It’s all about Relationships

I am firmly convinced you cannot possibly move forward until you get to know each other and work as a team. Somebody tweeted about the difference between athletic coaches and teachers at Educon-the major difference being, coaches need their team to really know each other and become a family; willing to support each other and care for each other through thick and thin. It may sound cliche-together we can do more, there is no “I” in “TEAM”-but it all works. Until we take a step back away from ourselves and our day to day issues and points of view, and really listen and open our minds to what our colleagues and students are saying, we cannot really know them. And we cannot move forward beyond ourselves, until we truly know each other.

I met two of my teachers for the first time this week. I have been in my position for a year and a half and I have never met these two teachers face to face. I was embarrassed and ashamed to admit it. No wonder they never responded to my emails! I spent 15 minutes with them-asked them how I could help them-and what I received back was priceless. Not only was I able to observe their own creativity and passions, but I also could begin to understand their hesitancy in using technology in the classroom. And now that I am beginning to understand where they are coming from, I can meet them where they are and we can move forward together.