Rule #9:
Drive with Purpose
For George, this was a message that he shouldn't be content to just be energized at work when he is working on a big project. It's at these times when we are naturally "dialed in" in at work, but driving with a purpose keeps the energy level high even during more mundane times at work.
During my time at SMS, I felt my purpose the most when we were prepping students for the ACT EXPLORE test. It was great to watch staff buy into the process and to the value of this test to our students. It was validating to start to watch the students look at their scores and use them as a benchmark for where they would hope their ACT scores would be. As we get closer to the spring this year, I am anxious to have our whole building (minus the Seniors) working on an age-appropriate ACT style test. I am excited to help present scores to students and to staff, to show individual and building level growth. Call me a geek, but these are the types of things that drive me.
For me, it is tougher to keep my purpose in mind when dealing with some of the less appealing aspects of the job. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I am blessed to have it. But any principal who tells you they get energized for locker searches and disciplinary hearings probably needs to find a job as a prison warden. What I try to do is see how these parts of my job contribute to the bigger picture of student achievement. Obviously, a more structured and safe school environment creates a better learning environment. Working on student discipline, by extension, is work that fosters academic achievement. But it can be difficult to keep this in mind at times!
I've rambled a bit here, so I'll turn it over to you: what "purpose" do you feel at school? When do you feel it most, and when do you struggle to be focused on your purpose?
Connecting to your comment from a principals perspective, the same lack of energy can sometimes be felt when I am working with a students who is struggling to grasp a concept. In many cases I have found that if I keep trying new things, the students will eventually succeed. Sometimes this thought alone isn't enough to keep the positive energy alive. I have also found that if I consider the bigger picture that all aspects of education are about preparing young people for a future rather than simply mastering subject content, it helps me stay positive. Sometimes it may not matter that they ever master the concept to the extent I'm hoping, but much more important is the fact that they have someone who gave them the time, energy, and love (as eluded to in the book) for a chance at success. Maybe success is more about attitude and effort rather than simply achievement as society would have it.
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