Risk and Organzational Continuity

I've known so many fantastic math teachers. No offense to history instructors (I was one) but math and science teachers are so darn cool. Knowing great math teachers is important to me because I wasn't the strongest math student and I struggled in math classes year after year (I do enjoy the subject!!).

One of the best math teachers I've ever known is Heather Hayden. First, you can put aside technical math competency. She clearly has the "math" part of teaching math down. Many teachers have the "math" part down and are unfortunately, wholly inept when it comes to working in a classroom. So what makes her great? As a former high school teacher (and aspiring decent human being) aiming to emulate her greatness, I have given this a lot of thought. I am a "listing points kind of guy so here we go:

1. Passion. She clearly has passion for students, math, and math instruction. I am telling you...it is obvious when you talk with her or watch her teach that she values a positive classroom culture. She loves kids and she deeply believes in their ability to learn math successfully. She doesn't even necessarily believe they should learn it for real-world application. Instead, they learn to love math because it is math. It is exciting and challenging and it pushes your brain to think in new and exciting ways. She was "growth mind-setting" before it was the "thing".

2. Innovative and Reflective: George Couros defines innovation as "new and better" time and time again in Innovators Mindset. She embodies this version of innovation. She doesn't have fancy bells and whistles in her class. The classroom actually looks rather traditional. But what you see is students excited and focused on math. Students unafraid to work with their teacher and to put in the effort to succeed. Her approach to innovation is to focus on always finding the best possible ways to instruct her students in math. She teaches, reflects, tinkers, teaches again, and so on and so forth. A textbook doesn't manage her instruction. The shiny new curriculum bundle, online math program, "rigorous" pacing guide, or latest conference dump don't sway her from her focus--high quality, responsive math practices that transcend educational waves.

3. Risk Taker: Heather is unafraid to share her mind with school leadership. While always respectful and always with an eye towards a solution, this can still be dangerous. It is easy to tag a critic as an obstructionist or someone who isn't a team player (she is clearly a team player and champion of her school, students, and peers). Heather always pushes back with an eye on her students success and with finding what actually works when it comes to fostering healthy math instruction.

While some would say we have moved/are moving away from the world of strict pacing guides, high stakes testing and accountability, and scripted instruction, not all leaders are forward thinking, Twitter addicts (because clearly you would be forward thinking if you're addicted to EDU Twitter). Many school leaders continue to cater to the lowest common denominator when it comes to school leadership. They look to make decisions about instruction that are centered on teachers who are struggling to find success and not on those who are innovative, passionate, and humbly successful.

Teachers who find ANY WAY instead of THE WAY must be celebrated, supported, and heard.

But this notion of "any way" is scary for organizations (schools, Districts, governments, companies, etc.). By nature, schools and school leaders have traditionally sought to respond to organizational failures (low student achievement, lack of student engagement, etc.) by creating systems that are focused on responses rooted in continuity. This is especially important when you think about the duty of the organization to ensure equitable access and in managing accountability, etc.

So I propose a path forward. If we want to create dynamic schools that produce college and career ready students, we must foster dynamic leaders who are able to ensure organizational continuity BUT never at the detriment of teachers who are truly grinding hard to find "a way" to make sure all students are successful. Celebrate those who are willing to take risks, to put in the work, and to champion all students. Support those teachers who need more and who are struggling to meet need. Remember, the day we drown out Hayden and the MANY risk-taking teachers (you know who you are), is the day we functionally give up on kids.