Category Archives: Communication

Teacher and student rapport, how is it in your classroom?

22 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by in Attention, Attitude, Communication, Leader, Leadership, Listening, Reflection, Relationships

≈ 2 Comments

As a teacher, have you really ever listened to what students talk about? Believe it or not, there are some pretty good conversations out there. A casual “ear to the ground” can let you know a lot about what is happening up and down the halls and in classrooms. For some reason, it seems to me, we do not give students enough credit sometimes to be able to think on a more mature level. Now, I am not saying that we should always provide them with a platform, but just listening and acknowledging goes a long way.

For example… the other day, I heard a student talking about another student’s conversation and their teacher in class. Work with me here; you know how this will go… it is worthy of being a case study…

Teacher… Here are the directions. Don’t ask me again, because I am not going to repeat them.
A few seconds go by…
Student… Could you please say what you said again?
Teacher… No, you should have been listening.
Student gets upset.
The teacher sends the student to the office.
The student is now out of class.
Much time has now passed.
The administration walks the student back to class.
Instruction time is stopped again.
Administration, teacher, student all get on the same page.
The teacher gives students the needed information.
The student goes back to class.
All is good?

Wow, know any teachers like this? Ok… I know we all want students to be attentive. My question is, why and how did it get to that point? I know we all want them to come in, sit down, be quiet, sit appropriately, etc. However…

If this is the worst thing you have to deal with, you have it pretty good as a teacher. So the student asked again. Did you set the stage for all of them to pay attention, to begin with? What did you do to help? It would have taken little to no effort to restate the directions. The teacher could have spun it to be a teachable moment of comedy. The teacher could have even gone back to the student’s desk and had a one on one moment. I don’t know, but telling the student no, did not help anyone.

Another question I have is what type of rapport are you establishing with that student and others? Remember, everyone in the class saw and heard the teacher’s response, and you know how student talk gets spread…

I do not know what was going on with the student or the teacher that day. I do not know why the situation had to escalate as it did. I know that we can get aggravated with students. But… I do know that in the end, the teacher had the opportunity to be the bigger, better person.

I have said this before, “If you can create an environment where your students feel invited, regardless of the subject you teach, they are going to give you more than a fair shake.” Be the teacher your students need. It will make a huge difference.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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Staying Close with Your “Distance” Leadership…

17 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in Communication, Conversations, coronavirus, covid19, Distance, Education, Educational Leadership, Leader, Leadership, Relationships, Teachers, Trust, Understanding, Value

≈ 3 Comments

The educational world, as now, most definitely, has moved into the distance-learning mode. As educators, we can adapt as well as any profession. Try teaching 150 students with different personalities and different learning styles throughout one to two days. Yep… Did I say the ability to adapt?

You get the idea… However, what about leadership when it comes to the distance-learning mode? How does that look? Can we adapt? Yes, due to recent circumstances, most everything is done by remote, even leadership.

Let’s not talk about the collective decisions of leadership, let’s talk about the relationships of leadership. The decisions we make as leaders are usually made by a consensus, well-informed group, and then disseminated to everyone. I believe that it is just part of doing our jobs as leaders.

Now… on to the relationship part of leadership during these “distance” times…

More than ever, people are looking for leaders to guide them during uncertain times. Rest assured, a leader will always emerge in times of need. Leadership is challenging enough, without all the extra “stuff” that goes on. However, quality leaders probably do not have to change their “style” very much. On the other hand, if a leader leads from a “distance” to begin with, the need to change is now. At some point, if you do not change, then your “distance” leadership will turn into leadership that is so far away, it will be nonexistent leadership.

Here are a few quick thoughts that I have (and this goes for teachers as well)…

While a “blanket” text or email is fine, make a point to be intentional with a few people each day. Just create a running list… Communicate with them individually. If you call, they probably will answer and carry on a conversation. Showing some intentionality will create and possibly strengthen a bond you have with others. People, by nature, work better in a friendly environment. This environment carries over remotely. We really have no excuse, technology has made this so easy.

With regard to “distance” leadership, another thing is to trust. Yes, even remotely. In education, we must trust the teachers. They have more “jobs” going on remotely, then they do when at school. Let them do what they do best; teach. Tell teachers what needs to be done and let them go. Check on them, not their work, per se.

Leading from a distance requires more effort on our part. Now is an excellent time to really invest in the lives of our teams. Ask them something other than work or even weather-related. Ask their opinion on something that could benefit the whole (but do not ask, if you do not want to hear).

The unknown… that is where we are with educational leadership at the moment. However, we are becoming more familiar with it day by day.  The only known is that we have had to adapt and change. Many a leader will rise or fall due to the choices of the decisions that they make during this pandemic. We will need the support of our teams. Make every effort and give your team a reason to support you.

Remember, as a leader, it is up to you to lead. If you do not, someone else will. If that happens, do not get upset. You had your chance… Do not be a “from a distance” leader, stay close. Society already has enough “distance” leaders as it is…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

©2020 J Clay Norton

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Honoring “TIME” in Your Classroom…

21 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by in Actions, Agenda, Classroom Management, Communication, Consistency, Leader, Leadership, Meetings, Teachers, Time

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“I can’t wait for the bell to ring.” Who makes this statement?

The student or the teacher? Or, both?

Being in education, now for 25 years, I would dare say both. But why? A lesson too hard, students too bad, you do not feel well, students disconnected, etc… the list can go on and on.

Here is what I believe, as a classroom teacher, your ability to manage or mismanage time somehow equates to your classroom management or mismanagement.

How many teachers do you see/know that are not prepared for “the day” of teaching? Forget about planning ahead; they usually plan behind… No one, even students, should have respect for unpreparedness. Especially from a professional adult. Now, some can get by with “winging it.” I know a few people like that, but eventually, that “wing” will snap and…

I have also been thinking about how time “flies” (I tend to do that the older I become). What I have figured out… it does, especially if you are enjoying your time. You know where this is going… Do you and your students enjoy your time together? I figure some of you are saying, “You don’t know my students.” You are correct, I don’t, but we know people, and we know ourselves. Find a way to make your class enjoyable because it starts with you. An inviting environment does wonders for time.

Time best spent is when everyone is involved. When a teacher “hijacks” the classroom, like money, students feel cheated. Or, if you always teach to a particular group in your class. You should not have to convince your students you know your subject. The goal is to convince the students they know the subject. Help them make their own discoveries and connections. Teach and facilitate your lessons and fill in the gaps when they have questions.

Most importantly, be prompt and pace the lessons. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone learns at the same pace. Yes, you might just have to repeat or redo some parts. And you know what, that’s good teaching. Do not rush a lesson because you have to get to the next standard or section. You might miss a valuable foundation that can change someone’s learning.

As a leader in the classroom, you take responsibility for the timing and the environment. This goes for any leader in any situation. All you need to do is change the classroom to a meeting or function and change lessons to agendas.

Of all the “things” educators cannot control, the two things that we can is our classroom time and management. Set one, and the other should follow. You set the standard with both, and please do not lower them.

Go be a great educator today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

©2020 J Clay Norton

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Yo-Yo Leadership…

06 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in Actions, Authentic, Communication, Courage, Culture, Engagement, Essence, Expectations, Humility, Leader, Leadership, Message, Purpose, Servant, Sincerity, Understanding, Value

≈ 2 Comments

We can all agree or should, at least, that leadership is not about popularity. Oh, but how many “leaders,” think and lead that way.  You know them…

What begins as, hopefully, a genuine desire to serve others in leadership soon can become nothing more than an act of impressing others. If a leader’s leadership depends on the applause and approval of others, the genuineness, or lack of, is so apparent, people get blindsided because of it. And there lies the problem….

I read something the other day about popularity being similar to a yo-yo. I thought it was funny because we all know some yo-yos. Yo-yo up, yo-yo down. Now, it has been a while since I toyed around with a yo-yo, but as I reflect, I can definitely see how the analogy takes true. As the yo-yo goes down, gravity takes over, everything is natural. As the yo-yo comes back up, it is drawn back with a force of having to get back to the top.

As I thought more about popularity and the yo-yo, I transferred the concept to leadership. Does your leadership, naturally work, or are you leading because of a controlling force? And the most critical question to answer today is, “Is that controlling force your wanting to be liked?” When things are going well, we strut and swag; when not, we drop our head and mope. When your wanting to be liked becomes the “want of your day,” nothing good happens. It makes you miserable (it should) and others around you miserable.

Let people like you because they see true leadership in you. It seems that a reoccurring theme in my blogs is talking about “being for others.” I think we should; why would we not? But it is tough to be for others when we are for ourselves first. It goes back to a thought I had the other day… “Finding value in what we know instead of what we think carries greater leadership responsibility.” Lead because you know… If we do not, how can we ask for society to grow to be better leaders? Be popular becasue you are respected, not the other way around. Bottom line… Do not be a yo-yo leader!

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

©2020 J Clay Norton

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