Remembering More Than Your ‘Why’

A popular educational mantra is for teachers to “remember your why.” The phrase has appeared in inspirational videos, podcasts, and posters, and countless professional development pep talks. Remembering a why helps teachers focus on our purpose in the classroom.

Like many trends in education, “remember your why” has also received plenty of criticism and pushback. Taken to the extreme, this motto can actually worsen teacher burnout by ignoring real problems and sidestepping self-care. When it’s framed responsibly, however, teachers who remember their why will maintain professional boundaries and a healthy perspective.

But don’t stop there. Go beyond your why. Teachers can strengthen resolve and impact by reflecting on other facets of their learning and motivation.

1. Remember Your How

How have you learned the content you teach? Hopefully, you find joy in learning new ideas and information. In what ways do you infuse daily lessons with a similar sense of discovery? Helping students experience “aha!” moments not only cultivates a classroom full of delight, but also can enhance long-term memory, creativity, and confidence. Moreover, the attitudes and behaviors we exhibit as teachers are the same ones our students will copy and develop over time. Let’s demonstrate authentic enthusiasm and practice genuine curiosity.

Research on teacher influence is vital because learning is not always fun and delightful. In fact, reaching meaningful comprehension or skill mastery can be downright hard. While each individual approaches learning with a variety of innate talents and prior training, everyone will encounter moments of heightened difficulty. As teachers, we must reflect on our own trials in learning (and teaching) and recognize similarities in our students’ struggles. Although there may be differences in the details, teachers should empathize with universal sentiments of frustration, exasperation, even desperation. When giving up seems like the only option, we provide hope and help to keep students going. 

More than serving as moral support, teachers possess experiences and expertise to guide students through tricky spots. Applying purposeful pedagogy, we share insights or techniques for tackling common challenges. By remembering our how, teachers can even model an appreciation for the ups and downs in learning.

2. Remember Your What

In addition to the “how” of learning, teachers should remember the “what” of their content. This stands to reason, as you can’t teach what you don’t know—each teacher is responsible for understanding their content. For some, this may require in-depth study with formal education and additional coursework. For others, they might need an occasional refresher to reinforce fundamental concepts or key strategies. In either case, teachers gather additional experiences that replicate those of their own students, a useful reminder of both what and how.

Remembering what doesn’t require teachers to know everything. That’s impossible and an inaccurate representation of expertise. Nevertheless, there is always more to learn. One way to enact lifelong learning is by participating in professional development. Beyond traditional school in-services, teachers should engage with professional organizations, conferences, and publications. (Sometimes all three come from the same source, such as discipline– or age-specific groups like the National Science Teaching Association, National Council of Teachers of English, National Association for the Education of Young Children, and many more.) Teacher blogs and social media can be fine (and fun), but don’t forget the educational groups that provide vetted and research-supported resources—including Edutopia, of course! 

In addition to keeping current with pedagogical practice, it’s important for teachers to maintain an interest in the latest news and events of their subject. In my field of science, for example, there are always new discoveries and developments I can learn about through various journals or websites, and helpful teaching tools as well. (A few personal favorites are Science Friday, PhET Simulations, NASA, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.)

3. Remember Your Who

Perhaps the most important reminder for teachers is to focus on each “who” in their classroom. One of the first tasks my pre-service teachers complete in their coursework is a Contextual Factors Report. It is not unique to our program, but it establishes an orientation toward the students, their families, and neighborhoods in which we teach. In essence, considering students’ contextual factors helps teachers remember their who along with the where and when.

Reflect on the students in your school. Where are they coming from? How would you (and they) describe their family lives, communities, or customs? To what extent do you implement a culturally responsive pedagogy? Academically, what are their strengths and struggles? 

What are your students’ current passions and activities? How might you connect these interests to the curriculum and content of your classroom—or beyond? Where are your students going? What are their ambitions, both professionally and personally? How can you help them achieve their dreams? How can you introduce them to opportunities they had never imagined?

Obviously, there are more questions than answers here. But isn’t that one purpose of education? Plus, it’s an effective approach to teaching. As Helen Keller once said, “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers.”

Each teacher may have different answers to the questions discussed here. Even so, we can share common goals of reaching and teaching our students, supporting them in their ongoing educational journey. Let’s remember our purpose and practice—and remember to help each other along the way.