CONNECTIONS: Do Your Best. Then, Do Better
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
Maya Angelou
Here are three true statements (that some may find impossible to believe) about the first principal I ever worked for as a teacher:
She smoked cigarettes in her office occasionally.
She sometimes paddled children with a wooden paddle when they misbehaved.
She was an outstanding principal who was well liked and widely respected by the students, staff, and families she served.
Although this was a long time ago, it was not the Stone Age; it was the 1980s. And my principal smoked in school and paddled kids. And people thought she was awesome. In considering these three points, some may find the fact she smoked in the principal's office the most incredible. Others may find using a wooden paddle to punish kids even more incomprehensible.
However, some may find the fact that the principal--one who smoked and paddled children-- was widely liked and respected the most surprising of all. But, you would have liked and respected her, too, if you worked for her during that era. She was a student-centered leader who truly cared about every single child in the school of over 1000 K-5 students. She cared about every staff member, too. In fact, thanks in large part to her leadership, we were a close-knit staff who worked hard together when at school and enjoyed each other’s company outside of school.
How can we speak so highly of a school leader who smoked in her office and occasionally paddled children who misbehaved? At the time, such behaviors were completely acceptable parts of the school and district culture--and were equally acceptable throughout that part of the country. To use Angelou’s quote, you might say she was doing the best she knew at the time. However, because she was a lifelong learner who was open minded and welcomed change, when she knew better, she did better. A few years hence, she had stopped smoking and put a halt to corporal punishment, even though both were still legal (and widely practiced at neighboring schools) at that time. So, what are the implications of this story from the 1980s for those of us practicing as teachers and school leaders in 2020?
First, it is important to realize that best practices evolve over time. What we think is best practice right now may well be looked at with scorn and horror many years hence. Still, we must move forward, doing the very best we can today, armed with the very best knowledge we have available to us; at the same time, we should constantly examine and reflect upon what it is we consider best practice today and always be open to changing when we find a better way. We simply cannot continue to do things if the only reason we have for doing them is the fact that we have always done them. In the example above, the principal paddled children--and the vast majority of the staff supported and even encouraged this behavior--simply because it had always been done. There simply was no other defensible reason for doing this. Thankfully, we are no longer using corporal punishment in most schools across the country. Fortunately, smoking is no longer allowed in schools either. Believe it or not, however, in every school we visit, some educators still do things simply because they have always done those things. Like this principal, the people doing these things are neither bad people nor lazy professionals. In fact, many are passionate individuals dedicated to their kids, colleagues, and schools. Yet some traditions continue in schools today that serve no real learning purpose. When we notice this happening, we should confront it, discussing it openly among all affected parties. Ultimately, if we cannot support our current practice or policy in ways other than, “Well, we’ve always done it that way,” we should seriously reconsider such practices or policies.
So what lessons can we learn from the somewhat shocking behaviors that occurred many years ago which seemed perfectly normal at the time? And, what lessons can we learn from much more recent--if less extreme--practices that we no longer consider best practice? Our answer is that we must be extremely vigilant about monitoring all we do, measuring whether it is producing the desired results, and implementing new and better ideas whenever we discover them. Realizing that times change and our practices can and should change with them is important. The vast majority of us are doing the very best we know how each and every day. Still, we must be open to the possibility that what we are doing today as “best practice” may not be the best we can do tomorrow. Doing our very best on a daily basis--and then doing even better when we know better--is characteristic of a thriving school culture.
Lead with Passion,
Jeff and Jimmy
DAILY INSPIRATION EDUCATOR
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WHAT’S NEW?
Pause. Breathe. Flourish: Living Your Best Life as an Educator by William D. Parker.
In this book, Parker explores the habits, practices, and mindset necessary for growth as both an educator and a person. This book is grounded in the belief that when you invest in better care of yourself, you can better serve and lead others. Applying those insights is the challenge. Each chapter begins with a mental image and unpacks specific areas for cultivating personal or professional growth. Chapters end with reflection questions to help you take immediate actions for thoughtful application and improved outcomes. Do yourself a favor, and read ahead to pause, breathe, and flourish! Check out more here
COMING SOON
It’s All about the L.E.A.R.N.E.R.: Finding the True, Good, and Beautiful in Education by Marita Diffenbaugh
This book is for hope givers who thrive when helping others develop their full potential. Marita Diffenbaugh identifies seven essential components to consider when providing education as a service to learners, along with a remix for measuring learning success. Throughout each chapter, look for the True, Good, and Beautiful, for when all three of these are present, we can be sure that students are learning how to learn, learning how to help others, and learning how to contribute in their communities and in our world. This book was written for difference makers like you who strive to create an education service that Listens, Empowers, Analyzes, provides Resources, understands students’ Needs, designs Experiences, and offers caring Relationships.
CONNECTEDD’S TAKE FIVE
Thought for the Day: “For most kids in this country, public education isn’t their best shot. It is their only shot. We must get it right.” Sir Ken Robinson
Podcasts to Ponder: Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. William D. Parker is the Founder of Principal Matters, LLC, an author and speaker who uses his expertise in school culture, leadership and communication to equip educators with solutions and strategies for motivating students, inspiring teachers, and reaching communities. Listen to over 200 podcasts on the topic of school leadership: Learn more here
Blogs that Make Us Better: TeachThought: TeachThought’s mission is to innovate education through the growth of innovative teachers. Learn more here
Teaching Technique to Try: The Anticipation Guides strategy asks students to express their opinions about ideas before they encounter them in a text or unit of study. Completing anticipation guides helps students recognize and connect to themes that surface in their learning. Use this strategy at the beginning of a unit or before engaging with a text. Check out this link from Facing History and Ourselves for a step-by-step process for using anticipation guides.
Eyes On Culture: We believe that culture is a true difference maker in any classroom, school, district, or organization. As a result, we focus much of the work we do on creating and maintaining positive and productive cultures. Culture Focus: In high-performing cultures, all stakeholders accept and act on the belief that all students belong to all adults. How do we establish a culture in which all kids belong to all of us? What evidence will we use to show this is happening?
Please share your thoughts via Twitter: @ConnectEDDBooks We would love to hear from you!