Rule #4: Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
I've shared my vision back in my Chapter 6-7 post. Obviously, the part about "career" is what mirrors the vision I wish to share with you, as my staff: I want to develop positive, trusting, relationships with all staff and students. I also feel the staff needs to develop these with their students, and with one another. When we have these relationships in place, we can focus on more specific areas of student achievement. But before we can take on such a school improvement challenge, we need to have an expectation that we are all respected, that all opinions are valid, and that we are supportive of each other even in times of differing opinions.
If you'd like to hop on my bus, with this vision in mind, sign the ticket that you will find in your mailbox, and place it in mine. If you're not on the bus...what do I need to do to get you on?
I like that you invited the staff to get on your bus. Should we extend this concept to our students? Looking forward to Chapter 17, I have realized that I have a few negative students. I am certain they would not accept an invitation. However, I don't think I will 100% apply rule #5 to these select few students. It goes against teacher/father instinct to (not) waste energy on those who don't join the ride.
ReplyDeleteThank-you, Mark. I'm glad you enjoyed the book and the concept of "getting on the bus".
ReplyDeleteI think it would be great to invite students on your own bus. Through following Jon Gordon on Twitter and reading his weekly e-newsletter, I believe many teachers nationwide has used this concept at the classroom level. And like any CEO, supervisor, principal, etc., I image some teachers encounter students balk at the idea. And like you say, unlike George and his reluctant team, teachers do have to use time on the students who don't get on the bus; in fact, I bet teachers spend the MOST time with these students!
I think that the point is to view your difficult students from a different perspective. My experience has taught me that most students don't want to be difficult. Often, they know no other way. By preaching and promoting the benefits of being positive you will, over time, win over far more students than you will lose.
Steve, I hung my ticket on my wall by my desk before I read this. I wanted to put it in a place where I would see it and be reminded to "feed the positive dog". If it is OK with you, I am going to leave it there, but I want you to know I want to get on your bus. I like what Mark asked about extending this idea to the students. Several asked me what the ticket was about, and I just told them that it was a book the teachers were reading. I think that I am going to discuss the concepts of the book with them and then hand out tickets and maybe display the "riders' in the room. Maybe some positive peer pressure and enough positive energy and talk of positive energy will get the naysayers on board?!?
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