If you are here reading and checking out my site, you might want to know what I believe about teaching and leading. Here is my manifesto put into 5 simple tenets:
Principles of My Manifesto
- Put first things first. I have a sign on the front of my desk that says that. I know that prioritizing is being efficient. I tell my students to put first things first because they often want to play on their phones before they do the work that is expected and ultimately the time to do the work never arrives. This way of procrastinating is not effective. I try to lead by example by always working on the most important things first. This can also be applied to situations regarding leadership.
- Light a fire, don’t fill a bucket. Students are not empty containers that are to be filled up with knowledge. We just don’t open them up and pour in the information. It is important to inspire them, to engage them, and make them hungry to learn. As a teacher leader, it is also important to inspire other teachers. It is difficult to engage and inspire everyone. That’s why the next principle is so important.
- Relationships are everything. Students may forget lessons we have taught them, but they will never forget how we made them feel. If we scream and belittle them, they will definitely remember that. They will also remember if we show interest in them, make them feel welcome, needed, and wanted. This is also important to remember when we lead other teachers.
- Communicate clear expectations. It is important to know where we are headed by providing not only a goal, but a clear map on how to get there. Provide learning objectives, benchmarks, rubrics, and exemplars for students. When leading other teachers, communicate expectations and for collaboration, establish norms.
- It’s okay to say no. This principle has been a hard one for me to come to terms with, but it is important. It is important to remember as a teacher and as a leader. It is important to remember as a human in general. I do not have to feel obligated to say yes to everything that people ask me. Whatever guilt I may feel from saying no has to be replaced with the sense of peace that I have chosen to do the right thing for what the situation called for. If I constantly say yes to everything, it can interfere with other principles in this manifesto.
What do you believe is important in teaching?
John