Teach Humans, Not Just Content: A Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Going from "I Teach Math" to "I Teach Adolescent Humans Math"

I remember my first year in the classroom. My mind was a whirlwind of lesson plans, curricular standards, and a desperate hope that my students would see the inherent beauty of the order of operations or polynomials. My identity was clear: I taught algebra. My success was measured by how much algebra my students could perform on a test.

It took a particularly challenging Tuesday, a student with their head on the desk, and a complete refusal to engage with a primary source on the Louisiana Purchase for me to realize my perspective was fundamentally flawed. I wasn't just teaching a subject. I was teaching a person.

That was the beginning of a crucial shift, a journey from "I teach history" to "I teach adolescent humans history." It’s a change in preposition that changes everything. It’s the difference between being a content dispenser and being an educator.

The "I Teach a Subject" Mindset 🧑‍🏫

Most of us start here. We love our subject—be it biology, literature, or French—and we are passionate about sharing that love.

In this mindset:

• The curriculum is king. The primary goal is to get through the content on the pacing guide.
• Classroom management is about compliance. Students are expected to listen, follow directions, and absorb information.
• Success is measured by performance. High test scores and correct answers are the ultimate validation of our teaching.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this passion for content. It's the foundation of our expertise. But it's an incomplete picture. It views the student as a vessel waiting to be filled, overlooking the complex, messy, and wonderful reality of who that vessel is.

You can have the most engaging lesson on cellular respiration, but it won't land if the student you're teaching is running on three hours of sleep, worried about a fight with their best friend, or feeling invisible. You can't plant a seed in concrete; the soil has to be nurtured first.

The "I Teach Adolescent Humans" Mindset ❤️

This is the paradigm shift. It puts the human before the content, not as a replacement for it, but as the essential prerequisite to learning it. It’s a whole-child approach that acknowledges the beautiful and chaotic reality of the teenage brain.

In this mindset:

• Relationships are the foundation. Trust and rapport are the currency of the classroom. Learning happens when students feel seen, safe, and supported.
• The curriculum is a tool for connection. The goal is to use our subject matter to teach critical thinking, resilience, and curiosity. We ask, "How can the Civil War teach my students about empathy?" instead of just "What dates do they need to know?"
• Classroom management becomes community building. It’s about creating a culture of belonging where students feel empowered to take academic risks.
• Success is measured by growth. It’s the "aha!" moment from a struggling student, the increase in confidence, the willingness to try again after failing.

Adopting this mindset doesn't mean abandoning rigor. It means creating the conditions for rigor to flourish.

How to Make the Shift: Small Changes, Big Impact

Moving from one mindset to the other isn’t an overnight switch. It’s a series of small, intentional actions that build over time.

1. Lead with Connection. Before you teach the content, teach the person.
   • The 2x10 Strategy: For a student you're struggling to connect with, spend two minutes a day for ten consecutive days talking to them about anything other than school. Their favorite video game, their after-school job, their sneakers. It’s a game-changer.
   • Greet at the Door: Stand at your doorway and welcome students by name as they enter. This simple act tells them, "I see you, and I'm glad you're here."
2. Infuse Choice and Voice. Give them ownership of their learning.
   • Offer a choice of two different essay prompts. Let them decide whether to create a podcast or a slide deck to demonstrate their knowledge. When students have agency, their engagement skyrockets.
3. Frame Behavior as Communication.
   • When a student is disengaged or acting out, your first internal question shouldn't be, "What's wrong with them?" but rather, "I wonder what's going on?" Behavior is a signal. Is the student confused? Bored? Distressed? Seeking connection? Responding with curiosity instead of judgment opens the door for a real solution.

Ultimately, shifting from "I teach [Subject]" to "I teach adolescent humans [Subject]" is the most profound act of professional development we can undertake. Years from now, our students may not remember the specific details of the Treaty of Versailles or the periodic table. But they will absolutely remember the teacher who knew their name, who asked them how they were doing, and who made them feel like they mattered.

Want to see this in action? Explore our new Adolescent Brain Rules: A Guide for Secondary Educators—a practical, easy-to-use resource for understanding the adolescent brain and applying those insights to support learning and behavior in secondary classrooms. Access the resource here!

Want to explore samples of our curriculum? Click here to get started today!