Education

What are Teachers For?

Simple test to see if you are en effective teacher…do people listen to you because they have to, or because they want to? Do they trust you? How do you know? Are their eyes shining (hat tip to Ben Zander)? Do they lean in, or out…are they engaged?

Teaching isn’t a gift…it’s a choice. It’s a choice to put people first and to see them each individually. It’s a choice to understand them and to build trust and connection first…then to lead them to a future they can’t see for themselves. And it’s almost certain this isn’t wrapped up in a text book. 

Books, smart boards, libraries, ACT's and Chromebooks don’t teach…people do.

Why Learn Excel?

To help you pass the class? To help you seem smarter to your boss? To help you make your parents happy?

What if? This is the true power of Excel and all of the other spreadsheet programs. VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3 were the predecessors and they changed the world of presenting the What If idea. Prior to spreadsheet software, most of these calculations were done manually on ledger paper. Changing any one value to see how it affected the outcome required a healthy amount of erasers, calculator tape and time. Anyone old enough to recall that drudgery immediately understands the revolution of this software. But in the end...the power was in the ability to create information from raw data (a presentable idea) and cause change...in a fraction of the time.

Alas, Excel is merely a computerized tool...software created to make calculations more efficient. You can live without it for sure. But if you’re in the business of presenting ideas and creating change (and almost everyone is), it’s very likely a spreadsheet will make your life much, much easier.  One more thing...it’s a common worldview that proficiency with a spreadsheet means you're smarter. And this is a powerful advantage in gaining acceptance of an idea and making change. People trust smart people and are more likely to listen to what they have to say.

Learn and use Excel to change the world. Learn the =sum function to pass the test.

Why Some Teachers Fail

Teachers fail when they can’t get a student enrolled in the idea, not when they can’t get students to understand the concept and pass the exam. Too often teaching starts out with the what instead of the why. And even the Why gives people trouble. The real why is rarely immediate. The real why takes imagination, experience and isn’t easy to see...otherwise we wouldn’t need teachers. The real why has nuance and feeling...and it isn’t easy to test.

Great teachers create a vision and an outcome so compelling, students can’t wait to go there. Great teachers enroll their students in an idea first, then engage them to create a path to achieve the outcome. 

Turns out, when a person wants to go somewhere badly enough, they’ll find a way. Sometimes their own way, but they will get there.

Bonus: The same principles apply to Leadership. Managers know the plan and understand the prescribed steps necessary to achieve it. Their job is to follow the plan and do it with the least amount of resources possible...Do it exactly like this and you’ll be valued. The leader on the other hand uses imagination and vision to see an outcome people desire. Then they engage and challenge a group to get there.

Education

...isn’t something that is done to you. It’s something you do for yourself. After about the 8th grade it’s a choice. The only requirements for learning are an open mind and pride…an attitude of improving self worth. That’s why we were all so good at it when we were three. We hadn’t created all of the other barriers yet.

School Should Be For...

  • creating generosity and making change.
  • developing leaders who know how to solve interesting problems…to change something for the better.
  • inspiring people to be generous, to connect with and to serve others

School should not be for…

  • memorizing the Bill of Rights
  • getting a really good ACT score
  • creating the facade that a degree entitles you to a great job or higher salary
  • developing a famous athletics program

If the activity, curriculum or program doesn’t directly facilitate the development of generous leaders who can solve interesting problems and affect change…it should probably be changed or removed. 

What does success look like…

If there’s not a waiting list (or at least a demonstrated desire) to enroll in the journey, i.e., the class, with a teacher or the school…there’s work to be done. If it’s not being talked about…change it. Start by asking…What is the for? And for Whom?