Quick question: when you teach a class, is the class yours? Or your students'?

This may seem like some sort of riddle or conundrum, but really, the way you view this answer will dramatically change the way you teach your classes.

If you see the classes you teach as your own, you are more likely to come in with a specific agenda and expectations. You have the way you do things and the way you like to see things done. You know what is best for every child.

If, however, you see the classes you teach as your students', you are more likely to come in with flexible lesson plans and expectations. You are able to adapt your ideas to every child and his or her abilities, personality, and disposition. You know that there is no one thing that is best for every child, but rather each child has different ways of relating and learning.

Which method is better? Well, I'm not going to answer that because while the answer may be quite obvious to some (and it may be either answer!), there actually is no right answer. But I do encourage you to sit with the question for a while and see what answer you come up with. A lot of people have very disconsonant teaching styles, thinking they are all about the kids, when they are really all about themselves and their own agenda...or vice versa.

Decide who you are teaching for--and why--and see if it changes your approach and your results.