Recently we had the opportunity to speak with George Couros, who is the Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for Parkland School Division via Skype. His discussion focused mainly on creating a clean and professional digital footprint, as well as elements that make a mastery teacher.
For his introduction he shared with us a story from his past, regarding an inappropriate Tweet on Twitter. Needless to say things did not end well for this 'tweeter'. He went on to share with us that as a Principal, he would often google potential teachers. All of these examples were used to stress how important our digital footprint is, and how we need to be aware of what our own looks like. I will be honest, while he was talking I was beginning to feel a little paranoid! (What happens when my name is typed into google? What would show up?) So what did I do after class? You guessed it, I google myself! I didn't find much. Two items came up: this blog and my Pinterest boards. For the first second I was relieved, because I consider myself a fairly private person. But then I reminded myself of what George spoke about, and thought perhaps this is not a good thing after all. George expressed how it is an asset to have an easily accessible online presence, especially when looking for a job. Share your experiences, your insights, your learning, your projects, etc.; give people something great to find about you, it can go a long way.
My new goals: become less private, share more (worry less), and create on online portfolio!
George also spoke about some of the elements which make a great teacher, and what kinds of things he looks for (as a Principal) in teacher candidates. I really enjoyed this discussion. It was nice to hear these things from a Principal's perspective, and helpful to hear what kinds of things he looks for in a teacher. For those of you reading who did not hear him speak, here are some tips for you!
1. Make connections and build meaningful relationships with your students and your colleagues.
2. Teach the students first, and the curriculum second.
3. Embody lifelong learning. "Be an expert in learning, not teaching." (George Couros)
4. Focus on character education; how you are going to make your students better people.
5. Be passionate about what you are teaching. If you are passionate about it, the students are more likely to adopt that attitude as well.
6. Be a school teacher, not a classroom teacher. That is, be involved with the entire school, not just your own classroom. Help out with activities, get to know the students in the hallways, get to know colleagues, etc. I really liked the way he separated these two types of teachers. I completely agree; a great teacher strives to be involved school wide, not just in the classroom.
7. Have an appropriate and accessible online presence; share the great things you do!
8. Develop effective communication skills. This is especially helpful when dealing with parents and discipline.
Thank you George for the excellent discussion and great tips! Thanks also to Mike for arranging it, and to Skype for being the tool to make it all happen! And to end this blog post, I will leave you with another video by Kid Snippets (yes I have become addicted). These just make my day.
Are these great communication skills or what!?
His talk was really good. It tired in well with the career fair. I really like the idea that he said we should be school teachers, not classroom teachers. Relationships with our students are key and this is what principals notice when you get into the schools. If you have good relationships with the students you will make a good impression and get offered a job.
ReplyDeleteI like the goals you set for yourself. Being in MIke's class will certainly help you achieve those goals. It will take time and effort, but it appears as though you are willing to put in the time to make your goals become reality. This blog is a good start.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find my Pinterest boards on google, but I did find a few other things. My picture is also on Google images, which I find slightly creepy.