This post is partly a response to the recent "grading" of public schools in North Carolina. Mostly, it is about igniting our flame once again mid-year. Education should be the most respected profession. After all, we create all other professions.
Why limit ourselves to a simple number or letter? We wouldn't want our kids to limit themselves this way.
Teaching is important work. Although our whole stories are not often shared, we know--like points on a map--our worth cannot be surmised by longitude and latitude alone. We are worth more than a number, just like our students are. That is why it is paramount to remember that we are not just navigators. We are not a human GPS that can lead anyone to the same destination as long as they "just follow along." We are CARTOGRAPHERS. We make maps. Our lessons lead students on journeys to understanding. They can even decide the route. I cannot take credit for this all-too-apt metaphor. Watch Mrs. Elissa Smith's inspirational speech to AVID teachers this summer here.
I was reminded of her speech when reading our AVID PLC's PD book, The Eighth Habit. This month's section I assigned had to do with Character and Trust. It is undeniable that the lessons great teachers deliver have more to do with trust and character than any specific content. Great teachers are really modeling LEADERSHIP. The map they create has destinations that transfer knowledge beyond simple facts and figures. In the words of an assistant principal I respect: "If I am not connecting with kids, then why teach?"
Some key takeaways as of late (most of these gems are from Covey):
1. The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.
2. Trust is the key to all relationships and organizations.
3. "Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike." - Teddy Roosevelt
4. Trustworthiness comes from character and competence combined.
5. The main facets of character are: integrity, maturity, and abundance mentality.
6. To improve any relationship, you must start with yourself; you must improve yourself. Your first job is to get your act together and have a focus.
7. Life is more about paradigms than it is principles. AVID is a paradigm (a way of thinking) as opposed to a simple principle (belief). That is why teaching people how to think rather than what to think is far more effective and far-reaching. We cannot afford to add one more thing; we need to change the center.
Cue the music! I'm following the map that leads to you: LEADERSHIP (i.e. being AVID for Excellence, greatness, remembered, effective, proficient, et al.).
So, I refuse to be defined by a letter or number. Our legacy as educators will be our entire character and the ways we do (or in some cases don't) model leadership and trustworthiness. Don't let the system beat you. As LeCrae noted, "the system didn't plan for these anomalies."
We are unique. We are AVID. We are anomalies.
Share why you love teaching and post with the hash tag #LoveTeaching this week to celebrate our profession in time for Valentine's Day! The best way to overcome the negative is to simply stay positive.
Why limit ourselves to a simple number or letter? We wouldn't want our kids to limit themselves this way.
Teaching is important work. Although our whole stories are not often shared, we know--like points on a map--our worth cannot be surmised by longitude and latitude alone. We are worth more than a number, just like our students are. That is why it is paramount to remember that we are not just navigators. We are not a human GPS that can lead anyone to the same destination as long as they "just follow along." We are CARTOGRAPHERS. We make maps. Our lessons lead students on journeys to understanding. They can even decide the route. I cannot take credit for this all-too-apt metaphor. Watch Mrs. Elissa Smith's inspirational speech to AVID teachers this summer here.
I was reminded of her speech when reading our AVID PLC's PD book, The Eighth Habit. This month's section I assigned had to do with Character and Trust. It is undeniable that the lessons great teachers deliver have more to do with trust and character than any specific content. Great teachers are really modeling LEADERSHIP. The map they create has destinations that transfer knowledge beyond simple facts and figures. In the words of an assistant principal I respect: "If I am not connecting with kids, then why teach?"
Some key takeaways as of late (most of these gems are from Covey):
1. The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.
2. Trust is the key to all relationships and organizations.
3. "Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike." - Teddy Roosevelt
4. Trustworthiness comes from character and competence combined.
5. The main facets of character are: integrity, maturity, and abundance mentality.
6. To improve any relationship, you must start with yourself; you must improve yourself. Your first job is to get your act together and have a focus.
7. Life is more about paradigms than it is principles. AVID is a paradigm (a way of thinking) as opposed to a simple principle (belief). That is why teaching people how to think rather than what to think is far more effective and far-reaching. We cannot afford to add one more thing; we need to change the center.
Cue the music! I'm following the map that leads to you: LEADERSHIP (i.e. being AVID for Excellence, greatness, remembered, effective, proficient, et al.).
So, I refuse to be defined by a letter or number. Our legacy as educators will be our entire character and the ways we do (or in some cases don't) model leadership and trustworthiness. Don't let the system beat you. As LeCrae noted, "the system didn't plan for these anomalies."
We are unique. We are AVID. We are anomalies.
Share why you love teaching and post with the hash tag #LoveTeaching this week to celebrate our profession in time for Valentine's Day! The best way to overcome the negative is to simply stay positive.