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I’ve been thinking a great deal about work lately. I hope not too much, at least not at the expense of trying to enjoy summer and some sense of frivolity. But I’ve learned a few things lately.

I use the verb “learned” but probably should use “realized.” It’s been one of those introspective, hard thinking periods of life where you try to tie up loose strands and come to clarity. Something came to me last week: There’s nothing worse for someone who wants to work hard and contribute than not having access to failure.

This might not be a natural thought, but I’m growing to recognize its significance. It is one thing to review your body of work and list off successes.

I read an interesting article the other day titled Avoiding Teachers’ Lounge Traps. The opening quote of the article is as follows:
“When you’re working in a school,” she said, “stay away from the teachers’ lounge.”
Despite having nothing to do with teaching language arts, this is the best advice I ever received.

When I first read this, I immediately understood the writer’s intent and there’s even a part of me that understands exactly what she’s talking about.

But the more I think about that opening line, the more I simmer. If you think about the subtext to this advice, it gets increasingly harder to agree with the advice this young teacher was give.

I read an interesting article this morning at teachhub.com. In it, they provide teachers with the 6 questions they’re most likely to encounter in an interview. Here they are:

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. How do you teach to state standards?
3. How will you prepare students for standardized assessments?
4. Describe your discipline philosophy.
5. How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?
5. How do you communicate with parents?

The article gives some excellent practical advice on how to respond well. Any teacher interviewing for a job – read this article in full!

But something struck me as I was reading these questions. Think of the questions NOT being asked. As English department chair for seven years, I had the privilege of conducting hundreds of interviews of teachers. It was a part of my job I really enjoyed.

Thanks to my friend Sarah Sladek for putting this fantastic video on her site.

To those of us working for, working with, or worrying about today’s young people, this is a great video to get our thinking straight!

Me and my big mouth.

There is always a risk when you have a job that is both public in its nature and also predicated on language. As a writer, speaker, and blogger, I end up throwing lots and lots of words out into the universe.

And most of my words are about potentially challenging (and hopefully fruitful) personal acts of wellness and self-improvement. I encourage people to seek positive change. I want colleagues to be better to each other. I believe in setting (and keeping) strong and audacious personal goals. And I believe every word I speak.

But that means I need to live by them too. And that can be tough.

Today marks one of those moments. Last summer I got sucked into the world of triathlons. I did three of them last year and worked hard to get ready. I trained. I read books, magazines, and websites. I got up early to run, bike, and swim. I took very few days off. I ate right, slept enough.

Comments

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07-06-2009 @ 11:21 PM

jMatt (not verified) said ...

... Can't wait to throw it in their faces this Saturday and then celebrate in the VIP tent! And let