Here we are in June, the end of the school year. It is also the end of my first year as vice president. At the end of each year of teaching I would always review the year and work on how I could make the next year better. I am doing something similar, except instead of trying to focus on how to help the students learn better, I now work on making our organization better, to support educators better, to make public education better.
The best teachers I ever had did not give me the best grades. They taught me how to be a better student. The best evaluators made me a better teacher, not by focusing on my imperfections, but by highlighting what I was doing well. I became a better teacher by trying to do more of the good things rather than becoming mediocre by avoiding the bad things.
When I speak to local leaders, I urge them to think about how they want their association to be better. The goals they set should help move the organization toward improvement. And progress toward the goals needs to be evaluated regularly or your hopes will soon be forgotten as all of your time gets devoured by the constant gnawing of urgent tasks that drain us every day.
So please join me in putting the negatives in their proper place and concentrate on building the positive.
Have a great summer!
About Me
- Mike Ragan
- I would not have considered college if not for a high school counselor in suburban Philadelphia. I graduated with a degree in engineering and physics then worked all over the country as an engineer. With my wife who was teaching overseas, I studied psychology and education and received my teaching certificate at Heritage College in Toppenish then completed my student teaching while earning my Masters in Counseling Psychology from Washington State University. I became active in my association soon after I began teaching science in Kennewick 13 years ago. I took office as the WEA vice president July 2007. P.S. My favorite book is Hero Mama by Karen Spears Zacharias.
1 comment:
I agree with your statement about my best teachers. I disagree slightly regarding evaluators.
My best evaluators always pointed out the good things I was doing well. They then followed up with a suggestion on how I might improve in another area. And invariably, during the next evaluation, that suggested area of improvmement came under discussion.
I never felt I was being judged on things I could do better. I always felt I was being given more light on my path to being the best teacher I could be.
Sandy
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