4 Things Scooby Doo Taught Me about Being A Teacher

The Mystery Inc. gang, traveling around in their Mystery Machine always had life lessons to pass out about teamwork, deductive reasoning, NOT splitting up in creepy mansions, and now, being an effective teacher. Here's what the detectives can show you about being an effective teacher (in much less than 30 minutes).

1. You're going to have to drive through some fog before you get to your next adventure.

Being a successful teacher is sometimes like driving through fog. You're not quite sure what direction you're heading in, or what the final destination is going to look like. Keep on driving! Focus in your classroom on what you can control, and focus on the few feet in front of you before you broaden your scope. You don't have to be able to see 10 miles ahead in order to take the next few steps. 

2. You've always got your team to back you up. 

Take some time to expand your professional learning network in your school, district and in the teaching community at large. Someone out there has ideas that you can benefit from. There's a teacher who has faced a similar challenge as you and succeeded, as well as someone who didn't and can share some valuable lessons with you. Being a teacher is tough, but actively building up your PLN can make things a little less scary. Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook provide great outlets to build an active and passionate professional learning network.

3. Be ready to carry some extra weight, but don't let it keep you from moving forward.

Let's be real here. Nobody in college ever lied to you and told you that teaching wasn't going to be some long nights and lots of work. We DREAM of a 40 hour work week, but know every time spent improving things for our kids is time well spent. Stay positive, keep on moving forward. Venting works when you gotta do it, but whining about it daily isn't going to make it any easier. Keep pushing yourself. Time is an investment. The more you put in upfront, the more you'll get back later.

4. Pretend that you planned it that way.

In Scooby Doo, their complex contraption never worked the way they planned it to, but they always caught their villian in the end. When things didn't work, they rolled with the punches (what else could they do?) and accomplished their goal. Things are going to go WRONG. Something will be forgotten, the copier will be broken that day, some kid will leave that book at home, a co-teacher will call out sick, the computers won't be working, SOMETHING will go wrong. The hallmark of a good leader and teacher is flexibility. Someone who can keep their cool when things go wrong, even if they feel like they're hanging from a chandelier on the inside. We always talk about preparing for the unexpected, but don't forget to PLAN FOR THE EXPECTED first! Really? You thought all the kids would remember their permission slip on the first day? How cute.

Stay flexible. Stay calm. Remind yourself - that Frankenstein monster is really Old Man Withers, the guy who ran the water slide. Frankenstein is terrifying, but you can take down Old Man Withers with the simple application of a soapy floor that slides into a trampoline that bounces him into a net to catch him.