When you hear the phrase “Teacher Sparkle”, does being yourself come to mind? Probably not since many people might think of sparkle as a lot of song and dance- turning your classroom into a dog and pony show, if you will.
But Teacher Sparkle is much simpler than all of that. Teacher Sparkle is all about being yourself in your classroom and making learning fun in ways that are unique to your amazing personality! Read on to hear more about what Teacher Sparkle really is!
Is Teacher Sparkle Important?
If I’m being honest here, I have to admit…I am a bit anxious to be starting a blog. It’s one thing to talk with friends in the workroom about the crazy stuff I’m doing in the classroom, but it’s another to put the crazy stuff I did in the classroom out there for other people to read about! Especially when the name of my blog includes the phrase “Teacher Sparkle”!
Envisioning the reactions some people may have to this borders-on-cheesy wording goes a little something like this. They start out with one big, lonnnng eye roll. Maybe add a smirk for just the right touch of smugness.
“Teacher Sparkle is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of!” they’ll snicker. *sigh* I get it…
In spite of how vapid it may sound though, Teacher Sparkle actually puts a name to the belief I have long held about what being a teacher means for me. Simply stated, it’s the joy, energy, and excitement that we bring to our classrooms and schools each and every day.
It took me a long time to realize that this amazing feeling… this Teacher Sparkle… is a real thing, but it took me even longer to realize that Teacher Sparkle is a gift. When you just do what comes naturally to you, nothing seems particularly special- just regular old you.
But Teacher Sparkle IS special because it’s all of your best qualities and strengths (you know, the ones that make you such an amazing person?) working together to make you an incredible teacher!
How Can You Have Teacher Sparkle?
Some people might think that Teacher Sparkle is just silly hats and funky socks on Spirit Week, and while I LIVED for those days, that’s just the tip of the Sparkle iceberg!
Teacher Sparkle is the joyfully unique way you approach every activity and lesson- making learning memorable for your students.
It’s looking for new and different techniques to teach the same old standards, but in a creative way that your students have never seen before.
Teacher Sparkle is not being afraid to strike out on your own in how you manage your classroom, relate with your students, or make every day just better for your kids- even if no one else is doing what you are doing.
There’s no containing your Sparkle within the walls of your classroom either! Your energetic creativity truly follows you wherever you go in your school building.
Bus Duty in the hallway? Teacher Sparkle says, “Try playing a quiet game with the students!”
Interactions with fellow staff members? Teacher Sparkle says, “Share an encouraging compliment- or better yet….chocolate!”
In the cafeteria during lunch? *shudders in horror* OK…maybe not there…
Being Yourself Brings Out Your Sparkle!
Fair warning though… being a teacher with some serious Sparkle can be hard work and is sometimes exhausting. But it’s always worth it! It ebbs and flows, some days jolting you with inspired sparks of brilliance completely out of nowhere, while other days, feeling so far away that you couldn’t sparkle your way out of a paper bag.
But you will Sparkle because it’s WHO YOU ARE! Regardless of whether you sparkle BIG or small, the great thing about Teacher Sparkle is that it’s contagious!
If you don’t feel like you have a lot of Sparkle, hanging out with a fellow teacher who does will be just the ticket to get your own creative juices flowing (we can hang on Instagram!)! And your Teacher Sparkle will encourage others to get sparkly, too!
So here I am, in all my Teacher Sparkle glory, saying that you have your own Sparkle… you DO! And I will be here with you- bringing encouragement, ideas, and resources to help you sparkle brightly and joyfully!
You know what?… I don’t think I’m nervous about writing blog posts anymore. I’m pretty proud of my Sparkle… and you should be proud of yours, too!
PS- Were you trying to keep count of how many times I repeated “Teacher Sparkle” or “Sparkle”? I think it was 23…
