www.nationalforum.com - Dr. David E. Herrington, Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Prohgrams, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, TX - NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
www.nationalforum.com - Dr. David E. Herrington, Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Prohgrams, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, TX - NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
STOP TEACHING SUBJECTS, START TEACHING CHILDREN (July 13)Mann Rentoy
WWW.CHARACTERCONFERENCES.COM
mannrentoy@gmail.com
About Mann Rentoy
A lecturer from the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), he has taught for more than 30 years.
He is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where he earned a double-degree in AB Journalism and AB Literature, an MA in Creative Writing, and a PhD in Literature.
He was the Founding Executive Director of Westbridge School in Iloilo City. He was in the first batch of graduates of PAREF Southridge School, where he also taught for 15 years, occupying various posts including Principal of Intermediate School, Vice-Principal of High School and Department Head of Religion. As Moderator of “The Ridge”, the official publication of Southridge, he won 9 trophies from the Catholic Mass Media Awards including the first ever Hall of Fame for Student Publication, for winning as the best campus paper in the country for four consecutive years.
He is the Founding Executive Director of “Character Education Partnership Philippines”, or CEP Philippines, an international affiliate of CEP in Washington, DC, USA. As Founder of CEP Philippines, he has been invited to speak all over the country, as well as in Washington D.C., San Diego, California, USA, Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also serves as the Founding President of Center for 4th and 5th Rs (Respect & Responsibility) Asia, otherwise known as the Thomas Lickona Institute for Asia. He is probably the most visible advocate of character formation in the country, having spoken to hundreds of schools and universities around the Philippines.
Email us at catalystpds@gmail.com
www.characterconferences.com
STOP TEACHING SUBJECTS, START TEACHING CHILDREN (July 13)Mann Rentoy
WWW.CHARACTERCONFERENCES.COM
mannrentoy@gmail.com
About Mann Rentoy
A lecturer from the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), he has taught for more than 30 years.
He is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where he earned a double-degree in AB Journalism and AB Literature, an MA in Creative Writing, and a PhD in Literature.
He was the Founding Executive Director of Westbridge School in Iloilo City. He was in the first batch of graduates of PAREF Southridge School, where he also taught for 15 years, occupying various posts including Principal of Intermediate School, Vice-Principal of High School and Department Head of Religion. As Moderator of “The Ridge”, the official publication of Southridge, he won 9 trophies from the Catholic Mass Media Awards including the first ever Hall of Fame for Student Publication, for winning as the best campus paper in the country for four consecutive years.
He is the Founding Executive Director of “Character Education Partnership Philippines”, or CEP Philippines, an international affiliate of CEP in Washington, DC, USA. As Founder of CEP Philippines, he has been invited to speak all over the country, as well as in Washington D.C., San Diego, California, USA, Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also serves as the Founding President of Center for 4th and 5th Rs (Respect & Responsibility) Asia, otherwise known as the Thomas Lickona Institute for Asia. He is probably the most visible advocate of character formation in the country, having spoken to hundreds of schools and universities around the Philippines.
Email us at catalystpds@gmail.com
www.characterconferences.com
Dos and don'ts of classroom management your 25 best tipsChelariu Mihai
From
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/dos-and-donts-classroom-management-your-25-best-tips?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=discussion-do-and-donts-class-manage-pres-title-image
CATALYST for Character Formation Association
www.mannrentoy.com
Given on the 27th of October 2018 at the LRC Hall of St. Paul College Pasig
For more information, email catalystpds@gmail.com
Developed creative and campaign concepts and strategies spanning multiple channels to support the launch of the Samsung Droid Charge at Verizon Wireless
Our Climate Justice campaign launched with twelve special events across England and Wales - thousands joined together to take action for climate justice.
Please add YOUR voice at http://www.cafod.org.uk/climatejustice
Music Business Talk at the Electronic Music Conference and Audio Expo Manila 2013.
Mad props to Gerd Leonhard and Seth Godin, two thought leaders whose work inspires me.
Martinez, luz elena does it matter nfmij v0 n1 2012[posted]William Kritsonis
NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS
Founded 1982
NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS are a group of national refereed, juried, peer-reviewed, blind-reviewed professional periodicals. Any article published shall earned five affirmative votes from members of our National Board of Invited Distinguished Jurors and must be recommended for national publication by members of the National Policy Board representing all National FORUM Journals. Journal issues are distributed both nationally and world-wide.
Our website features national refereed articles that are published daily within our National FORUM Journals Online Journal Division. Over 1,000 articles are available to scholars and practitioners world-wide. Over 250,000 guests visit our website yearly. About 56,000 articles are downloaded for academic purposes at no charge. We have about an 88% rejection rate. See: www.nationalforum.com
Founded in 1982, National FORUM Journals has published the scholarly contributions of over 5,200 professors with over 2,000 articles indexed. Our journals are indexed with many global agencies including Cabell’s Directories, ERIC, EBSCO, SWETS International, Library of Congress National Serials Data Program, and the Copyright Clearance Center, Danvers, Massachusetts.
Global Website: www.nationalforum.com
Dos and don'ts of classroom management your 25 best tipsChelariu Mihai
From
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/dos-and-donts-classroom-management-your-25-best-tips?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=discussion-do-and-donts-class-manage-pres-title-image
CATALYST for Character Formation Association
www.mannrentoy.com
Given on the 27th of October 2018 at the LRC Hall of St. Paul College Pasig
For more information, email catalystpds@gmail.com
Developed creative and campaign concepts and strategies spanning multiple channels to support the launch of the Samsung Droid Charge at Verizon Wireless
Our Climate Justice campaign launched with twelve special events across England and Wales - thousands joined together to take action for climate justice.
Please add YOUR voice at http://www.cafod.org.uk/climatejustice
Music Business Talk at the Electronic Music Conference and Audio Expo Manila 2013.
Mad props to Gerd Leonhard and Seth Godin, two thought leaders whose work inspires me.
Martinez, luz elena does it matter nfmij v0 n1 2012[posted]William Kritsonis
NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS
Founded 1982
NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS are a group of national refereed, juried, peer-reviewed, blind-reviewed professional periodicals. Any article published shall earned five affirmative votes from members of our National Board of Invited Distinguished Jurors and must be recommended for national publication by members of the National Policy Board representing all National FORUM Journals. Journal issues are distributed both nationally and world-wide.
Our website features national refereed articles that are published daily within our National FORUM Journals Online Journal Division. Over 1,000 articles are available to scholars and practitioners world-wide. Over 250,000 guests visit our website yearly. About 56,000 articles are downloaded for academic purposes at no charge. We have about an 88% rejection rate. See: www.nationalforum.com
Founded in 1982, National FORUM Journals has published the scholarly contributions of over 5,200 professors with over 2,000 articles indexed. Our journals are indexed with many global agencies including Cabell’s Directories, ERIC, EBSCO, SWETS International, Library of Congress National Serials Data Program, and the Copyright Clearance Center, Danvers, Massachusetts.
Global Website: www.nationalforum.com
Ericsson for smart living on slideshareMaria Boura
The Ericsson vision of the Networked Society and how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is transforming people, business and society for the better, in an unprecendented pace. We are in the middle of a revolution that is going to be far more impactful than the industrialization era.
Dr. W.A. Kritsonis, Selected Courts: Nonrenewal of Public School Professional...William Kritsonis
Dr. W.A. Kritsonis, Selected Courts: Nonrenewal of Public School Professional Personnel Contracts for Reasons of Declining Enrollment or Economic Stress in Accordance with the Due Process of Law
Dr. William Allan Kritsonis earned his PhD from The University of Iowa, Graduate School, College of Education, Iowa City, Iowa.
Similar to www.nationalforum.com - Dr. David E. Herrington, Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Prohgrams, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, TX - NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
My Passion As A Teacher
Middle School Teacher Essay
My Career as a Teacher Essay
Influences of a Teacher Essay
Essay on The Teaching Profession
A Good Teacher Essay
teacher expectations
Elementary School Teaching Essay
Essay about Teachers and Students
5Assignment Task Part 2Read a selection of your colleagues.docxstandfordabbot
5
Assignment Task Part 2
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Respond to 2 of your colleagues in
150 word Responses, commenting on areas of agreement, disagreement, inconsistency, and challenge with regard to how courage can be used to support policy and advocacy within the field.
7 days ago
Katheryn Gonzales
RE: Discussion 2 - Module 4
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
The presentations for this week’s discussion have influenced my perceptions of the common good. They have highlighted the importance of policy and practical wisdom and their fantastic effect on education. For example, in Bruno’s presentation, she discusses the importance of due process, which leads to others owning their decisions and making necessary changes that affect the greater good. Bruno also imparts her wisdom on the importance of documentation to support due process (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2014). Schwartz outlines the importance of using practical wisdom. Practical wisdom is the moral will to do the right thing and the skill to know the right thing (TED Conferences, LLC, 2011). A wise person can be flexible when dealing with others and knows how to bend the rules for the greater good with the proper needs in mind. Practical wisdom requires the person to have a desire to do the right thing.
Schwartz uses the example of a teacher who listened to a consultant trying to help the school boost its test scores. The consultant’s advice was for educators not to waste their time on students who will pass the test, don’t waste time on students who won’t pass no matter what, and kids whose scores will not matter. This consultant’s idea is to focus on the bubble kids, the kids that will make a difference. The teacher was upset by this advice because she believed all students matter. Schwartz’s point is that rules are essential, but some rules will demoralize the practitioners and the practice. Rules and incentives create people who only work for the incentive.
Similarly, we, as educators, work to reach students through incentives. Students begin to work for the incentive rather than the desire to learn. Thankfully there is a way out of the rules and incentive system through people willing to be system changers. The system changers use courage not to leave the system but to work to change the system (TED Conferences, LLC, 2011).
Courage is needed to make system changes. We have policies and rules because we see the importance of having a standard of operation. However, not every situation fits the standard. Therefore, flexibility and practical wisdom matter. Fromberg presents the idea of high-stakes testing as sanctioned child abuse. She highlights the importance of play and risk-taking in the learning process. Unfortunately, administrators and teachers are placed in positions to use standardized tests and scripted lessons. However, there are system changers using courage to br.
This workshop deals with instructional leadership using the Sergiovanni model and looks at how the instructional leader can transform a school culture from a culture of teaching to a culture of learning using PLCs.
12 Habits of Top 21st Century Teachers: ASTE 2015 VersionVicki Davis
What makes a top 21st century teacher? There are many conflicting answers to this question. Let's look at the characteristics shown by research and current psychology and examine what they look like in the classroom. You'll transform yourself one day at a time by applying these methods just like I did. By Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher at ASTE 2015
12 Habits of the Effective 21st Century TeacherVicki Davis
Twelve habits of effective 21st century teachers based upon research and practical classroom experience. You the teacher are the most important resource in your classroom. Understand how to encourage and motivate yourself to excellence as you work to help students experience the world class 21st century education they need to succeed.
An Effective Teacher Essay
My Career as a Teacher Essay
My Teaching Philosophy Essay
Being a Teacher Essay
Essay about Teachers and Students
Essay on The Teaching Profession
Educators are powerful people. They are influencers, changemakers, and dreammakers. But what happens when these very educators lose their spark or enter a profession that was out of convenience vs. passion? This paper examines the why, how, and what of these influential people.
4Content ReviewMotivating and Guiding School-Age.docxalinainglis
4
Content Review
Motivating and Guiding School-Age Children and Adolescents (EDUC - 3303 - 1)
Instructor(s): Robin Sachs
Yvonne Abron
Walden University
September 17, 2017
1.Based on the information in the article by Terri Apter, summarize how, when, and why self-doubt typically develops in young people. Then describe one "wrong" way to build self-esteem and one "right" way, explaining why for each.
Self-doubt can begin within childhood experiences, which may include issues with attachment. Positive interactions with teachers can result in a form of security attachment. Giving the child a feeling that they can rely on them. When the child reaches tween years they start to come into their own. They begin to experience life and the ups and downs that come with life. As children reach tween years they are attempting to be more grown up. We as adults should make sure the tween knows there success in life depends on them and the work they put out to be successful in life.
The wrong way to promote self-esteem is by not teaching the child that they are somebody. You have to help build self-esteem by giving compliments not by calling them dumb and they will never be nothing in life. If I child continues to hear negative things it will in term believe them. And feel like what’s the point of going to school. The right way to promote self-esteem would be giving the child choices, let them know no one is perfect among other things. Always let the child know they can achieve any goal if they work hard and stay persistent.
2.In the "The Strive of It" and "Joy in School" Kathleen Cushman and Steven Wolk each discuss how to motivate students by allowing them to choose their own pursuits. How do the strategies presented in these articles relate to the ideas of the Circle of Courage, as described by Martin Brokenleg and Tim McDonald? Explain at least two specific ways that ideas presented in one or both of these articles fulfill some or all of the values of the Circle of Courage.
As talked about in the articles Independence becomes a main form of the child developing who they are. A sense of belonging getting joy out of learning and being around others and interacting in a learning environment. The mastery would be taking on a new project and being the one best at the task at hand. If a task looks fun and interesting the child will jump aboard the learning experience. Generosity will close the circle by giving back to other students what the child has learned outside school. Making the task at hand seem more worth completing.
For example in the article “The Strive of It” by Kathleen Chusman it talks about children taking a trip to Washington D.C. Students interview embassies and nongovernment organization later to have a discussion with other students on questions to be answered. This allows the children to have a sense of belonging, as well as the generosity to share with others allowing them to grow and master the task that has been sit for them.
Similar to www.nationalforum.com - Dr. David E. Herrington, Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Prohgrams, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, TX - NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief (17)
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
Ethnobotany in herbal drug evaluation,
Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
Reverse Pharmacology.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
The Indian economy is classified into different sectors to simplify the analysis and understanding of economic activities. For Class 10, it's essential to grasp the sectors of the Indian economy, understand their characteristics, and recognize their importance. This guide will provide detailed notes on the Sectors of the Indian Economy Class 10, using specific long-tail keywords to enhance comprehension.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Students, digital devices and success - Andreas Schleicher - 27 May 2024..pptxEduSkills OECD
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Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
www.nationalforum.com - Dr. David E. Herrington, Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Prohgrams, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, TX - NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
1. NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
VOLUME 30, NUMBER 3, 2013
50
LEADER AS MENTOR & COACH:
CREATING A CULTURE OF
EXCELLENCE AND DIGNITY
David E. Herrington, Ph.D.
Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Programs
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
ABSTRACT
Adult pro-social behavior in school settings and exemplary performance by
students on a campus are related. They hold in common a thread of expectation
in which ethical thinking and behavior are articulated, modeled, coached, and
consistently promoted by the leader. When a proactive, ethical school culture is
conceived, created and maintained, bully-free work places come into existence.
This is the kind of place where principals can lead a focused, collaborative work
group that yields the highest levels of productivity and excellence. Expectations
of what one is able to achieve and what behaviors are expected to take place
make all the difference. In the words of former football coach Mike Leach
“You’re either coaching it, or allowing it to happen” (Leach, 2011, p. 136).
Leadership matters when it comes to shaping cultures that value the dignity of
the individual, social justice, and excellence of thought and action.
Introduction
The principal of a school campus makes a difference. The
principal sets the tone. The principal determines whether the campus is
a supportive and caring place or one that is hostile and divided. The
principal establishes norms of interpersonal communication and trust.
Principals have multiple opportunities each day to inspire teachers to
higher levels of effort and learning. They can also discourage and
demotivate teachers. Great principals inspire great teachers when they
create a safe, dignified workplace where excellence and social justice
are consistently acknowledged and coached. Coaching teachers,
2. DAVID E. HERRINGTON51
leading innovation, achieving turn-arounds have one thing in common
-- committed leaders who consistently articulate the difference
between excellence and mediocrity and who nurture a culture of social
justice. To change a culture Dodd (2005, March) suggested that the
leader let the faculty and staff “know his core values that will guide
his decisions…[and establish] that there will be clear lines of
communication” (p. 90). Bass (1985) in his early formulations of
transformational leadership noted the importance of intellectual
stimulation, the ability to reframe reality for subordinates.
Inspirational leadership he saw as a way to appeal to the better side of
people to move them to higher levels of thinking and achievement. In
any case, to create a culture of excellence and social justice involves a
lot of work. It will not happen by accident. Reframing the context and
resetting teachers‟ views of themselves, their students, and the very
nature of their work requires multiple influence attempts at many
levels each day.
When a leader can inspire a new vision of what is possible,
when the mindful leader makes the workplace a safe place to
challenge assumptions and introduce new ways of thinking, the
subordinates are freed to question unproductive processes and
procedures. In a school campus, increased awareness of what is
possible to think and do leads to higher levels of ethical reasoning and
commitment to the welfare and learning of each child. When teachers
know and truly realize that greater effort and commitment will lead to
higher levels of student performance, they will come to understand
that they are improving the quality of their own lives as well as the
lives of their students. When the leader as change agent creates a
culture that inspires whole-hearted, passionate, committed effort, he is
considered a transformational leader (Bennis &Nanus, 1985; Bass,
1985).
During the 1960‟s, like many of my peers, I grew up hearing
about and reading the inspirational writer Norman Vincent Peale. In
his popular work The Power of Positive Thinking, Peale touted the role
of expectations in bringing about higher levels human achievement:
3. 52NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
Expecting the best means that you put your whole heart, the
central essence of your personality, into what you want to
accomplish. People are defeated in life not because of lack of
ability, but for lack of wholeheartedness. They do not
wholeheartedly expect to succeed. Their heart isn‟t in it, which
is to say they themselves are not fully given. Results do not
yield themselves to the person who refuses to give himself to
the desired results. (Peale, 1952, p. 90 )
There is tremendous power in changing the way individuals see
themselves. To set the tone for “what is expected around here” within
a campus can be pivotal in how a group comes to function. Teachers
as leaders of students come to realize this power. Principals as leaders
of teachers have the same power.
My understanding of this powerful principle of setting a
positive tone of expectation and social justice came during my first
few weeks of public school teaching. When I first started teaching in
the 1970‟s, it was before inclusion was practiced extensively. We had
a tracking system for children that placed them in a “slow learner”
track if they had not demonstrated ability to learn things quickly. This
archaic system both created and reinforced lack of expectation in what
the child might capable of achieving. Low expectation affected
teachers, parents, and the children. When children lacked confidence
in their ability they came to doubt their value as learners.I will never
forget what happened on my first day in the classroom. It was right
after lunch in a junior high school that occupied the historic Tivy High
School building. My class roster for fourth period was on the rostrum
at the front of the classroom. In bold red letters the word
„REMEDIAL‟ was stamped at the top of the class roster. As the
children came in to be seated, I was greeting students as they entered
the classroom. A young girl, scanning the classroom to see who else
had been placed in the room with her, blurted out “We‟re the dumb
ones aren‟t we, teacher?” I was surprised to hear that but also quick
to respond, “No,” I said, “You‟re the best class I have!”I am thankful
that I was ready for that. That statement proved to be prophetic as I
4. DAVID E. HERRINGTON53
structured assignments that were success-oriented, geared to the
individual learner. It was not an easy year but I can say that most days
students in this class came excited to start working, knowing that they
would be rewarded for beginning their work on time and ultimately for
doing neat and careful work. They often exceeded their own
expectations of what they were capable of learning. Parents were
skeptical yet pleased as they came to school just to meet this teacher
that was making a difference in the lives of their children.I had already
decided before I met the children to teach them with the same
expectations as my students in other sections of U.S. History but with
an approach that would enable each child to succeed.I never forgot
that lesson of how these children began to question the assumptions
that they held regarding their own limitations once they were
introduced to an environment in which they could succeed.
Not all my first year teaching experiences were quite so
memorable. I learned from my principal, Mr. Jack Murray, one of the
greatest lessons ever for dealing with teachers. He called me into his
office to meet with some clearly “irate” parents. In their view I had
been overly corrective with their daughter and had not fully
understood their child‟s circumstances to their satisfaction. Mr.
Murray quickly acknowledged that I was a new teacher. Then he told
them that he had hired me and that I was a good teacher. He told them
that he trusted me to do the right thing with their child and that he
would support me as the teacher of their child. When the parents left,
Jack turned to me and said: “You know? I need to tell you that you
could have handled things differently. But I also want to tell you that I
am glad that you are here. I am glad that I hired you.” I was being
reprimanded but he made it sound inspiring. Then he said “You know
what else? You are making some mistakes. But you know what I like?
You are making them full speed ahead.” I thought about that later. I
felt affirmed, trusted, able to take risks. More importantly, I walked
back to my classroom, not dejected or resentful but fully free to reflect
on how to work with my students. I went back inspired to continue
putting myself into teaching, but ever more wary that I had a lot to
learn. Most importantly, though, I was going to be teaching and
5. 54NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
learning in a safe environment where I was expected to do good work
and respect the needs of all students. I never forgot the way that this
former coach, my principal, Mr. Murray handled the situation that day.
Everyone left his office that day a winner. I had experienced a leader
who knew what he expected from me and who modeled for me the
principles of excellence, dignity, and social justice.
Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence and Passion for
Excellence, remembering a television interview he heard regarding the
legendary Notre Damefootball coach Knute Rockne. When asked
“How do you motivate your players?” His response: “I don‟t motivate
my players. I try not to de-motivate them. They come with
„motivation.‟ I try like the dickens not to switch it off” (Peters,2003, p.
288). Leaders within the organization must assume that individuals
possess within them, a passion to do good work and an interest in
doing the right things. When proven wrong, this must be dealt with but
looking for this traits and acknowledging them goes a long way
toward bringing it out. The leader, therefore, must strive diligently to
create opportunities for these qualities to manifest themselves.
Certainly the leader should avoid condescending or dismissive
comments which only serve to discourage motivation and good will
that already exist within subordinates. Not to heed this advice, leaders
risk demotivating subordinates. If the disrespect is prolonged and
deep, good people will leave anaversive or negative organization
altogether as matter of self-respect.
Building a culture of success goes beyond the issue
demotivating subordinates. It goes beyond raising expectations for self
and others. There must be a daily awareness by all team members of
what is considered acceptable behavior and performance and what is
not. The leader must model and communicate expectations, exercising
diligence, reinforcing behaviors and attitudes that support the culture.
Former Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach wrote about a time
when his team lost an important game, playing pessimistic and
uninspired on defense. He attributed it to a defensive coach who had
not bought into the organizational mindset that Leach was trying to
6. DAVID E. HERRINGTON55
create.
There were a lot excuses and second-guessing. After giving up
600 yards, in a game we lost 49-45, to Oklahoma State, I
realized that a change needed to be made. It had been pretty
obvious to others that I‟d been resistant to making the change
for a long time. Ultimately, it was simple. He wasn‟t buying
into our vision of the program, so he resigned for personal
reasons. As soon as Lyle left, I hung up a sign that said,
„You‟re either coaching it or allowing it to happen.‟ (Leach,
2011, p. 136)
Allowing the wrong things to happen in the organization for too long
can kill its culture. The leader must be proactive and courageous to
bring about change. W. Edwards Deming, cited in Walton (1986)
wrote, “It takes courage to admit that you have been doing something
wrong, to admit that you have something to learn, that there is a better
way” (p. 223). Phyllis Sobo also cited by Walton noted, “Top
management must feel pain, and dissatisfaction with past performance,
and must have the courage to change” (p. 223).
A healthy organizational culture must be nurtured, preached,
coached, and defended at all costs. Coaching by the leader is not
merely the monitoring of a subordinate. Coaching is leading,
encouraging, redirecting, building the spirit and courage of a
subordinate to try new behaviors. Monitoring, on the other hand, is
simply observing and noting mistakes or deviations from a standard.
Monitoring involves technical skills while coaching involves
interpersonal skills. While monitoring can be useful, it cannot replace
or substitute for coaching. Monitoring without coaching makes
subordinates timid and resentful; coaching empowers them and builds
capacity for risk-taking and success.
Finally, organizational culture matters. It is tied directly to
student achievement and other organizational outcomes. The campus
leader is the catalyst that makes this happen. What the principal does
7. 56NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
as a moral and ethical leader is critical to building a strong and
positive learning climate. Conversely, what the leader fails to say and
do consistently permits or even encourages the culture to degenerate
into one that tolerates meanness and mediocrity. Ultimately the ideal
goal for a leader is to establish a culture where the subordinate is
challenged and encouraged to create a more civil and productive work
environment that promotes social justice and commitment to
excellence where teachers can become great teachers and where
children and adults feel safe and motivated to perform at their highest
possible level. That is the highest aspiration that a leader can have.
8. DAVID E. HERRINGTON57
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Dodd, A.W. (2005, March). Making change happen: Shared vision, no
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Leach, M. (2011). Swing your sword. New York, NY: Diversion
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Maslow, A. (1971). The farther reaches of human nature. New York,
NY: Penguin Books.
Peale, N.V. (1952). The power of positive thinking. New York, NY:
Simon & Schuster.
Peters, T. (2003). Reimagine! London, England: Dorling-Kindersley
Limited.
Walton, M. (1986). The Deming management method. New York, NY:
Perigee Books.