Mrs. Russell's Room

Teach Like A Pirate {Chapter 1: Passion}

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photo PirateBookStudy1_zpsb5491c78.pngWelcome to the first week of the book study for ‘Teach Like A Pirate’ written by Dave Burgess.  If you do not have the book, you can get it in paperback or electronically.  I’m reading it on my Kindle Fire and loving it!  Those of you that know me, know that my classroom theme is PIRATES!  So when Gina and Jen approached me with the idea of participating, I jumped at the chance to host a chapter of the book!

So, let me explain how this is going to work.  Each week, Gina & Jen will be hosting a linky party on their blogs.  Share your own thoughts on the chapter of the week on your own blog and then link up with them! ๐Ÿ™‚ Each week, they will open up the hosting duties to a third blogger.  That way, you’ll be able to connect with more bloggers over the course of the summer.  I’ll be hosting it the weekend of July 4th.  So, if you’re following along with me all summer…then you’ll get to link up with me that day too! ๐Ÿ™‚  I will do a chapter on Tuesday and one on Thursday as well.

Chapter 1: Passion
“Pirates are daring, adventurous, and willing to set forth into uncharted territories with no guarantee of success.  They reject the staus quo and refuse to conform to any society that stifles creativity and independence.”  -from the Introduction of, Teach Like a Pirate

If that is not the essence of teaching during these trying times…I don’t know what is.  In the sixteen years I’ve been teaching, I’ve never felt so much professional pressure to perform.  This first chapter was just what I needed to hear.  Burgess breaks up the chapter in to three distinct types of passion: content, professional, and personal.  In order to really grow in my practice, I’ve got to engage these three areas.  So…let’s dig in.
Tamara’s Content Passion: Social Studies
I love teaching about history.  Most of my best units are with that as the focal point.  My top selling unit in my TPT store? All About Economics 
Tamara’s Professional Passion:  Building relationships with students that encourage self-esteem and a desire to learn new things
This was a key part in the chapter for me.  I love how Burgess talks about teaching LCL’s (Life Changing Lessons) to strategically encorporate his professional passion regardless of his personal feelings about the content.  Loved that!  What did you think about that?  I also really resonated with how much he enjoys teaching about the Civil Rights Movement.  I love it too! ๐Ÿ™‚  I never had specific instruction on African American History, and so, in my classroom, its something that I really enjoy teaching and getting into.  
Tamara’s Personal Passion: I love playing the piano.  I love cooking.  I love singing songs.

These are all things that from time to time I incorporate into my classroom instruction.  My students are always amazed that I can play and sing at the same time!  Last year, I lead my third grade class in a concert of Negro Spirituals to go with the lessons I was teaching on the story of the Quilt Code and the Underground railroad.  I accompanied them while they sang.  It was super fun–and something that really made it special for the kids too! ๐Ÿ™‚  When I taught about fractions, I made homemade blueberry jam and created an activity for my third graders where they had to recreate the recipe at half the size and then doubled.  We celebrated our learning with some fresh biscuits and jam…brought in by yours truly! ๐Ÿ™‚  At the end of the year, I invited the class to my house for a barbecue.  I had some fruit in my fridge…and one of the students asked if we could ‘jam’.  Jam we did! ๐Ÿ™‚

During his summation, Burgess said, ‘Resist any movement that attempts to clone teachers and lessons and instead rejoice in the fact that it is your individuality and uniqueness that will always lead you to become the most effective teacher that you can be.  Light yourself on fire with passion…and don’t worry if it’s not a controlled burn.’
I trust that you found a way to become more passionate about your craft while reading this chapter! ๐Ÿ™‚
If you’ve got a blog post that reflects your learning on this chapter, link up with Gina or Jen.

Click on the button to go to Gina’s Blog

Click on the button to go to Jen’s Blog

For other thoughts on this chapter, check out a new bloggy friend of mine–Mary who teaches fourth grade and hosts the blog…

Guided Math

Click on her button to go to her blog!

Thanks for stopping by, Matey!

Until next week!

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      • Tamara says

        Thank you dear lady! ๐Ÿ™‚ This book is sooooo good! ๐Ÿ™‚ I am glad that you want to follow along! ๐Ÿ™‚ Chapter 2 will be up on Thursday, along with Chapter 1 of Word Nerds. ๐Ÿ™‚

      • Tamara says

        Thank you dear lady! ๐Ÿ™‚ This book is sooooo good! ๐Ÿ™‚ I am glad that you want to follow along! ๐Ÿ™‚ Chapter 2 will be up on Thursday, along with Chapter 1 of Word Nerds. ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. Gina Szczodrowski says

      I love your post! And I love that you had so much fun with your kids and even had them over for a BBQ! That is definitely above and beyond! It's amazing how one little chapter can spark so many ideas, and in my case it kept me going until the end of the year (or at least until I had to start loading all my stuff up and moving it…ain't no passion going to keep me THAT motivated lol)
      Gina
      Third Grade Tidbits