Beliefs-Coach G

When teachers ask me what I did to turn things around, I stress at first that it wasn't what I did so much as what I believed. In particular, even in my darkest moments, I clung to the belief that there was something I was doing (or not doing) to contribute to if not cause my classroom woes. This may seem like a lot to put on any teacher, let alone a new one. Yet this sort of ownership over classroom outcomes has been a hallmark of successful teachers I've known over the years. And if you think about it, to believe otherwise is to accept powerlessness over your situation.