MAC_Week2_Comment2

Blog from Sabrina:

The first chapter of The Art of Possibility drew me right in, because imagining possibilities and thinking outside the box is how I live my life. I have always been a firm believer that people invent their own lives and attitude is what you choose to have. One of the books that has most influenced me in the past was about Mary Kay Ash. I don’t recall the title of the book, but I was deeply impressed by the way that Mary Kay respected every person that she came in contact with and her philosophy of making every person feel special. I was reminded of this philosophy again as I read The Monk’s Story (p52). It only takes a small effort to make people feel important and good about themselves, but that small effort has a profound effect.

One of the most disturbing things I have come across in my school is the way I see some of the teachers treat their students. Before I started teaching in public school I taught in a small Christian school that was so full of love that you could physically feel it when you walked through the doors. Teachers were coaches that drew out the best in their students, and even discipline was handled with love. After a few months in public school I was ready to call it quits. I could understand why some of those teachers were so angry and I was having a hard time handling the students. I was running my classroom the same way I had in my former school, and it wasn’t working at all. I had to make a lot of adjustments that year. One of them was the commitment to not let my attitude become one of anger and despair, but to keep my joy. I sought out the advice of a more experienced coach, and she taught me how to manage my students more effectively. At that time I made the decision to be a “contribution”. I wasn’t going to get sucked in by the other teachers’ attitudes around me. I have been much happier since, and those results are also evident in the relationships I have with my students. I have also decided to focus my attention on the teachers with this same attitude and to stay far away from those without it.

My response to Sabrina:
Sabrina,
You are speaking my language!! It was really funny because just a few minutes after I posted my response to Zander's book, you responded to my blog and at the same time I was ready to respond to you. We were quite connected for a few minutes.

I loved reading your post and as you probably already know, I was discussing how some at my school still have poor attitudes towards those people who are positive forces. It's as if they don't know what to do with themselves if they're not complaining! I wish we worked together, but at least through this program, we do! I was inspired by how you mentioned that you sought out a coach to help you keep your focus in the classroom, especially when you were rather frustrated by students and the treatment of them by your colleagues. I have felt that way so many times and just as you said, I realized I just have to surround myself with those who share the same outlook and teaching philosophy! I am now, after reading a bit from Zander, much more focused and reminded about the importance of being a contribution. I hope that we can keep in touch after this program has ended. It was great to read your reflection and it gave me some new thoughts to bring into my classroom. Thanks, Sabrina!