Building My Teacher Brand

Building my teacher brand is a concept I've recently starting thinking about. I figured, why not? Everyone else is focused on branding, why shouldn't I? I'm not talking about my brand on social media. I mean my brand in my classroom. Who am I? What do I believe? What do I want people to think when they hear my name or enter my class?

I started answering these questions for myself in order to build my brand as a teacher. It was here that I discovered that I wanted students to know that I'm firm but fair. Complicated but compassionate. Miss Missie cares more about you learning than she does about your grade. She expects your very best because she believes that you are capable of anything you decide you are capable of. She will always support you and you won't find a greater advocate for student learning. She will fearlessly push back against anything that will interrupt or inhibit your opportunity to learn. This is the brand that I am building in my classroom.

Having a brand helps me to be consistent in my classroom. It is my personal belief that students thrive in consistency. When they know what to expect and what the expectations will be for them, they have a greater chance of being successful. It's a fixed finished line that isn't constantly being moved around on them. A moving finish line creates frustration and confusion. Having a brand in my classroom is what helps to create that consistency. They know that I will never lose my cool because it simply just isn't a part of my brand. They know that they are free to make mistakes only if they choose to learn from them, because that is a part of my brand. When they know that their behavior, nor mine, can manipulate that finish line, they settle in a establish a reasonable pace in the race. My brand creates consistency in my classroom.

Often times when students ask me something bogus like, "Can you bump my final grade up," or "Can I get my makeup work from the entire quarter?" I don't find myself getting upset or disgruntled. I simply respond, "I'm sorry. I can't. It's not a part of my brand."