I grew up in a rather competitive family. My cousins and I competed over everything. It wasn’t just about sports or card games. The competition extended from who could state their multiplication facts to a rhythm to who could match up their clothes the best. It was always healthy fun, but it also pushed us to improve.My parents and extended family have always stressed the importance of growth and improvement. I’ve learned that no matter how great I become, there is always room for growth. That same mentality has spilled over into the professional setting. I don’t ever want to become comfortable with a plateau. There is always so much to learn. Our world and our students are ever-changing.The students pick up our belief patterns even when we don’t stress it. They follow the example that we set in front of them. Does your example show that constant growth and improvement is important? Do you think it is possible to become so big that you don’t grow anymore? Can we reach a place where we are too perfect to get any better? How do we encourage others to stretch and grow, if we’ve stopped? Plastic milk cartoons don’t change. That gallon of milk looks the same as it did, when I was a little girl. There is no stretch or difference in its capacity. A rubber band is far different. The stretch of it extends far beyond what people think it will be able to go. The degree that it extended to yesterday is not necessarily the same limits that it will stretch to tomorrow.What category would you see yourself in?
AuthorJuantonia Hill is the Math Instructional Coach for Southfield Public Schools. This blog represents the latest headline story inside of the monthly edition of Teacher Talk. Archives
March 2015
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