Having a Shared Purpose

picture: linkedin.com

I have written very often about my PLN and about how important they all have become in my life and that I am lucky to call them friends. I am also lucky that I have a diverse PLN. Another valued member of my PLN is LollyDaskal. Lolly, is the founder of Lead from Within: a successful leading firm that offers custom made programs in leadership and organizational development. She is recognized as a Top Thought Leader  In Business. Today she tweeted the following article, Make A Difference: Lead With A Noble Heart . I would recommend that every leader follows Lolly as she is someone who truly practices what she preaches.

Here are some key excerpts from her article:

   “Many of us lead, but not many of us lead with a noble heart.

There is a well-known anecdote related by Tom Peters about a hospital in the US that treats cancer. During a series of staff interviews, an interviewer asked the housekeeper what her job entailed.

She responded, “I help to cure cancer.” Somewhere in that hospital, a leader had connected the dots for this individual and made her feel that she was an integral part of the hospital’s mission.

Everyone wants to know that what they do matters.

Everyone craves a purpose.

Being noble in leadership is not so much about what you do but how you do it.

A leader with a noble heart can give us what we all search for—a sense of purpose, meaning, and nobility.”

Her words are so true for us as educators as well. I once read about a school that everyone from the Bus Driver to the Principle shared the vision and purpose of the schools mission.  We all need to feel that we are part of a greater whole as my friend Angela Maiers says “the smartest person in the room is the room and that YOU MATTER”

Too often I know teachers who close their doors both figuratively and literally to the outside world and treat their classroom as their own small kingdom. That no longer works because all of us, including our students need to feel that what  they are doing has a purpose.

If I had to compare the average CEO with the average educator, I would say that educators by nature are probably more adept to leading with a “noble heart” so let’s do it !

Let us make sure that we convey our purpose and mission so when anyone in our schools are asked they will answer educating future leaders .

Having a Set of Values

Picture: www.coxwood.com

Today I saw a tweet with a link to a post by Frank Sonnenberg, who is a thought leader I follow on Twitter
His post " Times May Change, But Your Core Values Don’t" gives a very detailed list of the core values we need to have at all times. As I looked at the post and tried to cut and paste a few to highlight they are all worthwhile, so I encourage you to read the post.

I think too often we get caught up in the "curriculum" which is important or at times teaching to the test and we tend to focus on the academic end of things. However, today more and more research shows that we need to incorporate the social and emotional well being besides just focusing on the academics. We can't truly teach innovation, creativity, collaboration, digital citizenship without addressing and dealing with values.

My teaching experience has always been in Jewish Day Schools, where for obvious reasons values play a large role. I often told my students people on the street won't ask you what novel you are reading or what were the causes of the Civil War, but they will see and judge you by the way you act.

There are countless stories I could tell to show this on both from a positive standpoint and, unfortunately from a negative one as well.

As we plan for the new school year and prepare exciting and challenging academic lessons let us not lose sight of our values and the values we want and must instill in our students.

OK,  I gave in here is Frank's partial list:

See the good in everything.
Make him or her feel special.
Never stop learning.
Keep your promises.
Do right by others.
Be a loyal friend.
Appreciate what you have.
Be humble.
Challenge yourself.
Practice what you preach.
Reach for the stars.
Be dependable and reliable.
Give of yourself.
Be courageous.
Work hard, work smart
Tell the truth.
Accept responsibility
Show compassion.
Do the right thing.
Be strong.
Meet others halfway.
Play nice.
Have faith
Forgive and forget.
Be fair.
Lend a hand.
Keep an open mind.
Give thanks.
Don’t quit.
Be kind.
Bring out the best in others.
Show respect.
Show you care.
Give it one more try.
Believe in yourself
Be yourself.
Do your best.
Make a difference.
Listen to your conscience.

Second Chances

Picture:www.communitysuccess.org  

If you have read my blog or follow me on twitter you will know that I am a  big believer in that we need to learn from our mistakes and that failure is really an opportunity for success. In other words, we always, always have a second chance. However, as many people are starting the new school year  there is one thing by definition we don't get to have a second chance with and that is making a first impression. 

Studies have shown that at times just from your body language people size you up and  you have already made your first impressions without even saying a word. 

Your first impressions have a lasting effect and can set the tone for the rest of the year. 

I would like to share with you a true story not from one of my shining moments.

I had been teaching for a number of years and I did some administration off and on. I accept a job  a full time teacher with the hopes of getting back into administration. What I was unaware of was the culture of the school. The school had a certain culture which was very rigid and very rule oriented (both of which go against my nature in dealing with students). So what I thought to be something that will build a relationship with my students was seen as being weak and that this guy is a pushover. It also had a negative impact on my relationship with the principal. After the morning routine, we walked our students out of the gym back the class. The students were required to walk on the blue line that outlines the gym floor. Well, either I never knew about the rule or chose to ignore it, I didn't adhere to that rule. The second day of school, I was already called into the Principal's office and told  that I must have my students follow that rule. 

To make a long story short, I knew by the end of the first month of school that I would not return next year . 

The impressions that my students formed and those of my principal lasted and stayed with me in truth haunted me the whole year. 

It is a natural thing the impressions we give off and sometimes it is even just our body language. I don't have any great advise just know, You Don't Get a Second Chance to Make a Good First Impression 

What's Your Destination

Picture:www.successrevolution.com

As a Rabbi over the years I would be asked to speak at Bar and Bat Mizvah celebrations. As young Jewish boys and girls began their journey into adulthood I often used a GPS as an anology for the journey they are about to embark on. 

As amazing as an GPS is,and I don't know anyone today that doesn't have one,most smart phones come with it you need to know your destination for  it to work. 

My question today is What is your destination? Where do you want to get to ? 

What is the end game ? 

In life I believe there can be more than one destination 

Once you have a destination there are many types of "GPS" devices that one could use to help you get there. 

Here are some of my destinations 

My religion and fath ,how to improve in those areas and becoming a better person 

My friends and family 

My career 

For each destination I have different mentors and guides to help me. 

Whether it is in your classroom, what you want for your students and for your own professional or personal growth you need to know what your destination is and then the GPS of life can help you get there. 

Please share your destination 

 

The Job of a Teacher Goes Beyond the Classroom

This post was originally posted in  November 2011.

I haven't blogged for a while and have been thinking about what to blog about. I am jealous of all of those in my PLN that blog daily and sometimes more than once a day. After thinking about this for a while I decided to put my thoughts down on "paper".

Today we talk about child centered learning and the teacher as a facilitator of learning and allowing students to drive the learning with their questions. They are right and this is a major part of the role of the teacher in the 21st Century and it must change from the Sage on the Stage model.

However, I believe that this is only part of the role of a teacher. A teacher needs to be a leader and a change agent. We may not be able to change the world or accomplish everything, but as it says in "Ethics of our Fathers" that doesn't mean that we could just absolve ourselves of our responsibility.

It doesn't end there for  me the most important thing teachers need to do or be is a role model. One who leads by examples in a moral and ethical way. Their motto should be "Do as I Do."
They need to show their students that they care about them not only in the classroom,but out of the classroom as well.

I posed the following question as one of the possible topics for #jedchat

Is the role /job of a Rebbe( Judaic male teacher)/Teacher 24/7 (ie are they expected to attend a school basketball game on Sunday)?

I think you could tell what I would say!

What do you think?

One Never Knows

Picture:  Edutopia

Recently, many people have blogged and posted about the importance of the little things teachers do and the impact teachers have on their students. One of my more controversial posts a number of years ago was when I  blogged that a teacher's job is 24/7  (I may share that for Saturday's blog). While I don't mean it literally I do think it is important for teachers to have a connection with their students beyond the classroom and take an interest in who they are.

I was in the emergency room last night with my daughter, thank G-d all is OK. While sitting in the hallway waiting for a room there were a number of people not much older than my daughter brought in with a police escort and one in cuffs. This was not in a big inner city like Baltimore but a small town about an hour away. While I am  not naive that these things exist seeing up close was a bit shocking. At the same time I don't believe anyone can fix all the problems, at the same time it made me realize for many kids school and teachers are a place that needs to provide them the love and caring environment that so many are lacking.
I would like to think that many us became educators for the impact we can have on others.

I first got a Facebook to connect with people from the different places we lived. I also was able to connect with students. One student reached out to me to tell me he always remembers coming to my house for a Sabbath meal and that made an impression on him. It wasn't any of the subjects I taught, but rather the personal connection I made with him that had a lasting impression.

Let us remember at times it is the small things that at times have the biggest impact

Here is a an article Why Teachers Matter

Here  is an amazing video just to drive home the point

READING IS THE KEY

Picture taken from my Kindle app on my iPad 

Growing up I remember there was a program called R.I.F. RIF stood or Reading is Fundamental. I truly believe that reading is one of the fundamental things that we need to do as educators and instill in our students I recently saw a tweet by    Shaelynn Farnsworth    that said that we should put the book that we are reading into our profile. I think it’s a great idea to model what we are learning I haven’t done it yet but I still think it's  a great idea. 

Today I was looking over my twitter feed and found the following tweet:

 Retweeted by Akevy Greenblatt

Greg Hennes @HennesGreg · 2h

It is powerful when students see the adults as learner. Way to model @frankisibberson #ileohio @I

LEOhio

T

o which I replied:   Akevy Greenblatt 

@HennesGreg @frankisibberson @ILEOhio I think one of the keys to being a great educator is being a lifelong learner

Therefore I think to sum it up we need to be lifelong learners, and model that to our students and one of the best ways I can think of it to model reading

Here is a  picture from my Kindle on my iPad