I'm a total podcast junkie, so much so that I probably have more podcasts on my phone than music. It all began with my fascination with Dan Carlin's Hardcore History (which is still excellent, but now he has taken to producing mammoth episodes (in the four to six hour range) that take a couple months to produce. Initially, he would produce short podcasts every couple of weeks) and PBS's Learning Matters (featuring the always excellent John Merrow).
Then it began to really intensify when three years ago I discovered Dave Ramsey's Entreleadership. From there I discovered one of my new favorite podcasters, Michael Hyatt.
So I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I checked my iPhone and saw that a new podcast from Hyatt was available. The topic was quite interesting: Four Temptations Leaders Face.
Of course, as I listened to this on my way to work, I began applying these four temptations to not just leaders but teachers (who in their own way lead their classes every single period).
Here are the four temptations:
1. The Temptation of priorities.
Hyatt talks about how leaders sometimes get s busy that they lose track of their true priorities (think of Ziglar's wheel of life here:
When you overemphasize or ignore any of these spokes, the wheel begins to wobble. If not put back into proportion, the wheel will blow out. And how good is it driving a car with one flat tire?
Hyatt talks about how too often leaders (and teachers) try to take on too much. They put in incredibly late hours, neglecting their family and health. This, of course, sets a bad examples for all of those under this leader, for their workers begin thinking that by overworking, that is how you be successful.
This leads to burnout.
This is so true with teachers, which is why a majority of teachers leave the profession early (within their first four years actually). So when a teacher arrives early and stays extra late, they begin to neglect some of the spokes of this wheel in the sake of "career." This is often what many of young teachers do.
In fact, I did the same thing. And I began to hate what I did. At least my first year.
I was tired and totally drained. I took this out on my students, who, in turn, began disliking my class (I mean who really wants to spend any time at all around someone who is tired and worn out, and, thus, crabby?).
I don't think it's any coincidence that once the other spokes on my wheel began to equal out, I suddenly began to love every aspect of my life, which I still do.
The only spoke that I really have left to get back into shape (pun intended) is the 'health' spoke. And that's what I've been working on for about 8 months now.
2. The Temptation of Entitlement.
This happens to leaders when they begin to think they are owed things - the corner office, the larger desk . . . and so on.
This can happen to teachers with the classes they teach. When I started at LHS, I was given five sections of Lit and Lang 10. This was the class no one else wanted to teach. So it was given to the new guy.
I understand that this is how it tends to work. But what happens if they did that in other fields?
Such as give the real sticky cases to the rookie lawyers or the worst cancer cases to the new doctors or the most sensitive crimes to the new detectives?
Talk about a recipe for failure (I think this is the other contributing factor in why many teachers leave the field within their first four years).
Luckily for me, teaching five classes of Lit and Lang 10 in a six period day was just what I needed to practice my craft and get good at it.
The best way to guard against this is to remain humble and keep everything in perspective.
I joke with colleagues from time to time, but I keep things in perspective by imagining one of my heroes in teaching, Loiell Dyrud, and understanding that I could never, ever fill his shoes. I tell myself that on my very best days at LHS, I might be able to tie them but never fill them.
Likewise, I know I could never teach AP (taking the practice test this winter was an exercise in humility, even though the key to the test is available on-line - why didn't I realize that when I was taking it?). I know I can never use technology or incorporate discussions as well as my colleagues.
That keeps me in my place.
Oh yeah, since I am blessed to teach College Comp 1 and 2, I often have students who are smarter than I am. I simply have the benefit of years of experience.
3. The temptation of resentment.
This happened to me on this very blog several years ago when the Kaffir Boy controversy occurred. I became very resentful toward many community members who criticized us and the book.
I was wrong.
I should not have handled it that way.
Hyatt says in the podcast that he heard resentment described as drinking poison and hoping the other person who resent will die.
That's exactly what I was doing with my rants on my blog.
How often do we as teachers become resentful of colleagues and students?
That does us zero good.
First, it sets a horrible example for our colleagues and students.
Second, it ruins the culture we have built in our schools and classes.
Third, it is not how we would like to be treated, so why would we treat others this way?
Hyatt shares how one of his colleagues deals with criticism (which often leads to resentment): she treats it as a compliment. She just takes it in stride. And when the critics press on, she replies with this brilliant response: "Maybe you're right." Because, maybe they are.
4. The temptation of popularity.
This one is very difficult for teachers. And one I see with young teachers, having fallen prey to it myself.
I think this goes hand in hand with the temptation of entitlement.
But the bottom line for teachers is that popularity is nice but it counts for nothing. It's great to have students enjoy our class.
But it's far better to have students want to come to class because they learn something (and often times what they learn isn't viewed as popular by the students).
Focus on the skills you teach your students as opposed to how well they like you. That's the key.
My favorite example of this hangs in our principal's office.
Mr. Zutz (who was head baseball coach at the time) has a photo of his team dog piling each other on the pitching mound after they qualified for TRF's first ever state tournament appearance.
He is nowhere in the picture.
Why?
Because it isn't about him. The players earned it. Not him.
I love the message that picture implies about leadership and teaching.
When I take final class pictures of my College Comp 2 class, I'm never in the picture. It's not a conscious decision. I didn't even realize it until I looked at Mr. Zutz's baseball photo.
I'm not in the pictures because "it's not about me" is ingrained in how I view my classes.
It doesn't matter if my class is popular among the student body. What is all important is that I equip them with the skills that will make them successful in college. I'm lucky to have (for the most part) self-motivated learners who also enjoy the challenging material of the class.
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