50 Signs You Are A Teacher Geek!

@TeacherToolkit

Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2010, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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How do you know if you are a teacher-geek?

There is nothing wrong with loving your work, and being top of the class.

Some teachers view teaching as a job. They go home, get on with other things, log off and have other interests.

I do that, too.

However, some teachers like to develop their passion after hours. Their inner *geek can escape and be nurtured!

In the early days of social media and blogging (pre-2010), I faced criticism for talking about teaching and learning out of hours. Very few understood how to use social media, and talking about teaching online was perceived as excessive. However, today, thankfully, we are much better at managing our social media health. We know when to log off, when to stop chasing ‘likes’, or when to search for more inspiration.

I believe we’re also very good at knowing that others work at different times of the day, in different parts of the world, and teach in different contexts. No matter who we follow, we all know that we are likely to see content that is work-related (or not) whenever we log in.

With this better understanding of how we use social media and a space where teachers can bypass popular platforms, such as the TES, popular teaching magazines, and the local authority, teachers can now freely speak out about their passions. They can find a world of fellow teacher geeks; teachers like me who love talking about all things teaching.

24/7 ‘discussions about teaching’ are here to stay, but we all need to manage how we log in and out of our passions.

For fun, I started building a list of ‘teacher-geek things’ I’ve seen in myself.

How many can you tick off?

50 signs you are a teacher geek

1. You feel genuinely excited about new educational research findings.
2. Lesson planning is something you look to refine, not recreate.
3. You have a personal library of teaching books, and it’s constantly growing.
4. Attending educational conferences feels like going to a concert of your favourite band.
5. You spend your free time browsing teaching blogs and websites for inspiration.
6. Classroom organisation is a form of art to you.
7. You have more stationery than a local supply store, meticulously laid out!
8. Educational podcasts dominate your playlists.
9. You follow more educators on social media than celebrities.
10. The idea of a professional development day excites you more than a day off.
11. You’ve thought critically about pedagogical theories more often than you’d like to admit.
12. Collaborating with other teachers to share best practices is a good use of your time.
13. You have a favourite educational theorist.
14. You find joy in crafting actionable feedback for your students.
15. Your idea of casual reading includes articles on teaching strategies.
16.  You’ve tried incorporating technology in your classroom in innovative ways.
17. You’ve stayed up late refining a curriculum plan to ensure it’s just right.
18. You’re always on the lookout for new teaching methods to try out.
19. You’ve volunteered to lead professional development sessions for your colleagues.
20. You have a Twitter account dedicated to classroom ideas
21.  You actively participate in education forums, radio shows and webinars.
22. You’ve experimented with quizzing in your lessons.
23. You’ve customised your classroom materials to suit your students’ needs better.
24. You enjoy discussing educational politics and know how to resolve some issues overnight!
25. You’ve researched the educational systems of other countries for fun.
26. You keep a teaching journal or blog to reflect on your experiences.
27. Attending Saturday conferences and TeachMeets is your idea of professional inspiration.
28. You’ve dabbled in writing your own educational materials, blog or books.
29. You have a special pen for marking, and you know the difference between a bullet and a chisel-tip.
30. You love the moment a student (finally) grasps a concept! “Yes, my work is done”, you whisper to yourself.
31. You’re always ready with an educational fun fact. The staff quiz is taken very seriously!
32. You’ve pursued additional qualifications in education.
33. You’ve organised or participated in extra meetings or workshops in addition to your school hours.
34. You know what cognitive load theory is!
35. You’ve used your own money to purchase classroom resources.
36. You’re known among your friends for your classroom stories.
37. You read teaching blogs on a Sunday!
38. You’ve mentored new teachers or student teachers with great enthusiasm.
39. You find ‘teachable moments’ in everyday life.
40. Your holiday destinations are sometimes chosen based on educational interests.
41. You’ve attended webinars on a Saturday morning!
42. You’re constantly seeking feedback to improve your teaching practice.
43. You’ve created original teaching resources and shared them online.
44. You’ve met your educational hero, or you’re now plotting how to tick it off this list!
45. You can save others countless hours of workload if they do your ‘one thing’ your way.
46. You’ve engaged in educational debates in the pub.
47. You’ve applied educational pedagogy to other aspects of your life.
48. You know the difference between neuroscience, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, and cognitive science.
49. You are not scared of data!
50. You’ve shared some words of wisdom with your headteacher, and they’ve later quoted you in staff briefing …

This post is to celebrate teachers who consider themselves hungry for all -things teaching and learning, whether you do this during the working day or search for even more inspiration out of hours.

Carry on being a geek; our profession needs you.

*passionate, expert, experienced etc.

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