Click to see the image on Alicia Ray's blog. It's too small to read here, but there is a lot here to spark conversation in the education community. This graphic was created by Alicia Ray, in response to her reading the new book from Dave Burgess Consulting. The book title, Stop. Right. Now., reminds me of my own list of 39 (actually 40) Professional Pet Peeves.
I can't say I agree with everything on this list (and admittedly, I have not paged through the book.), but I do recognize professional introspection when I see it - both on the part of the book authors, Jimmy Casas and Jeffrey Zout, and the blog author, Alicia Ray. It is this type of professional introspection with an outward eye toward research and anecdote.
Of note on this list are the items under the category of Process:
Expect Committees to Solve Problems - Sometimes a leader has to make a decision based on the fact that s/he is the leader, and sometimes a teacher needs to take charge of things without having to rely on a committee decision. Don't wait to do what's right.
Placing Pre-Service with Ineffective Teachers - There is something to be said for learning the wrong way to do things. I remember learning the newspaper business that way from a couple of different bosses, but it's probably not the way to best learn. Those student-teachers need to sink-or-swim, but they also need guidance from high-quality educators.
Surveys without Follow Up - I'm smart enough to figure out when a survey is a con just to get me to think I have some say - some decision-making power. A survey that doesn't initiate a conversation, debate, or change.
Celebrating Non-High School Graduations - These extra graduation ceremonies diminish the importance of the graduation that comes at the end of the public school career.
Change for the Sake of Change - Every year there is something to dread, some new mandate from the top, something that throws a wrench into the works. While a self-driven planner and creator works in anticipation of tweaking his shortcomings for the upcoming year, it is super frustrating to hear about the changes - for the sake of change - that come at the beginning of every new school year.
In the area of Practice, there is much to debate, but I take special notice of the following:
Using Low-Level Questions - I've never tried to (crudely stated) dumb things down for my classes. In 30 years in education, I have found more resources from the middle school level to be helpful than from my own grade level (fourth grade).
Complaining about Dress Codes - How can we foster professionalism or a serious force of positive self image if we constantly dress down? I don't have to wear a three-piece suit or a tie every day to be professional. In fact, if I expect to be respected as a professional, shouldn't I portray the look of one? Too many teachers are satisfied with wearing spandex, blue jeans, and/or t-shirts every day they can, caring more about comfort than example.
For the category of People, it is important to find:
Relying on the Same People to Lead - Those who are supposedly in the know (often people who spend more time in the college classroom or with administrators than in actual classrooms. There are many outstanding ideas to be shared, but those who create those ideas are often put in the corner.
Tolerating Gossip - I'm not sure why humans like to gossip, but we do. We want to know secrets. We want to share secrets that only we know. Somehow we feel closer to people when we share those secrets. Still, those of us who listen to gossip and don't speak up about it are just as guilty as those of us who blab.
Punishing Instead of Teaching - I've come to understand more and more that behavior needs to be explicitly taught, or coached. When a student needs added academic attention, teachers are expected to give it, so why not do the same for a student who has a behavior deficit? Of course, there are behaviors that require special attention, but for most, the teacher should recognize the opportunity to help.
Striving for Mere Compliance - I do not enjoy ticking boxes for our red-taped, data-driven system. I understand the reasons for the existence of those boxes, but the boxes become more important than the students.
Making Excuses - When we can't tick the boxes or keep up with requirements, we have to make up excuses. We do need to be conscious of our own time management and responsibilities. There are few excuses for not putting forth our best efforts in planning instruction and delivery.
Looking at the Philosophy category, the most interesting topics are:
Counting Down, Groaning, Cheering - We're better than this, yet every year, somebody shows kids that we're going to be happy to get rid of them at Christmas Break and the end of the year. Somebody inevitably sends the message that good times are on the way, rather than good times are coming to an end - and we're the ones who supposedly value education.
Supervising Instead of Connecting - If you're not among the students, chatting with them, connecting with them during those times of cafeteria or recess duty, you may be merely watching kids. But the fact is, we are educators, not zookeepers. We should be working on our relationships with our pupils.
Insisting That I Don't Have Enough Time - We all have the same time. Once you have things in place, you no longer have to make detailed plans, you can just continually fix the wrong things and improve. Grade papers as you assign them, and figure out how to go home at a reasonable hour to be with your family (or feed your goldfish).
Saying I Hate Change - OK, so we're not fond of change, but making changes work for us in our individual systems should be looked upon as a challenge, not a pothole. This is a tough lesson to learn in any career.
Doing What I've Always Done - It's the definition of insanity, isn't it? We hear a lot about teacher burnout, but we still just do what we've always done, expecting the same results. We have to learn to study our techniques and procedures and improve them every year.
I can't say I agree with everything on this list (and admittedly, I have not paged through the book.), but I do recognize professional introspection when I see it - both on the part of the book authors, Jimmy Casas and Jeffrey Zout, and the blog author, Alicia Ray. It is this type of professional introspection with an outward eye toward research and anecdote.
Of note on this list are the items under the category of Process:
Expect Committees to Solve Problems - Sometimes a leader has to make a decision based on the fact that s/he is the leader, and sometimes a teacher needs to take charge of things without having to rely on a committee decision. Don't wait to do what's right.
Placing Pre-Service with Ineffective Teachers - There is something to be said for learning the wrong way to do things. I remember learning the newspaper business that way from a couple of different bosses, but it's probably not the way to best learn. Those student-teachers need to sink-or-swim, but they also need guidance from high-quality educators.
Surveys without Follow Up - I'm smart enough to figure out when a survey is a con just to get me to think I have some say - some decision-making power. A survey that doesn't initiate a conversation, debate, or change.
Celebrating Non-High School Graduations - These extra graduation ceremonies diminish the importance of the graduation that comes at the end of the public school career.
Change for the Sake of Change - Every year there is something to dread, some new mandate from the top, something that throws a wrench into the works. While a self-driven planner and creator works in anticipation of tweaking his shortcomings for the upcoming year, it is super frustrating to hear about the changes - for the sake of change - that come at the beginning of every new school year.
In the area of Practice, there is much to debate, but I take special notice of the following:
Using Low-Level Questions - I've never tried to (crudely stated) dumb things down for my classes. In 30 years in education, I have found more resources from the middle school level to be helpful than from my own grade level (fourth grade).
Complaining about Dress Codes - How can we foster professionalism or a serious force of positive self image if we constantly dress down? I don't have to wear a three-piece suit or a tie every day to be professional. In fact, if I expect to be respected as a professional, shouldn't I portray the look of one? Too many teachers are satisfied with wearing spandex, blue jeans, and/or t-shirts every day they can, caring more about comfort than example.
For the category of People, it is important to find:
Relying on the Same People to Lead - Those who are supposedly in the know (often people who spend more time in the college classroom or with administrators than in actual classrooms. There are many outstanding ideas to be shared, but those who create those ideas are often put in the corner.
Tolerating Gossip - I'm not sure why humans like to gossip, but we do. We want to know secrets. We want to share secrets that only we know. Somehow we feel closer to people when we share those secrets. Still, those of us who listen to gossip and don't speak up about it are just as guilty as those of us who blab.
Punishing Instead of Teaching - I've come to understand more and more that behavior needs to be explicitly taught, or coached. When a student needs added academic attention, teachers are expected to give it, so why not do the same for a student who has a behavior deficit? Of course, there are behaviors that require special attention, but for most, the teacher should recognize the opportunity to help.
Striving for Mere Compliance - I do not enjoy ticking boxes for our red-taped, data-driven system. I understand the reasons for the existence of those boxes, but the boxes become more important than the students.
Making Excuses - When we can't tick the boxes or keep up with requirements, we have to make up excuses. We do need to be conscious of our own time management and responsibilities. There are few excuses for not putting forth our best efforts in planning instruction and delivery.
Looking at the Philosophy category, the most interesting topics are:
Counting Down, Groaning, Cheering - We're better than this, yet every year, somebody shows kids that we're going to be happy to get rid of them at Christmas Break and the end of the year. Somebody inevitably sends the message that good times are on the way, rather than good times are coming to an end - and we're the ones who supposedly value education.
Supervising Instead of Connecting - If you're not among the students, chatting with them, connecting with them during those times of cafeteria or recess duty, you may be merely watching kids. But the fact is, we are educators, not zookeepers. We should be working on our relationships with our pupils.
Insisting That I Don't Have Enough Time - We all have the same time. Once you have things in place, you no longer have to make detailed plans, you can just continually fix the wrong things and improve. Grade papers as you assign them, and figure out how to go home at a reasonable hour to be with your family (or feed your goldfish).
Saying I Hate Change - OK, so we're not fond of change, but making changes work for us in our individual systems should be looked upon as a challenge, not a pothole. This is a tough lesson to learn in any career.
Doing What I've Always Done - It's the definition of insanity, isn't it? We hear a lot about teacher burnout, but we still just do what we've always done, expecting the same results. We have to learn to study our techniques and procedures and improve them every year.
