Blog Post #5
Expect Excellence: In this chapter, the author discusses things excellent leaders do and things excellent leaders don’t do.
Choose one “do” and one “don’t” from the chapter and write about why these are important to you as a teacher.
One leadership “do” that stands out to me is the idea of noticing the little things. As a teacher, paying attention to small moments, like a student’s improved effort, a positive interaction, or a quiet act of kindness, allows me to reinforce behaviors that matter and build relationships rooted in trust. These moments often shape the climate of the classroom more than the big ones, and acknowledging them shows students that who they are and what they do is seen and valued. On the other hand, one leadership “don’t” that resonates with me is not saying no enough. In education, it’s easy to take on too much in the name of helping others or supporting the school community, but overcommitting can lead to burnout and diminish the quality of what we offer our students. Learning to say no when necessary is an important act of professionalism; it protects my capacity to be present, effective, and grounded for the kids who rely on me each day. Both of these principles remind me that excellence comes from intentionality: choosing what to give attention to, and choosing what to set aside.
ReplyDeleteOne "do" that is important to me would be 'valuing communication.' I believe communication is an essential skill in life. Teachers should model that by providing clear information regarding what we are doing, why we are doing it, where it fits in with prior learning, when the assignments will be due, etc. Talking to students one-on-one can also help get ahead of potential future problems. The more we speak with students, the more comfortable they become, the more honest they are about things - especially when they need help. One area of communication I think I could improve on would be communicating with parents earlier on when I'm dealing with behavior issues.
ReplyDelete"Don't" be afraid to say no. I struggle with this one because I want to make people happy and I hate to disappoint them. However, agreeing to do things just for the sake of avoiding an uncomfortable moment only leads to more stress and anxiety. Having children of my own has helped me be more confident in saying "no", since taking on extra responsibilities would now impact them as well.
Do: Say No! I agree with this to my core. In my last teaching position, I rarely said no. This wore me out. I constantly added to my plate and I had so many responsibilities that I just couldn't keep going. It was easier to leave the district than to carry on like that. I wasn't making district decisions where I needed to say no, but I was constantly agreeing to more and more and it was too much.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Say Gotcha! This creates a nasty climate. This creates a climate that lacks trust. If you don't know that people have your back, its tough to move forward with confidence especially if you want to takes risks and try something new. If you are always watching your back and trying to avoid making mistakes, you will feel too much stress and probably start looking for a better place to work.
I do agree with an expectation of excellence for all staff and students. This mindset can get lost in the busyness of the school days and school year with so much to do. Keeping this as a year-round focus is a positive way to move forward and not get lost along the way.
ReplyDeleteSaying "gotcha" is a negative mindset that does not allow for positive forward movement in any areas. It is simply mean and unkind and stands in the way of positive thinking. There is no room in a positive learning or work environment for this mindset.
A "DO" for me would be to build relationships with students. I have the advantage that I sometimes will have students from 5th grade on. That really helps with the relationship because I get to spend so much time with them through the years. I try to get to know my students as people rather than just a name in my gradebook. I enjoy learning about their lives and what interests them. Sometimes I may not like the artist or song they show me, but I can appreciate it because they enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteFor me I struggle with push back. I'm not a confrontational person and I don't like to stand in opposition to someone. There have been times that I maybe have let things slide by because I don't want to fight the system. As a teacher that has taught a lot of years I have learned to adjust my teaching style to ward off some of the push back.
A "DO" is communication. Communication is so essential in our careers; we literally do it every day. There are many forms of communication, so we should use multiple forms. I started working during the fall after COVID, and the communication was lacking. People lost that tract and it has taken many years to get it back. I used to not be able to get any of my students to talk to each other, and now, it's a night-and-day difference. The conversations are more meaningful, and students are more successful. Communication is important in the aspect of creating relationships with our students, but it is also important to be able to communicate with your colleagues and administrators.
ReplyDeleteA "DON'T" is using the phrase "Gotcha!" It comes off as unprofessional and can be offensive. As a receiver of that response, I would have a not-so-great feeling about our conversation, and question was I even heard? When someone uses "Gotcha," are they being serious and understood what you said/concerns, or are they saying it to pretend and don't really care/are not going to do anything about it.
The “do” that is important to me is learning to say no. I feel like this is a hard lesson to learn. Often times it is so much easier to just say yes even when you know it should be a no. It is important to stay true to yourself and be honest when giving people an answer to a request.
ReplyDeleteThe “don’t” that stuck out to me what don't place blame. We are all human and it's important to own our own mistakes. It can be easier to make excuses or blame others rather than admit we are wrong. However, it shows true integrity and leadership to be honest always.
One “do” that stood out to me from the chapter is practicing saying no and setting healthy boundaries. This is important to me as a teacher because educators often take on many responsibilities and want to help everyone. However, without healthy boundaries it can lead to burnout and make it harder to be fully present for students. By setting appropriate boundaries, I can protect my time and energy so that I can give my best to my students and maintain a healthy balance.
ReplyDeleteOne “don’t” that stood out to me is not playing the “gotcha” game by trying to catch people in their mistakes. This is important because a positive school culture should focus on growth, learning, and support rather than blame. When teachers and staff feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them, they are more likely to collaborate, try new strategies, and grow professionally.
As a teacher, I want to contribute to a culture where people feel respected, supported, and encouraged to improve, rather than feeling judged or criticized for mistakes.
The one thing teachers do that stood out to me is communication. This is so important and makes us all better people and better at our job and the students deserve the best from each of us. It also supports our students, families, and our community and helps us to grow and thrive and enjoy our work and our time outside of work.
ReplyDeleteThe one things that excellent leaders don't do that stood out to me is to not play the "gotcha" game. I, like the author, have to admit that as a young teacher/educator I wanted to get ahead and do "better" and sometimes I enjoyed those moments where I got the accolades instead of someone else- rather than being a good team player. I am totally embarrassed by this now and wish I had been a better human as a young teacher.
A do for me is to say no sometimes. When I first started teaching, I would always say yes. Yes, I will cover lunch duty. Yes, I will go to that meeting. Yes, I will grade papers and plan lessons at night. Yes, I will cover that class. ll those things did was wear me out. I have learned to say no to a lot of things now. I used to think if I said no, it would mean I was not a team player. I have come to learn that every time I said yes, someone else was saying no. To be a team player, everyone should be able to say no, but everyone also needs to say yes at times to make a team function, it shouldn't just be one person.
ReplyDeleteA don't for me is to not place blame. We all make mistakes and if we teach kids that mistakes are ok to make, we should have that same rationale with our co workers. If something is not right, communication is key instead of just saying so and so did it.
A "DO" for me would be to build relationships with students. We have so many teachers at our school that simply teach from 8 - 4 and then go home and you never see them. The kids also notice this. These are the same teachers that will complain in a meeting or in the hallways how this kid or that kid is always being disruptive in class. I want to scream sometimes... because these same kids are the ones that you have not built any type of relationship with.
ReplyDeleteA "Don't" for me would be to place blame. We all screw up, speak incorrectly, or simply make decisions that we thought were right but didn't turn out. So many times we make a decision that we thought was right but didn't work out...then we are reluctant to take chances on things in the future because we were reprimanded about past decisions.
The Do is building relationships. I think that a strong relationship will lead that student to trust you and have that student know that you care and want the best for all students is really important to them and to me. I want kids to see me outside the classroom at events and feel comfortable talking to me at the game or grocery store.
ReplyDeleteThe Don’t is the gotcha game. It is very unprofessional. We should learn from our mistakes and get better and not be afraid of making mistakes. I think this hurts the school climate and the staff to become a better team and work together to build the best school that they possibly can.
The Do for me that stood out is to not view yourself as a "model" teacher/leader but as a model LEARNER. Great teachers are always reflective and always learning. We can learn daily from our leaders, our co workers and our children. You became great by not having every answer and being open to feedback and ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe Don't for me is don't be afraid to say no. Of course, don't always say no and say yes when it makes sense for the greater good. However, it is important in this culture of technology, testing and a lot of pressures to be able to make sure we are taking care of our children first but also ourselves and each other.
The DO that I feel the most passionate about is communication and relationship building. I put these two together as I feel communication leads to better relationships. This applys towards students, parents, and coworkers. A great teacher will prioritize working together as a strong key for a school to be successful. When we all have a common goal and respect each other, the opportunities for growth and success are endless.
ReplyDeleteA Don't that stood out to me was the "gotcha" game. I will have to admit that early on in my teaching career, I wanted people to think that I was one of the top teachers. I worked tiredlessly to make sure "my" students had great activities, scored well on testing, and seemed to be overall better behaved. What I was missing, was the understanding that my "150" kids were not only mine. I also had another 150 kids that just because they didn't walk into my classroom everyday, they very much were mine as well. We need to understand that we all have a responsibility for all students in our building so it is important that we share ideas, work with each others strengths and weaknesses, and lift each other up when needed so that all students benefit.
Choose one “do” and one “don’t” from the chapter and write about why these are important to you as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteOne do is that you communicate. I am amazed at how many staff/faculty are afraid to email through the school's email system because they're so afraid they'll be recorded or dinged for being unprofessional (I admit to sending sloppy emails). I tell people we're not robots; we're human and we're usually doing things on the fly. Another is making sure to clarify a potential misunderstanding or learn to confront people that may have done something wrong to you or others.
Don't COMPLAIN!!! Teachers can be the worst at this point. I avoid complainers and they are usually the gossipers as well. They love to use this phrase a lot "did you hear about..."? Yike!
One “do” that stands out to me is building relationships. In my role, relationships are the foundation. When students feel connected to a trusted adult, they are more likely to open up, ask for help, and stay engaged even when things get difficult. Strong relationships are not only important with our students, but also with our leaders. Relationships also help create a sense of safety and belonging in the school. For me, excellence starts with taking the time to truly know someone. One “don’t” that resonates with me is placing blame when problems arise. In a school environment, it is easy to look for who is responsible when something goes wrong. However, that mindset often shuts down communication and trust. We are all human and we each make mistakes. Placing blame does not help to improve a situation, but rather it can create defensiveness and distance. Together, these ideas reinforce that expecting excellence is less about perfection and more about how we show up for people. When we prioritize relationships and avoid blame, we create a culture where staff and students feel supported and are more likely to succeed.
ReplyDeleteExpect Excellence: In this chapter, the author discusses things excellent leaders do and things excellent leaders don’t do.
ReplyDeleteChoose one “do” and one “don’t” from the chapter and write about why these are important to you as a teacher.
From this chapter, the "do" I chose is building relationships. Building relationships is important to me as a teacher because students are more likely to succeed when they know their teacher genuinely cares about them. I have noticed that when I take to build relationships with students, they are more engaged and more willing to learn what I am intending to teach. Students also tend to view expectations and boundaries as necessary supports rather than a way of controlling them. Strong relationships help create a positive and successful classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and able to learn to their fullest potential.
The "don't" that I chose was placing blame. It is far more effective to be focused on solutions and growth as blame does not fix anything. Instead of blaming teachers, students, parents, or administration, it is more productive to acknowledge this issue and work collaboratively to find solutions that move us in a positive direction. When the focus is on solutions rather than fault, leaders/teachers are better able to make changes that align with success. High expectations and success is maintained with challenges are identified and the focus is on solutions verses blaming or finding fault.
I enjoyed this chapter and thought the information very useful! The thing good leaders do that stood out to me was doing the simple things. Specifically, I think good leaders see what needs to be done and then do it. They don't need to be super important or recognition worthy, they just need to be done. I think the principal to the custodian to the teachers can do things like pick up trash or join an organization or help out a student in need. I don't think good leaders need titles. The only title any of us in schools need is one who prepares students for the future.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I think good leaders don't do is shy away from push back. When something is worthwhile for students, there may be some push back. Not everyone agrees with every idea. Good leaders don't take that push back and give up on the idea on the table. Instead, a good leader will listen to the push back, take it back and do some research, present the idea and it's merit to those who disagree, and come to some compromise on the idea. That same good leader will be a respectful person if their point of view gets voted down. If they still believe in the idea they will do some more research and present that idea again.