by Peg Grafwallner

Today, more than ever, teachers have taken the blame for everything wrong in education: blame for students’ poor academic performance, failed district mandates and school initiatives, and student apathy and laxity. Teachers, however, are suffering from their own dispiritedness: phrases like “compassion fatigue, “job-related stress,” and “teacher burnout” are now a part of teacher vernacular. According to the National Council on Teacher Quality (2023), the “number of teacher preparation completers has declined steadily over the past decade—a nearly 25 percent drop.” We don’t need to read another alarmist telling us the profession is “in trouble.” It is no wonder that the teaching profession remains a questionable career for many people.

We know all of this and yet there are new teachers coming into the field. Studies Weekly explains, “New teachers have so much to offer your school. They bring a fresh perspective on education, knowledge of modern teaching strategies, and a desire to start their career with a bang. When supported by school leadership, new educators can dramatically improve student performance.” These “excited recruits” (Grafwallner, 2017) can support students in ways, perhaps, that had not been thought of before. Their connection to technology and virtual learning, as an example, can be instrumental in offering students opportunities beyond the walls of the classroom.

Likewise, we need to support veteran teachers. Veteran teachers choose to remain in the field for a variety of reasons: years of service, relationships with colleagues, respect for administration, and yes, knowing that their students need them. Beck, Lunsmann, and Garza (2020) “found that the teachers [who left the profession] missed their relationships with their students. Thus, students may help to retain teachers as well.” We cannot underestimate the relationship between teacher and student – we know that “students are more likely to learn when they feel cared for and valued by their teacher” (Bergin as quoted in Consiglio, 2022); clearly, without these veteran teachers, student academics could suffer.

Indeed, we encourage others to join us in our profession, and not because of the adage, “misery loves company,” but rather, because we know our students need quality teachers who are willing to accept the challenges within the profession. But they also realize that change, though slow, is possible, at least within their classroom.

Where can we find that change? Oftentimes, among ourselves. We often look to each other for inspiration, comfort, and best practices in a field that has been overwhelmed with textbook lobbyists and “activists” who have never taught a day in their lives. We want to motivate those who are thinking of becoming teachers, we want to cultivate those who need extra support to stay in the field, and we want to appreciate those who stay to mentor our novice teachers amid the noise of the profession. In short, we want to emulate those who create classrooms of warmth and safety while applying research-based lessons with proven academic results for all student abilities.

To this end, teachers often adopt a “Principles of Practice” mindset without even realizing it. They create a classroom guided by a tenet, a belief, a conviction that they believe in so passionately that it encompasses their teaching life. As a novice English teacher, I vividly remember just trying to stay afloat: designing intriguing and engaging lesson plans, completing all expected school and district paperwork, offering worthwhile and process-oriented feedback, grading without bias or stereotypes, making empathetic and supportive phone calls home, attending all district and school mandated meetings, and a myriad of other “duties as assigned.”

But amid all these expectations, I realized I had adopted a principle of practice – a tenet that guided my classroom culture, my students, and my teaching. I wanted to be equitable. According to Dictionary.com, “equitable” means “characterized by equity or fairness; just and right; fair.” Of course, this definition is subjective; but if you dig a little deeper, some of the synonyms are “objective,” “impartial,” and “just.” 

I tried to act upon these synonyms and did my best to reflect them in the classroom. I extended deadlines for students who needed them. I allowed extra time on tests for students who suffered from text anxiety. I shared my notes and personal resources for students who had limited resources. In short, I tried to see my students as individuals with singular experiences and singular situations. As a result, I focused on being equitable and created that precept as my principle of practice.

I wanted my students to know, through my teaching, grading, and in conversation, that I saw them as individuals and would teach and grade accordingly. I wouldn’t succumb to the “one-size-fits-all” style of teaching, but rather offer multiple ways of knowing, doing, and grading. As an example, as an English teacher, I offered a choice. When we read Homer’s The Odyssey, we used a variety of media: an abridged version, a graphic novel, a hip-hop recording, and film excerpts. When students showed their learning, they were able to role-play a scene, take a written test, or write their own version. In giving students choice, students were able to show me what they could do; not what I assumed they could do. I created a just classroom in teaching and grading, one that saw students as individuals with their own experiences and how those experiences could shape their learning.

In addition, I wouldn’t allow students to feel anything but welcomed and nurtured in my classroom, by me and by fellow classmates. As an example, I reached out to every student before they walked in the door, we paraphrased the vigorous learning intention and scaffolded success criteria so students were clear on the expectations, and we listened to each other as we discussed, argued, and ruminated during classroom analysis. My principle of practice was a part of the foundation of my classroom culture and a part of the success of my students.

I had, indeed, created a principle of practice in the classroom and within my mindset without making that an explicit priority. Looking back, I’m not sure if my principle of practice was based on how I was raised, on my own educational journey, my student teaching experience, or a combination of living life. I do know; however, that I believed heartily in justice and made it a cornerstone of my teaching.

As you think about the world of education today, it has truly taken on a life of its own. We can wring our hands and get caught up in the minutia that causes education to be the polarizing matter it is today, or we can create or adopt a principle of practice that can support us, support our teaching, and support our students in moving forward.

In short, let’s move on from blame and dejection; let’s take what has worked in classrooms led by quality teachers applying their principals of practice in the classroom. Let’s embrace these principles, modifying and revising for our comfort and our students’ needs, and let’s offer ourselves as notable examples of what is working in the classroom.

Join us as we become the best teachers we can be!

About the author

Peg Grafwallner, M.Ed., is an Instructional Coach/Reading Specialist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with nearly 30 years of experience. In collaborating with educators, Peg models, coaches, and assists teachers in creating comprehensive literacy lessons meant to enhance skill-building. Peg is a blogger, author, national, and international presenter whose topics include coaching, literacy, pedagogy, and inclusion. She is also the author of Lessons Learned from the Special Education Classroom: Creating Opportunities for All Students to Listen, Learn and Lead; Ready to Learn: The FRAME Model for Optimizing Student Success; Not Yet … And That’s Ok: How Productive Struggle Fosters Student Learning and Clearing the Path for Developing Learners: Essential Literacy Skills to Support Achievement in Every Content Area.

You can follow Peg on X (formerly Twitter) at https://x.com/PegGrafwallner, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PGrafwallner, Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/pgrafwallner.bsky.social and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peg-grafwallner-08aa2577/.

References

Center for Professional Education of Teachers. (n.d.) Principles of Practice. https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/principles-of-practice.html

Consiglio, B. (2022, March 7). “Positive teacher-student relationships lead to better teaching.” University of Missouri College of Education and Human Development. https://cehd.missouri.edu/2022/03/positive-teacher-student-relationships-lead-to-better-teaching/

James, R. J. (2024, January 9). Make classrooms, not hallways, the heart of belonging. ASCD. https://ascd.org/blogs/make-classrooms-not-hallways-the-heart-of-belonging

Grafwallner, P. (2017, September 5). “Coaching the novice teacher.” Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/coaching-novice-teacher/

Homer. (1999). The Odyssey. Robert Fagles (Translator). Penguin Classics.

Howard, C. (2022, September 14). “How school leaders can support new teachers.” Studies Weekly. https://www.studiesweekly.com/support-new-teachers/

Saenz-Armstrong, P. (2023, August 23). “Data brief: How do trends in teacher preparation enrollment and completion vary by state? National Council on Teacher Quality. https://www.nctq.org/blog/Data-Brief:-How-do-trends-in-teacher-preparation-enrollment-and-completion-vary-by-state#:~:text=The%20total%20number%20of%20teacher,drop%20of%20more%20than%2025%25