When the going gets tough, the teachers get going

On Sunday, Scott Waldman of the Times Union reported that 700 jobs are on the line in New York's Capital Region, and, because of severe budget cuts, most districts must tighten their belts. In many schools, students can look forward to fewer electives and teachers can expect over-packed classrooms.


With that harsh reality in mind, what are teachers to do? Quit? Some might, but most of the teachers you and I know stick with the profession because they care about what they do too much to pack it in so quickly. Teachers have too much true grit to let daunting odds pin them. They'll fight back.

And one reason they'll fight back is that managing a classroom is like managing a business.  Like David Robison of Globalscholar.com points out in this blog post, the best teachers (like the best leaders) challenge their followers, create a stimulating culture, and commit to the well-being of the group. In the popular go-to management book, Good to Great, Jim Collins shows that the recurring factor in the most profitable corporations is an executive who "blend[s] extreme personal humility with intense professional will": a Level 5 leader. In the same way, humble and fierce educators—Level 5 teachers and principals—are what will push New York's education toward longterm success.

Photo Credit: http://www.kvaes.be/social/management-styles/