The #1 Skill for TEACHERS

Put your ego in your back pocket.

I don't know about you, but most meetings I have experienced were fruitless, downright boring, and borderline depressing. I never spoke up because I was scared, cared too much about what others thought of me, or I didn't want to rock the boat. I tolerated boredom. But I learned. I learned what not to do.

As Teachers and Facilitators, it is not our job to "fix" anyone or to have any solutions. Our job is to help our students expand the horizons of their awareness, and to facilitate them into taking responsibility for their own actions, behavior, attitude, AND learning.

When Team Building Success Coaching Teachers are in front of the room facilitating a class, it is sometimes difficult to remember that just because we are leading, it doesn't mean that we have to give out all the answers. In fact, the amount of brilliance unleashed to the students may depend on how well the teacher lets go of his or her responsibility to give all the answers.

The way most of us were raised and schooled, we were conditioned to shut up and listen to the wisdom of the "expert" on the podium. To me, a good Success Coach Teacher allows the possibility that the wisdom in the "room" is far more potent than the "sage" in front of the room. This takes incredible awareness and courage.

It is not easy putting one's ego in one's back pocket.

I wish I had this new belief earlier in my career. Knowing this takes a huge burden off the teacher because now the teacher doesn't have to know everything. The teacher is NOT the only one responsible for students' learning. They are, too. That is a huge WOW for me.

Example

I was teaching Algebra one afternoon. The students were not able to solve a particular word problem. Frustration abounded. In the discussion, one student threw a curve ball at me by asking me an extremely technical question related to solving the problem. I was stumped. I began thinking, "Wow, I'm supposed to be the expert here and I'm totally clueless." I needed to come up with something brilliant, tell them let's think about it and go over it tomorrow, or change the subject pronto!

I decided instead to admit I did not know. I was stumped.

The students became so quiet.

Other students immediately attempted to solve the problem. It became a class challenge. The students were taking total responsibility for solving the word problem --- even the ones who usually did not participate in discussions. With my honesty, I was able to seek the group's wisdom and insight. My EGO was a bit bruised, but I survived.

My classroom had achieved success along the way.