Teach Like a Pirate Chapter 5- Transformation

I'm back for chapter 5! A litle later than I would have liked today, but we have some serious running around and things to do before taking our first FAMILY vacation to Disney. Yep- Payton is going to meet the mouse up close and personal. And I may be just a tad more excited than she is. Ok...a  lot more since she really has no idea what it means when I say we are going to Disney... she just sings Ninneee doooo (which is her way of singing Disney Junior- where the magic begins). But I digress... Back to Chapter 5. 

Transformation- woo this chapter got me. It was a real wake up call for me. First of all, one thing we all know as teachers but sometimes don't put into perspective- to stand out in a child's mind, you must be remarkable. I want to be remarkable so that my students remember me. Now- I must say you can be remarkably good or remarkably bad. I sure don't want to be remembered for being the remarkably bad teacher (my third grade teacher was one of those... I will never forget her, but NOT for good reasons.)

In this chapter Dave asks 2 questions- 1. If your students didn't have to be there, would you be teaching an empty room? I can honestly say no to this one. I have kids tell me they don't want to go home, kids that ask me if they can come back to my class in following years to "visit and help". And kids that ask me to move onto 4th grade with them. I ALMOST considered it for next year but more than half of my class isn't returning so I decided against it. 

2. Do you have any lessons you could sell tickets for? Yikes- I don't know about this one. Possibly one or two, maybe more. I have gotten better but want to improve in this area. I mean, there is a reason that kids love the Frizz!

One last point- are you guilty of using the medicine approach? I am sad to say I am! The approach where you say something along the lines of "I know this isn't fun but it is on the test, we just have to do it." Yep I have done that. It isn't intentional but sometimes that dumb test is the only BIG thing that gets them to understand the importance of certain things. My goal for next year is to steer clear of the medicine approach. 

To read more, visit our Chapter 5 host- Lisa from

And of course... >I promise I am planning to visit each and every one of the people that have linked up. I was doing pretty good staying on top of it, so if I haven't visited a specific post yet, don't worry. I am coming your way soon!!
PS Jenn and I MAY have a VERY SPECIAL announcement coming to you in about a week or so! Be on the lookout! I may even let Jenn hijack my blog for me while I am in Disney- she doesn't know that yet though. :)