Top 5 Things Every Educator Should Know

 As I prepare for the upcoming school year, it’s a perfect time to reflect on my priorities as a leader. I’ve come to realize there are some priorities that ring true for all educators. In no particular order, this is my list of the top 5 things I hope every educator knows!
 
​1 - Always set high expectations.
Regardless of whether you are leading a building, teaching in a classroom, or even setting personal goals, I believe in the importance of setting high expectations. It is equally important to communicate those expectations very clearly. When expectations are clear, they will be supported, and they can be delivered!  When expectations are high, status quo will be exceeded!
 
2 - Take time to invest in people.
Taking time to learn about your employees, students, and neighbors is always a worthwhile endeavor. In business or administration, excellent people = excellent systems. Excellent teachers = excellent classrooms. I think everyone can learn something from everyone. Take the time to appreciate & learn about the people around you. Relationships matter most.
 
3 - Practice a solution-focused mindset.
As a leader, my mission in life is to bring solutions to people instead of problems. Listen carefully to the people around you, and consider ways you might work toward solving an issue they are having. It’s what Southwest Plains has built our reputation on - Professional Learning...Innovative Solutions. My most successful colleagues and employees adhere to a personal code of working toward solutions rather than spending their time talking a problem or issue. Seek out new ways to make your systems more efficient, and look for ways to help, rather than detailing flaws in your current work.
 
4 - Learn something new every day.
We live in the information age, and I cannot stress enough the importance of taking time every day to learn something new. Whether you watch a YouTube Video tutorial over your lunch break, read before bedtime, or take in the news each morning, it’s important for personal growth to learn something new every day. Much of my time is spent traveling across the state working in various school districts. This means I have lots of ‘windshield time,’ as I fondly call it. The easiest way for me to squeeze in some new learning is through listening to audiobooks. Many of the consultants at Southwest Plains listen to podcasts, join in educational twitter chats, and share books with one another. What are some creative ways you squeeze new learning into your everyday schedule?
 
5 - Flaunt your failures like a champ.
This is something I try to model to my team each and every day. It’s OKAY to make mistakes - it’s how we learn and grow! Students AND teachers need to know that if you aren’t failing at something occasionally, you aren’t digging deep enough. The power in failing is taking in WHY something didn’t work out the way you intended and learning from that mistake. Failure IS an option, but it isn’t the FINAL outcome. My philosophy is to accept my failures, learn everything I can about that failure, and move toward the next goal. Admitting your mistakes doesn’t make YOU a failure - it makes you human. Growing and learning is a process, albeit not always an easy one, but it’s always worth it in the end.
 
It’s your turn!  What top 5 things do you believe every educator should know? Join in the comments to share your experience & knowledge!

---