In continuing my thinking about leadership and what drives us as teachers (particularly in today's surly political climate), I realize that feeling "authenticity"--indeed, joy--in my work occurs when I consistently find ways to align practices to beliefs/ teaching philosophies.
Like most people, I seek to refine my beliefs through reading as well as participating in daily conversations with colleagues, friends, and family. Of course, beliefs come from practice--from working with children who provide us with constant challenges to deepen our own thinking and learning while building our belief in ourselves to do so.
These are the people who contribute to inspiration through the heart of compassion, focused thoughts and genuine love--building armature upon which I sculpt my beliefs... beliefs that are reshaped like an artist's proof, each worthy, unique, but different depending on changing perspectives. Each bears the mark or signature of the artist who forms and breathes life into them. Do you feel like you have "marked" your teaching beliefs as your own?
What are your intentional actions that bring them to life? Our beliefs need to drive our actions for, "Action is what separates a belief from an opinion. Beliefs are imprinted through actions." (Eboo Patel, p. 180, THIS I BELIEVE)
So--what are your convictions about teaching? What do you believe you must do in order to approach teaching with a sense of honor?
I invite you to join me in responding in a "This I Believe" essay--teachers' and instructional coaches' edition.
Below are the guidelines from the This I Believe website. While you don't have to follow the guidelines (unless you decide to share your writing on the This I Believe website), you might find them helpful in bringing clarity to your thinking.
This thinking will provide you with the "WHY" that Simon Sinek describes in his book, START WITH WHY (see previous blog post). This is the WHY that Debbie Miller describes as the reason to "keep up the good fight" in this era of scripted programs and standardized tests. This is the WHY that influences your intentions, your purpose, your reasons for teaching (or coaching) each and ever day.
Won't you join me in articulating those beliefs? Here is some help-- you might also find inspiration and models by visiting the website for THIS I BELIEVE.
My next post will be my own response to this "prompt."
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This I Believe Essay-Writing Guidelines
We invite you to contribute to this project by writing and submitting your own statement of personal belief. We understand how challenging this is—it requires such intimacy that no one else can do it for you. To guide you through this process, we offer these suggestions:
Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.
Be brief: Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. That’s about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.
Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.
Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don’t believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial “we.” Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.
Be personal: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.
For this project, we are also guided by the original This I Believe series and the producers’ invitation to those who wrote essays in the 1950s. Their advice holds up well and we are abiding by it. Please consider it carefully in writing your piece.
In introducing the original series, host Edward R. Murrow said, “Never has the need for personal philosophies of this kind been so urgent.” We would argue that the need is as great now as it was 50 years ago. We are eager for your contribution.
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