What makes teachers great? Is it charisma, their ability to hold the attention of rowdy students? What about subject area knowledge? Will higher pay attract better teachers and increase the quality of the teaching gene pool?
According to this piece in the New York Times Magazine the answer to each is no.
Why is the nitty-gritty of what makes a good teacher relevant for 21inc and this blog? Because a surprising amount of being a leader is teaching.
When I took on the role of 21inc’s Executive Director, I had no idea just how much of my day to day was about raising awareness and educating people on why our work is important. In the early days I changed what I said about 21inc almost every day as I learned what resonated with people, how to talk about it, and who needed to hear what. I was, in a way, “teaching” and trying to figure out how “students” would be respond to the material.
Now that we’re moving into more programs and growing more sophisticated, my teaching style has to change again. I feel awkward using the founding story and besides, we have accomplished real outcomes and are very proud of that. Teaching people about outcomes and why something works and should be supported is, I know now, central to being a leader.
1 comments:
The answer you seek is Passion! Every great teacher and mentor in my life had real passion for what they did
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