How To Become an Irreplaceable Teacher in Your School.
Someone told me once if I wanted to avoid tribulations and uncertainty in your position, you need to become an irreplaceable professional. Well, “nothing is irreplaceable,” you might think.
I feel the idea of irreplaceability can be interpreted differently based on the work circumstances and the school culture in general. In my new school district where I started working as an ESL push-in teacher, I’ve been struggling with understanding my purpose in the classroom, figuring out ways to collaborate with content area teachers, providing quality support for my English language learners within time and space restrictions.
My district has become infamous for moving the teachers around to different schools, and while I have not yet experienced being transferred or even given an assignment other than what I was hired for, my idea of becoming irreplaceable stems from my desire to bring value, serve the purpose, demonstrate my professionalism.
For many reasons I lacked fulfillment this year, and I feel the only way to change it is by exploring my passions, talent, interest and finding the elements of change I can bring into the next school year that will give more purpose, structure, and accomplishment in my won career. These are the things I will consider doing to become “irreplaceable” as a teacher:
1. Exchanging ideas and resources with my colleagues in the district and experimenting with them.
Talking and sharing with colleagues is the best PD available. You most likely want to share struggles as well as ways to solve problems.
Besides creating a valuable professional connection, you position yourself as an actively involved faculty member.
In addition, share your valuable findings with new and experienced teachers no matter how small and insignificant your findings might be: new strategy; new and more efficient form or template or a way to collect, store and present data; an intriguing article about the state of affairs in education; PD resources others have no access to; your own creations, etc.
2. Be different.
Many things that brought growth in my career happened because of being different, acting or thinking differently.
Being unlike others is not always easy. Well, it’s honestly terrifying at times. It involves acceptance to fail and to be judged. But the end result is always standing out in ways of thinking, behaving, and more.
Some of the things that made me different from quite many of my colleagues are the subjects of my passion: my blog, my art on Instagram, my art in a classroom.
Showing a different side of yours is a great way to stand out and be noticed. Novelty always ignites interest and make people feel drawn to you.
3. Take risks.
Taking risks for me comes from the refusal to stay stagnant. I can’t stand indecisiveness, fear, complains. I long for challenges and strive for efficiency no matter how complex a task can be.
Also, I always remember that my job is not rocket science, so making it easy and enjoyable is entirely in my reach. I take risks to go into a new position or move to a new grade level where I might have little or no experience.
Fear comes from the unknown we face. Excitement and accomplishment come from facing fears due to the unknown.
A new degree, new certification course, new position, new school – are the risks that might steepen a learning curve, but they will infuse energy and set you on an original exciting path of discovery as well.
4. Utilize your strongest skill.
Noone is perfect. What might work flawlessly for one Instagram/Pinterest teacher might not work for you. What looks efficient in one teacher’s classroom might turn inefficient in yours. There is never one way of doing things.
What’s important is to use your strongest skill(s). Is it creating beautiful wall charts or graphic organizers? Is it gamifying school work? Is it organizing the paperwork? Is it communication with students? What’s your superpower? Use it in your work, offer creations of your talent to your colleagues, share it with students.
Exhibiting your strongest skill makes you stand out, and this is what you want to become irreplaceable.
5. Know your professional basics.
There are many intimidating aspects of many professions. Being a teacher or becoming one can be quite intimidating and nerve-racking.
However, no matter how much experience you have, the major thing that will bring you confidence in your career is knowing your professional basics.
In teaching, these are standards, classroom management essentials, data collection, responsibilities as well as your rights. For an ESL teacher, it might be knowing scaffolding techniques, WIDA standards, testing for language learners, language proficiency levels of your students, speaking-listening-writing-reading inclusion into a lesson, and some others. To know the basics of one’s profession is the first step to becoming irreplaceable, and it also makes you a more efficient teacher in the long run.
Have a happy day! Keep creating!
Don’t forget to subscribe to Un-SeriousTeacher and connect on Instagram @unseriousteacher.
