I have a confession to make. I think Professional Development, the way most people do it, is a waste of time. If you are compelled to complete so many hours of PD or check so many boxes on the form, does that mean that you will be thoughtful about what you actually do? In my experience, no. Teachers are so busy with the business of teaching that they don’t place a lot of importance of PD. They just get it done.
My theory is that teachers don’t know what good PD is. Habit 7 is called Sharpening the Saw. Recognize the tools/skills needed to do your job well and put energy into improving those things. This will be unique to each person. Since, I have an interest and access to a computer lab twice a week, I’ve been exploring things I can do with technology in the classroom. But, my colleague who has no computers in her classroom would instead look at different ESL games that can be used in the classroom. I propose that instead of a form, teachers be given a survey about what equipment they have access to; what their student’s needs are, what their strengths and areas to improve are, and what are they interested in learning more about. From the survey, they will be able to select from 2 or 3 PD choices - webinar, lectures, resources in the District, etc. That way the PD is thought - out and has reasoning behind it. Also, once the PD is completed they should also teach what they learned to a colleague (ideally) or at least write a couple paragraphs about it. My second confession is: I was one of those people. I did not put much thought into PD besides getting it done. But, as of last year, I ventured off of my campus. I shadowed, and questioned principals. I started being more selective about what PD I would participate in. If it wasn’t a weak area, I didn’t do it. My commitment is to continue to seek out experiences that will “sharpen my saw” and be deliberate and focused on my goals: to be the best teacher I can be, to be the best TOSA I can be, and eventually be the best administrator I can be. Habit 6 is “Synergize.” Synergy is defined as the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc. (dictionary.com) It’s the idea that given the right conditions 1 + 1 can equal more than 2. An example of this in the business world could be if two companies, which complement each other, merge together. Separately they each produce and sell a product. But, working together they are able to make more and maybe even a higher caliber product thereby becoming more profitable.
How does this idea work in an education setting? As a leader, I would look for strengths in the teachers and build teams around their strengths. If one person is good at developing curriculum, another is adept at technology, and another is good at presenting and teaching the new curriculum, that would be a complementary teaming. They, as a team, would be more productive together than separately. On my own, I would tap into other leaders with knowledge and info that I’d benefit from and be willing to share and pour into others. For this Habit, I will do a better job at consistently recognizing others’ hard work and contributions. I’ll do this through verbal praise, emails, or small tokens of appreciation. My former boss was very good at doing “something nice” for the office staff once a month. Even small gifts and handwritten cards put in teachers’ boxes communicate that they are valued. Also, we have a new VESL class that I have not observed yet. I will schedule a visit with that teacher. I’d also like to do drop-in visits on the new instructors to welcome them and offer support. I’ll define and discuss synergy with the teacher I’m coaching. I’ll share my goals around this habit. Together, we’ll brainstorm some ways that she can practice this habit. At our next session, I’ll ask her to report back on the results. Reference Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2015. Listening is sometimes thought of as passive, not active, because you aren’t moving. It’s not like writing, talking or running. How many times have you been in a conversation where the other person is talking and you did not hear one thing they said? Your ears work fine, but your mind was elsewhere. To listen and hear someone you need to focus. This week, I learned Habit 5 which is “seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
As an ESL teacher of nine years, I have practiced “hearing” between the lines. I may not speak Arabic but I hear tone and emotion. When I speak to a student or a teacher, I try to hear the intent of their words. (Much easier to do in English.) If they are describing their feeling about a troubling situation, I ask questions like, “It sounds like you are really upset, am I right?” Being an empathetic listener is not always easy and I've not always done well at it. It’s most difficult when I'm involved in a high emotion situation. In a disagreement, for example, I may not want to hear what the other person is saying because I want to make sure that I am heard. One behavior change I can make is when someone is talking to me and I’m upset, I will: 1. take a deep breath and try to genuinely hear and understand their perspective before delving into my own. or 2. remove myself from the conversation and go back to it when I am cool and collected. With the teacher I am coaching, I will ask her to describe a time that she was not a good listener. What went wrong? How could she have handled it better? I will teach her about Habit 5 and ask her to set a personal goal around it. Then in our next coaching session, I will ask if she successfully practiced seeking first to understand, then to be understood. |
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Sheila L. DavisPassionate Adult ESL Instructor at Grossmont Adult School. Seeking to learn new habits and unlearn bad ones. ArchivesCategories |