Making a difference… a common phrase used with educators both when considering teaching as a profession and once immersed as a seasoned teacher leader. Most of us really do want to make a difference in the lives of the children we teach. We care about our students- some of us would even say we love them. But teaching is hard enough as it is traditionally without adding the dimension of having to unlearn and relearn so much as a means of remaining relevant in the lives of our students.
We want to be excellent in our professional and personal lives- exceedingly above excellent- but often, if we are honest, we simply are not willing to do what it takes to gain that level of expertise. Putting in the time, passion, and energy to become excellent isn’t comfortable, easy, or fun. We look at others who are seemingly living the lives we would want for ourselves or our students — we want what they have– but just aren’t motivated to do what it takes to get there.
Transformational change requires a different action than transactional change. Transformation requires going beyond what is expected. 
As educators, our unions and professional organizations have made such a big deal about bread and butter issues that we have come to believe that doing just enough for what we are being paid is good and right. It is a transaction. I do this to get this. We have even carried that mentality over into the classroom. We “train” our students that if they do this – they get a good grade. If they do that – they will be punished. Transactionally, their behaviors… our behaviors are a function of gaining reward or escaping punishment.
But what if we want excellence? What if we want to move beyond just meeting the status quo- to truly making a difference, leaving a legacy, or operating as an agent of meaningful change? To achieve excellence we have to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do- not do this to get this. Transformational change is needed to move towards self actualization (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). Transformational change is needed to shift culture. Transformational change is needed to pursue excellence. Transformational change means making a commitment to persevere even when you are not comfortable or it is not convenient to do so. It means staying the course even when the excitement wears off. It means have a clear direction (principal of the path) and understanding the dispositions, values, and beliefs that are motivating the change (excellence).
It has been my experience and observation that many of us who are on this journey of educational change brought about by the changing learning landscape that emerging technologies have caused in society, the world, and our own personal worlds, seem to be stuck in trying to get our own needs met (Maslow’s level of love and esteem). We need to be validated, recognized, and respected, so much so that we use the amplifier of technology to draw attention to our own feelings rather than reaching for excellence. We react to change and the hard things we need to do to change with “I don’t feel… I didn’t want… I am so…” rather than just putting our entire mind, heart and soul into doing the right thing- the highest thing- the hard thing. Self-actualization, especially self actualization in a connected world, requires a new set of values, beliefs and dispositions.
Schools can’t expect to throw a little money in the bucket and turn around an educational system that has been broken for years. We can’t do a little of what is right and expect a large result. We have to determine our direction and then stay the course, travel the path and close the gap between what we know and what we do.
While we feel that we have much to learn, the payoff would be huge if we just did what we KNOW to do. We get the why. It is the uncomfortableness of the doing, the inconvenience, the extra time invested, that strangles our motivation. Change is always premature. We have to accept the fact that hearing what we should do (attending webinars, conferences, workshops and reading books) is not going to produce excellence. Rather it is the applying what we hear, the doing, the contextualizing, the hard work of implementation that will bring about the desired result and produce excellence in our personal and professional lives. We have to move past the talk, past doing just enough to warrant our paycheck– to doing that which takes us to a place of excellence.
It is particularly important how we operate when no one is looking. If you want to know if you are on the path to excellence or self actualization — determine if you are doing the right thing for kids (even at a sacrifice to yourself) when no one is looking. When no one can applaud your efforts. When no one knows you are making a difference.
JOIN ME
I hope you will join me in this new year to making a commitment to integrity and excellence – to seeing ourselves as a change agents, as advocates for children who can’t advocate for themselves. Let’s agree to determine the transformational direction and then commit to stay the course. Let’s agree to be willing to swim upstream against the downhill slide in our schools and in education overall. Let’s work hard at leaving a legacy to kids who are touched by the system, to being the change we want to see in the world. Let’s make a commitment to not compromise (accept even a little below what we know is right). Let’s make a commitment to be excellent in everything we do, even when no one is looking. Let’s work hard, consistently, and passionately to change- ourselves, our schools, and education and not expect anything in return.
Let’s redefine what it means to truly make a difference.
Share with Me
Does any of this resonate with you? Do you also struggle with moving past your comfort zone to doing that which is right –just because it is right and not to gain acceptance or escape punishment? Do you have a story you can share to help us all in this challenge?
Photo Credit
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWEXu15rZuk5DCEsthKx6Zcf0cSBXuUh_hthWz_8-c3AXEcnuK
Making a difference… a common phrase used with educators both when considering teaching as a profession and once immersed as a seasoned teacher leader. Most of us really do want to make a difference in the lives of the children we teach. We care about our students- some of us would even say we love them. But teaching is hard enough as it is traditionally without adding the dimension of having to unlearn and relearn so much as a means of remaining relevant in the lives of our students.
We want to be excellent in our professional and personal lives- exceedingly above excellent- but often, if we are honest, we simply are not willing to do what it takes to gain that level of expertise. Putting in the time, passion, and energy to become excellent isn’t comfortable, easy, or fun. We look at others who are seemingly living the lives we would want for ourselves or our students — we want what they have– but just aren’t motivated to do what it takes to get there.
Transformational change requires a different action than transactional change. Transformation requires going beyond what is expected.
As educators, our unions and professional organizations have made such a big deal about bread and butter issues that we have come to believe that doing just enough for what we are being paid is good and right. It is a transaction. I do this to get this. We have even carried that mentality over into the classroom. We “train” our students that if they do this – they get a good grade. If they do that – they will be punished. Transactionally, their behaviors… our behaviors are a function of gaining reward or escaping punishment.
But what if we want excellence? What if we want to move beyond just meeting the status quo- to truly making a difference, leaving a legacy, or operating as an agent of meaningful change? To achieve excellence we have to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do- not do this to get this. Transformational change is needed to move towards self actualization (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). Transformational change is needed to shift culture. Transformational change is needed to pursue excellence. Transformational change means making a commitment to persevere even when you are not comfortable or it is not convenient to do so. It means staying the course even when the excitement wears off. It means have a clear direction (principal of the path) and understanding the dispositions, values, and beliefs that are motivating the change (excellence).
It has been my experience and observation that many of us who are on this journey of educational change brought about by the changing learning landscape that emerging technologies have caused in society, the world, and our own personal worlds, seem to be stuck in trying to get our own needs met (Maslow’s level of love and esteem). We need to be validated, recognized, and respected, so much so that we use the amplifier of technology to draw attention to our own feelings rather than reaching for excellence. We react to change and the hard things we need to do to change with “I don’t feel… I didn’t want… I am so…” rather than just putting our entire mind, heart and soul into doing the right thing- the highest thing- the hard thing. Self-actualization, especially self actualization in a connected world, requires a new set of values, beliefs and dispositions.
Schools can’t expect to throw a little money in the bucket and turn around an educational system that has been broken for years. We can’t do a little of what is right and expect a large result. We have to determine our direction and then stay the course, travel the path and close the gap between what we know and what we do.
While we feel that we have much to learn, the payoff would be huge if we just did what we KNOW to do. We get the why. It is the uncomfortableness of the doing, the inconvenience, the extra time invested, that strangles our motivation. Change is always premature. We have to accept the fact that hearing what we should do (attending webinars, conferences, workshops and reading books) is not going to produce excellence. Rather it is the applying what we hear, the doing, the contextualizing, the hard work of implementation that will bring about the desired result and produce excellence in our personal and professional lives. We have to move past the talk, past doing just enough to warrant our paycheck– to doing that which takes us to a place of excellence.
It is particularly important how we operate when no one is looking. If you want to know if you are on the path to excellence or self actualization — determine if you are doing the right thing for kids (even at a sacrifice to yourself) when no one is looking. When no one can applaud your efforts. When no one knows you are making a difference.
JOIN ME
I hope you will join me in this new year to making a commitment to integrity and excellence – to seeing ourselves as a change agents, as advocates for children who can’t advocate for themselves. Let’s agree to determine the transformational direction and then commit to stay the course. Let’s agree to be willing to swim upstream against the downhill slide in our schools and in education overall. Let’s work hard at leaving a legacy to kids who are touched by the system, to being the change we want to see in the world. Let’s make a commitment to not compromise (accept even a little below what we know is right). Let’s make a commitment to be excellent in everything we do, even when no one is looking. Let’s work hard, consistently, and passionately to change- ourselves, our schools, and education and not expect anything in return.
Let’s redefine what it means to truly make a difference.
Share with Me
Does any of this resonate with you? Do you also struggle with moving past your comfort zone to doing that which is right –just because it is right and not to gain acceptance or escape punishment? Do you have a story you can share to help us all in this challenge?
Photo Credit
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWEXu15rZuk5DCEsthKx6Zcf0cSBXuUh_hthWz_8-c3AXEcnuK