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Outstanding in Your Field: What It Takes to Be a Great Teacher
By Ben Johnson
7/16/08
I am reading a book by Steven Covey called The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, which he wrote to help organizations and individuals find their voices. The premise of the book is that if you don't do this, you or your organization will not be able to achieve greatness. I highly recommend that you read it, and I will gladly lend it to you when I am done with it, but that is not the focus of this post.
I considered the word greatness for a long while. I asked myself this question: "What does it mean in education?" Then I started thinking about my career.
I never thought of myself as a great teacher. I certainly had passion, enthusiasm, and creativity, but I never thought I had the stuff for greatness; I did the best I knew how with the resources that were available. I found myself always thinking about what I could do to improve my lessons, to overcome negative student behaviors, or to encourage individual students, while at the same time, I pondered my own shortcomings. My strategies and skills were not unique. Aside from a little bit of personal flair, they were the compilation of wisdom and experience gained mostly from other teachers.
Although I was not great, I would like to believe that I was an above-average teacher. As most teachers do, I went through the typical three-step teacher-attitude cycle:
- Whoa! This is too much, and I want out.
- The students don't care. The administration doesn't support us.
- I can do this. This is fun. Get out of my way, and let me do my job. If I help just one student, it is worth it.
I was able to get out of the second-phase trap of negativity and into the third, self-actualized phase because of wonderful mentor teachers who helped me understand that it helps no one to complain and point fingers. Mr. Devereaux, the Spanish department head, taught me that I first had to be the solution to all my problems, and then I could enjoy the excitement and challenges of the journey. I don't think I was an effective teacher until I learned that lesson.
As teachers are required to do, I attended workshops and teacher meetings in which I was inspired to be great. I saw Stand and Deliver, which depicts how a high school math teacher, Jaime Escalante, challenged the mental and social limitations his students had placed on themselves, thereby bringing them to greatness. I felt that if I could be that passionate about teaching students, I could do anything. Then I went back into the classroom and faced the reality that I had only a certain amount of time, strength, and energy, and my desire for greatness faded a bit, though I never let it die completely.
When I decided to become an administrator, that spark of desire for greatness was rekindled and refocused: I wanted to inspire other teachers to be great and thus pass that on to their students. So here I am.
I have seen that spark of greatness in you when I have been in your classrooms and watched you interact with the students. Recently, I have been a first grader, a second grader, and an eighth grader (and I will soon be a ninth grader), and I have witnessed elements of your greatness firsthand while spending the entire day at your campuses and in your classes.
In the second part of this post, I describe these experiences in more detail and pose some questions about greatness for you to ponder, but please share your thoughts about what I’ve discussed here.
Great Teachers
Submitted by Jamie Lewis (not verified) on August 4, 2008 - 12:19.
Great teachers are people you want to be around. They are knowledgable but more importantly they are fun and interesting individuals who teach you as they continue to learn themselves. I believe I have experienced moments of greatness but it has not yet become a part of my everyday life. I do not think I have to give things up as much as I have to adjust my priorities and time management skills to become great. All great teachers do not have the same type of classroom. However, a kind welcoming environment where students feel valued and important is a must. My first step toward greatness, will be to continue to learn something new each day and to help my students do the same. I cannot ask them to do something I am not willing to do myself.
The Center for Inspired Teaching
Submitted by H.Y. Griffin, Washington, DC (not verified) on July 31, 2008 - 09:25.
It's so exciting to read these thoughtful responses to this blog entry. I have the privilege of working with teachers at Center for Inspired Teaching, and sharing their stories through the communications team. I always feel rejuvenated when I witness educators going through or even describing the moment when they recommitted to teaching, and stepped into phase 3.
One of my colleagues told me a few weeks ago that she hated her first year of teaching, and it only got worse the second year. But she knew she had the potential to have a huge impact on her students, on their lives and their outlook on learning and school. At some point before her third year, she looked at herself with brutal honesty and realized that she was the problem and solution. She changed her attitude and classroom management style with help from a great mentor, and relished the rest of her time in the classroom. Now she helps teachers to embrace teaching and grow in phase 3, showing them that everyone in schools--teachers, administrators, students--goes through a similar process, and that the positive change for teachers can have a ripple effect on whole school communities.
Ripples in the pond
Submitted by Ben Johnson (author) (not verified) on August 3, 2008 - 08:57.
H.Y. Griffin:
Teaching is hard. Inspiring learning is even harder as your work at the Center for Inspired Teaching has probably shown you. Teachers need amazing support and inspiration, especially in the first few years, and that is what it sounds like your organization is doing. Keep up the good work!
You mentioned ripples in a school from just one teacher moving to stage 3. I know this to be true. I was a Spanish teacher, and in the Foreign Language department at Fontana High School, in Fontana, CA. I moved into stage three while I was there and when that happened, ripples happened. I felt students should have a way to show what they had learned in their language. I mentioned my mentor, Mr. Devereaux in my blogg, he and I got our heads together and came up with a plan. Working with the other great teachers in the department, we established a day of Multi-cultural celebration. Each teacher's class would show-case their particular language that they had been learning by decorating their classrooms on the inside and the outside preparing talents, dances, skits, and fashion shows in the their learned language. We were in portable buildings in two rows facing each other and we decorated the space between with sidewalk chalk paintings, colorful banners, posters, displays, and country flags. We invited students from different cultures to also display their heritage and language in booths and a bazaar-like food court. One of the highlights of the celebration, was the multi-cultural dance festival where Tongans, Fiji Islanders, Philipino, Taiwanese, Mexican, Guatemalan, Pakistani, German, and several other groups of students performed their native dances. The first year was such a success that the entire school was invited to see it. The next year, it became two days, and the following year it was an entire week. It was a huge ripple and it changed the way that the school operated. Where once all of these cultures collided dangerously, now, they worked together and actively shared and appreciated the best of each others' cultures. It changed the students, the teachers and the community.
Ripples start small and we never know how big they will get or how large their effect will be.
Thanks for making ripples.
Best Regards,
Ben Johnson
Natalia,TX
Greatness In Teaching
Submitted by Alina Moran (not verified) on July 27, 2008 - 12:08.
This year will be my first away from a formal classroom setting after having spent twenty years teaching K-12 in the US as well as abroad. I don't see myself as a great teacher, but I do feel I have become a meaningful educator.
I began teaching formally in 1988 and not in the manner most teachers initiate their careers. This provoked a need to excel among my highly qualified colleagues and the passionate desire to responsibly enhance the learning experiences of the students. This endeavor has yielded and continues to yield many delightful successes... more than I ever envisioned on that very first day of school back in 1988!
Teachers must understand that meaningful teaching requires a passionate, coherently knowledgeable, empathetic nature that perceives students' interests and needs, addressing such needs without ever loosing the thrill only learning something well offers. Teaching is about developing proactive life long learners.
Great Service
Submitted by Ben Johnson (author) (not verified) on July 27, 2008 - 18:13.
Alina:
Thank you for 20 years of passionate service. Blessings have a way of coming back to us when we engage in selfless work like teaching. Well done. Oh, and by the way, you are still an educator, because you understand the truth of it--always keep learning!
Ben Johnson
Natalia, TX
First Year Fears
Submitted by Heather Jones (not verified) on July 25, 2008 - 07:07.
There is this amazing feeling of goose bumps and heart palpitations that my fear was recognized and real. As a first year teacher, I was in stage 1 right around October of last school year. Then again, in May when my students were antsy to enjoy the beautiful weather and I needed to prepare them for benchmark tests, I wanted out. However, when those feelings emerged... they were soon followed by an "ah-ha!" moment from one of my First graders. Thank goodness for them. Unbeknownst to them, they are the ones who kept me motivated.
One thought about the other stages that lie ahead in my career. I clearly see some of my colleagues fitting into those categories. It is evident when I hear the complaints about administration from the stage 2 teachers. I cannot wait for them to reach stage 3!
Goose bumps
Submitted by Ben Johnson (author) (not verified) on July 27, 2008 - 18:20.
Heather:
You made it through the hardest part and you still have a positive attitude as denoted by your comment, "I cannot wait for them to reach stage 3!" That is the sad part about my career, that I spent any time at all in stage two. There is no reason a teacher cannot skip stage two entirely. I hope you are one of those. Keep that great attitude and you will be great!
Best Regards,
Ben Johnson
Natalia, TX
Stuck In Stage Two
Submitted by Lisa (not verified) on July 26, 2008 - 14:18.
I've had the opportunity to teach in several different school districts. My current teaching position would be my dream placement with the exception of a number of colleagues who focus on negativity. I guess they are stuck in stage 2. I'm newer to the school and know what else is out there as far as limited resources and technology, support systems, and much more. When I see everything my school district offers both teachers and students I can't believe some of the attitudes my colleagues present. I decided not to isolate myself and maintain communication. I still feel having professional relationships with colleagues are essential. I just limit my exposure because if I'm not careful, the negativity could be passed on to me. I know I want to stay positive, problem solve, and stay focused on growing and moving forward. I want to continue having fun in the classroom.
Positivism
Submitted by Ben Johnson (author) (not verified) on July 27, 2008 - 18:31.
Lisa:
You are not alone in your plight. Ingratitude abounds in educational circles. Educators really do have much more than they did just a few years ago and some districts offer much more than others and it is easy to get into the "habit" of complaining.
You are right to not isolate yourself from the negativism. I noticed something about the way people respond to situations. It is much like a balance beam. If it tips slightly to the negative, the whole thing then becomes negative. But there is the other side, if it tips slightly the other direction, positivism prevails. I believe that you could be that spark of positivism and tip the scales in the positive direction by speaking up and finding the good. Some of your colleagues may humor you because you are new, others may label you as a goodie-two-shoes, but I guarantee they will listen and this may be just the nudge that others need to speak up. Light dispels darkness.
Most importantly, stay positive yourself. I hope you can be that ray of sunshine for everyone around you. Good luck!
Ben Johnson,
Natalia, TX
Thank you
Submitted by Daniel (not verified) on July 24, 2008 - 08:43.
It's nice to see that other people go through pretty much the exact same thing that other new teachers do. I am a first-year teacher, and I felt the exact same way, I felt that I could not accomplish anything, and that I had very little support, and I did not know what I was doing. It's nice to hear that things will get better, and I look forward to reading more from you.
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