No Excuses Leadership

By the Numbers

Imagine a classroom filled with 30 students.  The teacher is passing back tests that have been graded and placing them on the desks of the kids.  Moans abound as the majority of them see a failing grade.  After she’s handed out every paper, she walks to the front of the classroom with a look of defeat.  The words that leave her mouth are unexpected as she shares: 

“As you can see, WE did not do very well on this test.  In fact, 85% of US failed it.  This is not a reflection on our learning as students, but instead is a reflection on the way I taught the lesson as your teacher.  Those of US who received anything short of an "A" will be re-taking the test, but not before I determine where I fell short.  Let’s take this one question at a time.”

To most of us, a conversation like this is all too rare.  But why should it be?  Too often we are consumed by student data and the belief that the ownership of the results lie solely on the shoulders of the students themselves.  BOLD leaders know better.  When the numbers reflect a weakness or shortcoming in ourselves, it’s time to take responsibility for our own decisions, seek out methods to help alleviate the issue, and move forward better off because of our honest observations.

TAKE ACTION

Where are you falling short?  Look at the data from your classroom, school, or district.  Have honest reflection about your role in what these numbers state and how you can take steps to make things better. 

BE BOLD

"A good teacher asks himself the hardest questions, works through to answers, and then frames provocative questions for his learners to stimulate their thinking."
- John Piper -