Teacher Hetlinger

Spruce Grove celebrates 40 years as a city ctvnews.ca/edmonton/artic…

When I was a high school principal, I interviewed a teacher named Jake Huggins. He seemed like a good candidate—friendly, experienced, and thoughtful. I believed he could be a solid addition to our faculty. But any lingering doubt disappeared when he answered one particular question. It has always been my favorite. I asked him, “Jake, in every school in America, you can place teachers on a continuum. On one end are those who don’t seem to want to be there. They’re always complaining. Their colleagues wonder why they haven’t retired yet. They drain the energy of the building. But on the other end are teachers who are excited to come to work. They love their students. They value their colleagues. They lift the spirits of everyone around them. When graduates come back, these are the teachers they want to see. So Jake… what’s the difference between these two teachers? What is the X factor? Because that’s what we’re looking for.” Most teachers answer that question by talking about passion. Or purpose. Or the desire to make a difference rather than just earn a paycheck. Those are good answers. But Jake said something different—something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “I think almost every teacher starts out idealistic. They love kids. They want to change the world. But after a few years, you hit a wall. You realize how hard this job really is. There are endless papers to grade. Some students make it incredibly challenging to teach. And parents aren’t always supportive. Some teachers never move past that reality check. They burn out. But others do. They keep their sense of purpose in spite of the challenges. The work is hard, but they remain convinced it matters. Some students are difficult, but they know those students need someone who refuses to give up on them. They face adversity, but they don’t let it steal their passion. Those are the teachers who make a difference year after year.” We hired Jake. A few years later he was named the school’s Teacher of the Year. So today, I salute Jake—and every educator who has faced that “reality check” and chosen to keep going. The ones who remember their whyon the hard days. The ones who refuse to let frustration turn into cynicism. The ones who continue to believe, even when the work is exhausting. Because those are the teachers who change lives. And they do it… year after year. Cheers, Danny

I drive Uber on the night shift. You meet all kinds. Drunks, lovers, tired nurses. At 2 AM, I picked up a guy from a hospital. He got in the back, looking shell-shocked. Didn't say a word. We drove in silence for ten minutes. Then I heard a sniffle. I glanced in the rearview. He was staring out the window, tears streaming down his face. "Rough night?" I asked quietly. "My wife," he choked out. "She just... the cancer. She's gone." My heart stopped. I turned off the meter. "I'm not taking you home yet," I said. He looked up, confused. "What?" "You can't go to an empty house right now. Not yet." I pulled into an all-night diner. "Come on. Coffee and pie. On me." He hesitated, then nodded. We sat in that booth for three hours. He told me about her laugh. How they met. How she hated peas. I just listened. When I finally dropped him off at 6 AM, the sun was coming up. He shook my hand. "Thank you," he said. "For not making me be alone in the dark." I didn't make a dime that night. But it was the most important drive of my life. Anonymous

How does "rigor for all" coexist with the need for differentiation? This infographic from @Inner_Drive helps illustrate.

The entrance is noticed, but the exit is remembered. I once heard someone share that a person can be with an organization for decades, but ultimately, they will judge that entire experience based on their last three months. It seemed ridiculous at first, and then I thought about it, and that is totally how I felt in my roles.  And if you treat those people with respect and appreciation while they are there and as they transition into the next phase of their lives, they become your biggest advocates and your best recruiters. Want to become better at recruiting new staff? Focus on how you retain and treat the staff that is currently there. That reputation will become your best recruiting tool.

Calculus | Maths | #Calculus 1/10

As a mathematician, I must post this every Valentine's Day. I don't make the rules

I just read on Facebook a post by someone called Katy M calculating that the $143M funding for ‘complexity teams’ pretty much equals: $240M of teacher wages that were not paid during the strike minus $70 given out to parents for childcare. So teachers are paying for this.

“Atomic Habits" by James Clear. One of the most impactful books on habit formation that will help you achieve success that lasts. Here are 8 Powerful Lessons from the book: - Thread -

When the lows feel low, call in your #TeacherFriends. ❤️

This is smoke and mirrors. Many Alberta school districts, with up to 3” schools are getting ONE teacher and TWO aides. TO SHARE.

Happy Valentines - A classic Valentine math equation

Love this! 🧡

If I were an NDP MLA I would be knocking on doors with copies of the UCP government’s latest report showing which schools in their communities have 50, 100, 200 or more highly complex classes that won’t receive additional supports under the UCP’s new plan. #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

Happy Valentines Day!

@westjet Why board the plane at 9 am & have us sit on the tarmac for an 1 1/2 when the pilot knows we cannot take off until 10:23 am. Really? Do better. This after I dealt with a rude customer service representative for seat selection. Air Canada is getting my future business.

Nicolaides today - “As you can see, class sizes are entirely reasonable on average!” Recommended class averages - “Wait, 30% above our own maximum numbers for K-3 is reasonable now? Boy this just got a lot easier! #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli