Ravens Way

 

The Raven Way

 

I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Eric DeCosta, the general manager for the Baltimore Ravens, and wanted to pass along some valuable nuggets of information.  Whether or not you are a fan of the Ravens, they are considered one of the best-run franchises in the NFL, and DeCosta gave us a glimpse behind the curtain.

When asked about what he learned training under Ozzie Newsome (the previous GM), he mentioned patience.  He then told a story about a time he lacked patience, and it cost the Ravens.  When he was first promoted to GM, the team had lost some veteran players to free agency, so he wanted to make a big signing.  He rushed into a deal without doing the proper due diligence on the player.  While that player was good, he did not fit into the team chemistry.  It was refreshing to hear someone in that position admit to mistakes.

He also gave insights into how he hires. When he was on the search committee for a new coach,  he looked at how much the coach wanted the job.  What was important to him was the candidate’s enthusiasm for the role combined with his intelligence and how his work ethic fit the organization.  While the Ravens might have been able to hire a more experienced coach than John Harbaugh, they felt in the end that he was the right fit.  What came across was that the organization not only thinks about the day-to-day but are truly invested in the long-term success of the team.

DeCosta went on to discuss the importance of how you judge people.  For example, you might have in a defensive coordinator’s contract a bonus if the team has a top-five defense.  But say the team is winning a game 42-0—you look out on the field, and your best players are still playing, risking injury.  DeCosta stressed the importance of having the entire organization’s goals aligned.

He then talked about how the fans want the sexy signings.  Fans (myself included) love the skill position players because it is easy for us to keep track of.  However, the key to winning in the NFL is to have great lines on both sides of the ball, he said.  Similarly, I find that in education, we are sometimes looking for the silver bullet when the real answer is usually rolling up your sleeves and working hard.

I was a Ravens fan at the start of the night, and I walked away with an even greater admiration for the organization.  They take risks, they learn from their mistakes, and they think about how each decision affects both the short and the long run.  They do not get every choice right, but they have built an excellent organization.

Thanksgiving leftovers

 

I was recently invited to a former student’s athletic Hall of Fame induction I was looking forward to seeing her but did not realize the other folks I would encounter at this event.

 

As I tried to find my table, I bumped into my first educational mentor. As we caught up, I was reminded what a kind and positive person she is. When I first started teaching, she was able to explain to me the politics of education while reminding me what a blessing it is to teach students.

 

Next, my former student walked in with her family. She had graduated from University of Pennsylvania and was starting her masters at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she told me, which reminded me that she was both a great athlete and a great student. What came across in talking with her, however, was that she is an even better person.

 

I then realized that another former student of mine was being inducted that night into the Hall of Fame. As I went to say hello to him, he told me that he was now the track coach for his alma mater. I noticed how excited he was at the prospect of becoming a full-time teacher. It has been a long time since I have seen a young person that excited about teaching.

 

Lastly, I ran into a friend, one of the best science teachers I have ever known. As we caught up, I could hear the excitement in his voice as he talked about new strategies and how he was working to improve his craft. Another truly great person.

 

As I walked out, I realized how lucky I am to be in the field of education. These are four examples of the many great students, teachers, and mentors I have met along the way. I have always felt teaching is about heart and soul, and this evening truly increased both of them in me.

The Power of don't

 My friend was approaching the tee on a short par three.  He looked up and muttered, “Just don’t hit it left into the water.”  He stepped back, took a practice swing, and then said the same thing.  As he approached the ball, you could see something change in his body language.  Sure enough, he hit the ball left into the water.  You could see how different his swing was than any other swing that day.  It was almost as if his brain shut his body down. 

This reminded me of when teachers ask students questions, and a student responds with “I don’t know.”  You can see immediately that the student has shut down and stopped thinking about the question that was asked.  Students often answer this way, hoping the teacher will leave them alone and move on to the next student. 

Like my golfing buddy, students need to change their mindset.  When they are not sure of the answer, they need to think about what they know that could help them answer the question.  What resources do they have (notes, for example) that might help them answer the question?  What hints can the teacher give them that might eventually lead to the answer? 

When students change their mindset from “I don’t know” to “How can I figure this out?” they are more engaged.  As they work through the problem, they strengthen their resilience, which will allow them to persist longer. 

Remind yourself and those around you that learning is often a struggle.  Help those around you to keep a positive mindset about learning and to think about what we do know. 

What I have found is that when you embrace the struggle, you usually end up increasing your learning.  The next time we golf together, I am going to ask my friend to tell me what he has to do to make a good swing. 

Why I am still teaching

 

Last week, in response to a question from a former student, I discussed some of the reasons why I think teachers are leaving the profession. After hearing my answer, my student was interested in what motivated me and why I continue to teach. I’ve been asked this question often, and each time, I need a second to reflect before answering.

My first thought was that I have been extremely blessed in life. As a teenager, I could not imagine that my life would have turned out this way. When I have asked people who have mentored me, “How can I pay you back?” they have all replied, “By paying it forward.” Teaching, to me, is a way to pay it forward and try to help others the way people have helped me.

My second thought was hope. While the United States is not in a great place right now, teaching young people gives me great hope for the future. Each day, I work with amazingly talented young people who are thinking about how to use these talents to make the world a better place.

Talking with former students is also inspiring. Hearing them tell me how their dreams have now become reality is exciting. Equally exciting is hearing from students who took different career paths than they originally thought. How something in their life caused them to pivot in a different direction, which has brought them happiness. Many of them make the world a better place, each and everyday.

Teaching is a great profession. It constantly challenges you to get better. I love the thought that every day, I can improve myself and therefore improve student learning. It amazes me how some small things make an enormous difference in student achievement.

Lastly, it took 38 years for me to find my true passion. My biggest advantage as a teacher is that I love coming to work each day. Why would I want to leave that?

Teacher shortage

 I was eating lunch with a former student who was thinking about becoming a teacher.  He asked me, “Why do you think there’s a teacher shortage?”  I took a few seconds to gather my thoughts, and then I responded. 

Covid definitely knocked some teachers out of the market.  Many teachers close to retiring just called it quits, while others left the profession rather than learn the technology and rethink the way they would teach during the pandemic. 

The demands of the job are much more than the public realizes.  It is close to impossible to be a great teacher while only working 7:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m.  While almost all the teachers I know work way more than these hours, the profession is often called “lazy” by outsiders who think we only punch in and out. 

Over the last three years, many jobs became more flexible, while teaching returned to pre-pandemic days.  Teachers could now leave the profession for higher-paying jobs with more flexible hours.  Whereas the hours once made teaching attractive, now many other professions offer more flexibility. 

Many teachers became tired of being underpaid and underappreciated.  It is rare to see positive stories about teachers, while often the public blames teachers for societal problems.  When you combine the two things, you end up with a toxic workplace. 

The scary part is that most teacher colleges are at an all-time low in enrollment.  Therefore, as teachers  retire, there are no backups.  In my area, there were once standards for becoming a teacher.  Those have been waived in order to have someone in front of the classroom.

 

At the end of the conversation, my student asked me why I am still teaching.  I will share my response next week. 

Poker Scandal

 As a young man I was extremely interested in the game of poker. While I do not really play anymore, I still follow the poker scene on YouTube. Poker is presently going through a scandal in which one of the best players is accusing another player of cheating. 

What I found interesting is that both sides of this issue are convinced that they are right. On Twitter, some people said that there was definitely cheating, while others said that none occurred. Both sides kept doubling down in response to the others’ arguments. 

One of the biggest mistakes everyone makes: We try to change the other person’s mind.  Psychologist Adam Grant suggests that instead of trying to change someone’s mind, we try to open it. One of the questions he suggests asking is, “What facts do you need to change your mind on this issue?” This request does not put the person on the defensive but instead allows them to think about what might change their mind. 

Grant also did some research on political hot-buttons. When talking about the abortion issue, he asked people to reflect on their life as if they had the opposite view. While this did not change people's opinions, it allowed them too see that there were different perspectives to the issue. 

We often put a negative connotation on people who change their minds, calling them flip-floppers. However, I would argue that we should applaud them, because they have shown the ability to learn by taking current information into account 

In the future, when you notice a person has changed their opinion due to additional information, take a moment to congratulate them. What they have shown is the ability to be flexible and to learn.