1. Never smile before Christmas; you will have earned their respect by then.
2. Life is visceral; do not be afraid to go with your instincts.
3. Never argue with a student; you must always remain above the fray.
4. Always leave your classroom door open; do not hide the noise of great teaching and learning.
5. Never discipline in anger; the lesson will be lost in the animosity.
6. Always make the first communication with the parents positive; they will then be more willing to listen when there is a problem.
7. Never miss an opportunity to go off on a tangent based on a student’s question; it makes the subject relevant to their lives.
8. Always be prepared for class; you make too many mistakes when you wing it.
9. The first of everything, the first day, the first month, the first semester, is the best part.
10. Know that in order to compete with today’s gadgets, you must be excited and enthusiastic about your subject and entertaining in your presentation.
lifetimeteaching 