cornhuskers football game with my sons, the energy of the crowd was lifting everybody up in the crowd.
Speaker B:The sea of red, the sea of energy.
Speaker B:That same principle, y' all works in a classroom.
Speaker B:Our passion, our energy creates momentum that students, they can ride and they can push forward with that.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:That sea of energy will carry students forward.
Speaker B:It'll carry the momentum forward in our classrooms.
Speaker B:And the next idea is to model being human.
Speaker B:It's a model just being human.
Speaker B:Students don't connect with superheroes.
Speaker B:They connect with humans.
Speaker B:We don't have to be some sort of super superhero or super beyond human type of figure in a classroom.
Speaker B:We can share mistakes.
Speaker B:We can share our passions, we, our struggles with students.
Speaker B:You know, age appropriate, of course.
Speaker B:When we do that, though, we model resilience, authenticity, and growth.
Speaker B:We do.
Speaker B:That's what we're doing.
Speaker B:Students are inspired when they see us showing up, that we're still learning, that we're still trying to.
Speaker B:We're still coming for them that inspire students.
Speaker B:You know, I think of my brother being in the hospital.
Speaker B:I'm going to share that with my students this week and let my students know, hey, my brother's in the hospital.
Speaker B:I'm worried about him.
Speaker B:He's getting better, though.
Speaker B:Been going up and seeing him.
Speaker B:My brother being in a hospital reminds me of how important it is to tell students that life is messy and hard sometimes, yet you keep moving forward.
Speaker B:So share age appropriate glimpses of your life, letting students know it's okay to be human.
Speaker B:It's okay to be imperfect.
Speaker B:It's okay to deal with your own struggles.
Speaker B:It lets them know that you're human.
Speaker B:Even.
Speaker B:Even something as small as a former student sending me encouraging kind words, it reminds me that those authentic connections last far beyond any test sheet, any test assessment, any handout lives far beyond.
Speaker B:So some big takeaways here, some reflections.
Speaker B:Hard to to remember that inspiration doesn't come from perfect lesson plans.
Speaker B:It comes from you.
Speaker B:Your presence, your energy, your humanity.
Speaker B:Students will forget the worksheets, but they won't forget the way you made them feel seen.
Speaker B:Make them feel heard and valued.
Speaker B:Keep showing up, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:Keep showing up.
Speaker B:That's what inspires and ultimately remember to inspire greatness in young people.
Speaker B:And don't forget to be a funky teacher.
Speaker B:Bye now.
Speaker A:He's Mr.
Speaker A:Bulky Teacher, yeah he's Mr.
Speaker A:Bulky Teacher, yeah, yeah, yeah.
