If you are not passionate about what you are doing you are a fraud.
Newtons Law of Gravity, The History of Sports in America, Westward Expansion. Global Warming. There is not a theme or topic that is not full of social justice, questions of equity and ethics. Dig deep. Make the connections. These are the things our kids will remember.
Cultural context. I bring a history with me. We all do. Behind the scowls, the tattoos, the tilted baseball caps. Identity. World views. The stuff of who we are. Here there are no exams. But realities scintillating with meaning and clues.
Caring. Connecting. Not about being liked. But being respected. It gives any teacher the leverage to challenge and push and elevate expectations.
Classroom management? We manage checkbooks and time. In the lives of children we bring our enthusiasm and interst. Managed classrooms are orderly. Engaged ones buzz with the energy of active learning.