Not Everyone Is Just Hanging On
I recently had a discussion with a teacher who was feeling frustrated with some members of his administration. “What is it specifically that is bothering you?” I asked. “I just feel they’ve checked out. Like they are just hanging on for the next few weeks until the end of the school year. It’s frustrating because we’ve made a lot of progress and there are still things we can do to keep moving in the right direction. I don’t want to hang on. I want to keep getting better. If not, then what is the point of coming to work? We wouldn’t tolerate that from our students, but it’s okay for us to shut it down?Over the past two weeks I have received similar responses from other educators when I have asked them how they are doing. Responses have included the following:It’s April, how do you think I am doing?Just trying to make it through the next few weeks.I’m tired. My teachers are tired. The kids are tired.When I hear these responses, I can empathize. Although it’s been two years since I last served as principal, I haven’t forgotten that feeling. There were certainly times that I felt like I just needed to “hang on and get through it.” I convinced myself that it had been a long year or I had worked hard and deserved a break or that whatever we needed to accomplish could wait until next year.Sound familiar? Over the last two weeks I haven’t been able to shake this teachers comment:“I don’t want to hang on. I want to keep getting better. If not, then what is the point of coming to work? We wouldn’t tolerate that from our students, but it’s okay for us to shut it down?” As I reflect back on his words I know he is right. We would never accept that attitude or response from our students. In fact, it may even cause us to respond in a negative way about our students. I think sometimes we can be overly critical of our kids, failing to recognize that we as adults sometimes respond and behave in a similar fashion, no different than our students. Yes, there are some teachers and administrators who feel like they are hanging on right now, but there are also just as many educators out there who feel like this one teacher, that they still not only have a lot to give, but are ready to give it. Moreover, I believe that students are no different and rather than label them all, how can we recognize those students and educators who are still pushing forward and support those who are hanging on?Here are a few things to consider:
- Begin by recognizing we still have four or more weeks (in most schools) left in the school year to keep making progress and share a vision of what it can look like.
- Understand that folks have a reason to be tired, so prioritize one specific area that together you can continue to build on.
- Ask more questions and give others opportunities to share their ideas.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help from either students or from those whom you supervise.
- If you are going to ask for help, accept it. But then don’t just hand it off.
- Work side by side as partners to model the importance of planning, learning and investing in others together.
- Continue to meet regularly with your team to monitor progress and ask for feedback.
- Communicate progress with all who are affected by the work you are doing together.
- Invite others to be a part of the work you are focusing on & empower them to lead as well.
- Celebrate your successes together and then validate the work of those involved with a personal and sincere acknowledgement of their work either in writing or verbally.
As we near the end of another school year, it is easy to get stuck in the race to the end mentality. I know this from personal experience. But we must never accept the attitudes and behaviors that we would never accept from our students. Every now and then someone comes along who reminds us that we can still keep pushing forward, as long we don’t just hang on but recognize there is still time to keep getting better.Maybe it’s time to let go and think about the end of the year differently? For more resources follow Jimmy on YouTube, Twitter, or Instagram.