Poem Teacher

Illustrations by L. Susan Brandt

Annette L. Breaux

101Poems For Teachers

Reproduced with permission from Breaux and Brandt. 101 Poems for Teachers. Copyright 2010 Eye On Education, Inc. Larchmont, NY. All rights reserved. www.eyeoneducation.com

EYE ON EDUCATION

6 DEPOT WAYWEST, SUITE 106

LARCHMONT, NY 10538

(914) 833–0551

(914) 833–0761 fax

www.eyeoneducation.com

Copyright © 2010 Eye On Education, Inc.

All rights reserved.

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book,

write: Eye On Education, Permissions Dept., Suite 106, 6 Depot Way West,

Larchmont, NY 10538.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Breaux, Annette L.

101 poems for teachers / Annette L. Breaux ; illustrations by L. Susan

Brandt.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-59667-146-1

1. Teaching--Poetry. 2. Education--Poetry. I. Title.

PS3602.R43A615 2010

811’.6--dc22

2009045649

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Illustrated by L. Susan Brandt

Production services provided by Rick Soldin, www.book-comp.com


Also available from Annette Breaux

50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior:

Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges

Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker

Study Guide

50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior


Seven Simple Secrets:

What the Best Teachers Know and Do!


Study Guide

Seven Simple Secrets


101 Answers for New Teachers and Their Mentors:

Effective Teaching Tips for Daily Classroom Use

Annette Breaux

REAL Teachers, REAL Challenges, REAL Solutions:

25 Ways to Handle the Challenges of the Classroom Effectively

Annette Breaux and Elizabeth Breaux

10 Days to Maximum Teaching Success

Audio CD Series

Annette Breaux


For Mama


Annette L. Breaux 5

Contents

11 A Simple “Hi”

13 Just Kids, Indeed!

15 My Teacher of Many Years Ago

17 I’ll Do it Tomorrow

19 We Get to Choose

21 Who’s in Charge?

23 Gossip, Gossip, Gossip

25 A Very Clever Teacher

27 Mrs. WarnYa

29 The Most Important Profession

31 Make it Real

33 I Do Not Like to Go to School!

35 Don’t Let Us Know

37 Take it Teacher, Take it!

39 Behind the Mask

41 A Challenge is Enticing

43 Lost Within a Shout

44 Who One Is, Not What One Does

45 Refraining from Complaining

47 "Can" the Lists

49 I Bleed Professionalism

51 I’m a Successful Student Now!

53 I Used to be a Screamer

55 Oh, Woe is Me

57 I Teach

59 Enthusiasm is Contagious

61 There Are No Words

63 Wear the Title “Teacher” Proudly

65 Will I Ever Take a Risk Again?

67 The Colors of My Personality

69 I Wish My Teacher Knew Me


6 101 Poems for Teachers

71 The Happiest Teacher

73 If She Can Do It, Why Can’t You?

75 I’ve Been a Good Teacher Today

77 Your Silent Voice

79 Manipulation Jubilation

81 Who’s My Teacher’s Favorite?

83 I Can’t Wait

85 My Reward Lies In It

87 “Just a Teacher”

89 A Mind of Its Own

91 A Miserable Career

93 I Choose to Take the Right Path

95 Teacher, Are You Magic?

97 Round Robin Reading

99 Rotten to the Core

101 Adore You or Abhor You?

103 What’s Best for My Students

105 To Smile or Not to Smile

106 My Favorite Teacher-istic

107 Teach Away

109 Pushing My Buttons

111 Believe In Me

113 A Look in the Mirror

115 Be Careful of Your Actions

117 A Little Praise

119 Whether My Students Pass or Fail

121 A Hero Lies in Wait

123 I Get the Worst Kids Every Year

127 Keep Me Busy

129 Attention, Please!

131 Call Someone!

133 I’m Not My Older Brother

135 Smarter Than Ever

137 Too Many Questions

139 A Student Always


Annette L. Breaux 7

141 Because of Us

143 Self-Control

145 Point of View

147 Tell Me I Can Do It

149 I Wonder if She Ever Knew. . .

151 Just Kids at Heart

153 Be Nice

155 An Ounce of Inspiration

157 Thank You

159 Recipe for Behavior

161 My Teacher, the Victim

163 Instantly Famous

164 Her Best Feature

165 Listen to Me

167 Your Attitude Speaks Volumes

169 Too Rare, By Far

171 If I Could Teach My Students

173 Because of You

175 The Rewards of Planning

177 The Life of a Kid

179 Teach Me Hard and Love Me Well

181 I’ll Never Ever Forget You

183 Faculty Meeting

185 A Golden Noise

187 Help Me to Be What I Can Be

189 Worth the Risk

191 Your Principal’s Comin’

193 Believing is Seeing!

195 We Know Just Who You Are

197 I’d Like to Tell My Teacher

199 Bad No More

201 Fear of the Unknown

203 If You’re Going to Teach

205 Teachers, Tend Your Gardens

207 Am I Really Worthy?



About the AuthorAnnette Breaux is one of the most entertaining and infor-

mative authors and speakers in education today. She leaves

her audiences with practical techniques to implement in their

classrooms immediately. Administrators agree that they see

results from teachers the next day.

A former classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, and

teacher induction coordinator, she is also the author of Loui-

siana FIRST, a statewide induction program for new teachers.

Annette has coauthored a book with Dr. Harry Wong on new

teacher induction.

Her other writings include: 101 Answers for New Teachers

and Their Mentors; REAL Teachers, REAL Challenges, REAL

Solutions; The Poetry of Annette Breaux: Tips and Poems for

Teachers and Students; 10 Days to Maximum Teaching Success;

Seven Simple Secrets: What the BEST Teachers Know and Do;

and 50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to

Complex Challenges.

Teachers who have read Annette’s writings or heard Annette

speak agree that they come away with user-friendly informa-

tion, heartfelt inspiration, and a much-needed reminder that

theirs is the most noble of all professions—teaching.

About the IllustratorL. Susan Brandt is a freelance illustrator who lives in Dallas,

Texas and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her passion

is her artwork. Her mediums include pencil, pen-and-ink,

pastels, and watercolors. For more on Susan’s artwork, visit her

website at www.lsusanbrandt.com.


Annette L. Breaux 9

This book is filled with poetry for teachers young and mature

As you go through it, page by page, you’ll find yourself, I’m sure

I hope you laugh, I hope you cry, I hope that you remember

That of the very most important profession, you’re a member

For sometimes we forget how influential we can be

That touching lives puts us among the highest pedigree

So dare to read all hundred and one, you’re sure to laugh and

have some fun

But when you’re through, I hope that you

Are VERY proud of what you do!

Annette Breaux



�Take time to say “Hi” to all your students every day—

for some, it just may be the only kindness to come their way.


Annette L. Breaux 11

A Simple “Hi”

Each day when I entered her classroom, she smiled and

said hello

Just what that gesture meant to me, she truly could not know

She did not know that she and only she made me feel wanted

That HER smile got me through a time in life when I felt

daunted

That life at home was way too tough for any kid to take

That her classroom was my refuge, that my happiness was fake

That for her I put my best foot forward, even when times

were rough

That my smile was a façade to hide my pain, for I was tough

But even though she never knew, it meant so much to me

That there was one place in my life where someone wanted me

Wanted me to be there, wanted me to learn

Wanted to help me realize there were good things I could earn

For beyond the books and content, I learned that year that I

Was someone who, to someone, was worth a simple “Hi.”



�Children are children, and they will play the part.

Just be careful not to take their actions to heart.



Just Kids, Indeed!

My teacher said to act my age, but the truth is that I was

I was actually acting just the same as any kid my age does

So I’m not sure what she meant by that

I’m not an adult, I’m a kid—that’s a fact

But should I actually tell her so?

‘Cause someone needs to let her know

That kids will act like kids, it’s true

Even when adults don’t want us to

So all adults, please listen, take heed

We’re not out to get you—we’re just kids, indeed!



�If you teach a student one day, you live in his heart forever. . .

The bond between a teacher and a student will never sever.



My Teacher of Many Years Ago

My teacher of many years ago still influences me today

The things that she instilled in me have never gone away

In fact, they are a part of every fiber of my being

The blood that courses through me and the eyes through

which I’m seeing

The love that I am giving, the decisions that I’m making

The things that I’ve accomplished and the ones I’m

undertaking

For once someone influences you, they live inside your heart

And so of all I am today, my teacher is a part.



�Live on top of your workload. Please, please do.

It is better than having your workload living on top of you!



I’ll Do it Tomorrow

I didn’t feel like doing it, so I put it off for a day

And the next day came and I put off more; too much was

coming my way

I used up tons of paper with my list of “things to do”

And every day my list of things just grew and grew and grew

It overtook my kitchen, then it overtook my house

It overtook my children and it overtook my spouse

If only I had done the things that needed to be done

It would have been much easier to do things one by one

But now I’m overwhelmed with all the things I have to do

How will I survive this? I do not have a clue!

And sitting atop these things to do are feelings of guilt

and sorrow

So I’m turning over a new leaf. Yep, I’ll do it tomorrow!



�Our attitudes shape our visions, and in our

classrooms they set the tone. It’s up to us whether

students in our classrooms cheer or moan.



We Get to Choose

O ne saw a glass half empty

The other, a glass half full

What? It was the same glass?

What stunt were they trying to pull?

No stunt was pulled at all, you see

Our attitudes shape our vision

We all get to choose for ourselves

Whether life’s an adventure or a collision!



�Good teachers act professionally and teach enthusiastically.

They set clear rules and procedures, and their

students respond fantastically!


Poem Teacher

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