Dear Students:

I think on Monday I will give my students a piece of paper with this quote, and ask them to write a few sentences to tell me what it means to them, "

If you are not willing to learn, No one can help you. If you are determined to learn, No one can stop you. You hold the key to your education."

Lately some of my teacher friends have been teasing me that I should become a professional motivational speaker.  I told them if I was successful at motivating my students I would not be as discouraged as I currently am.  Clearly my motivational talks are not reaching my students the way I would like.  I hurt for my kids.  Why have they decided to give up?  What can I do to help?  Perhaps after they wrote their thoughts about this quote I would hand out something like the following:

"Dear Student,

Here is my philosophy of teaching in a condensed, student-friendly form.  When I was a student, I believed the second sentence.  If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.  I certainly struggled some in high school and college- trying to balance my time, complete my homework, study for tests, understand the material for tests and quizzes... but through it all, even during my low days- I knew if I worked hard enough, asked enough questions, and tried- that I would get it.  Oh there were days that it was harder than others- and some of those days and conversations with my teachers or professors are sketched forever in my memory.  But I knew my goal- my goal to graduate college and teach math to high school students.  I knew in order to reach my goal I had to get through the hard classes and the terrible, awful, evil-looking math problems.  I wanted to teach math to high school students because I wanted to help them.  I wanted students to feel supported even during their struggles.

Now I look at this quote with a different view.  Sure, as a teacher I could say, "yep- if my students aren't willing to learn, I can't help them." but that isnt what I believe.  Instead, I see it as the second part, as the teacher I am determined to learn how to teach the students who are unwilling to learn... therefore no one can stop me.  You see, when you do poorly on a quiz or test, immediately the following thoughts race through my mind 1) Did I teach the material in a way that could be understood by students?   2)  Did my students prepare and do their part for the test/quiz?   3) Did my students try?  When I check a quiz that a student did poorly I feel a sense of disappointment- not disappointment in the student- but disappointment that my student will not get the sense of satisfaction of learning this material and seeing it mastered.  Every day I consider myself to be a teacher- someone who teaches math- someone who teaches character- someone who teaches how and where to find the drive to succeed.  I have always had a yearning to be successful.  How, as your teacher can I help you to find that drive?  Are you afraid you will fail?  Are you convinced that because of previous experiences that you are not good enough?  Why have you shut down?  I am determined to learn how to teach you- how to teach you math and how to motivate you.  I refuse to give up on you just because you are showing me that you do not care.  I care- a lot.  I hope that soon you will too.

It is my  hope that in the next few weeks or years that you will start to see yourself in a whole new light.  You do not have to be the person you labeled a certain way a few years ago.  If you want to take a daring step to learn you can!  If you want to envision a successful future- you can have it.  You deserve the opportunity to learn.  You deserve the opportunity to achieve.  Let me help you.  Let others help you.  When you have the choice in the future to give up or to try, it is my hope that you will try.  

Mrs. Baker"

I would welcome any thoughts, dear blog readers!!!