It seems like the school year has barely ended, and summer vacation has just begun. Yet students have spent the last two months soaking in everything that the summer solstice has to offer.
Collecting seashells at the beach, spying a bear on a hike in the mountains, or riding a thrilling roller coaster may be part of the plan for kids, but for teachers, this time off has been spent thinking and planning for the next school year.
It is during these seemingly endless summer days that quality educators sift through the myriad of ways they can do a better job of making a positive and lasting impact on their students. And for those who don’t, there is hope.
New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman and his daughter Kristen Leman O’Reilly believe that becoming a tremendous educator is easier than you think. By following a few simple steps, the think you can inspire and energize your classroom for a lifetime of success.
“You have to have a game plan in the classroom,” explains Leman, who has authored more than 50 books, including The Birth Order Book, which has brought him world acclaim.
“Your yes, better be yes. And your no had better be no. And that signals to the learners in the classroom that this teacher is an authority. There’s a huge difference between an authoritarian and being an authority. But that yes is yes, and that no and no is a great head start for a teacher who has 25 to 33 little kids in their classroom.”
In Be a Great Teacher by Friday: 5 Winning Ways to Spark World-Changing Potential, Dr. Leman and O’Reilly offer wisdom-fueled guidance on how to refine education basics and craft an intentional culture to match your teaching goals.
“We both realize that today, education is tough and teachers have to wear multiple hats, certainly well beyond just being a teacher in the classroom,” says Leman O’Reilly, who currently serves as the director of curriculum and instruction at the award-winning Leman Academy of Excellence. “My motivation is to encourage teachers. They are the difference makers and the future of our nation really rests in their hands.”
We recently sat down with this father-daughter duo to discuss the greatest challenges facing teachers these days, some positive developments currently happening in classrooms across the United States and the most important thing educators need to know to be successful.
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