The Impact of High Performing Teachers
This is my son Ezra and his sixth grade teacher Ms. Chidester.
Ms. Chidester was also Ezra’s first grade teacher. Since we learned she had moved up to teach sixth grade a couple of years ago, we have had our fingers crossed that he would have her again as a teacher. I would seriously have done about anything to make sure he was in her class again — washing lunch trays, mowing the school’s lawn, cleaning gum from underneath desks — you name it. Why?
Because I know: “Nothing impacts growth more than coaching.”
Let’s be real. During childhood, and beyond the confines of the home environment, the biggest influencer of our kids is their teacher. Their teacher is really their coach and manager. Just like a manager in a business world, a teacher’s charge is to illicit as much performance, development, and growth from the individual as possible. Who you have as a teacher matters.
So, what makes this teacher so great? It’s the same things that make a manager in an employment setting great. The school year is still new but already I see Ezra benefiting from her awesomeness as a coach. Here’s why:
1. She gets my kid
In first grade, my (not so) little guy here had this phase where he would opera style sing. [Think, Adam Sandler’s SNL Opera Man character.] It was hilarious but probably not that hilarious for six hours a day, five days a week when you’re trying to lead a classroom of kids. It would have been easy for Ms. Chidester to squash that bad habit without batting an eyelash. But did she? You guessed it — nope.
Instead, she corralled it and used it as a classroom tool. Time for recess? She’d ask Ezra to use his opera powers to announce recess time to the class. Need to pack up for the day? He sang that it was clean-up time. You get the picture. She took his unique and individual quirk and figured out how to make it an advantage rather than a hindrance.
2. She pushes my kid
Again, in first grade, Ms. Chidester noticed that Ezra excelled at math. It would have been easy to just keep on keeping on with the first grade curriculum and what the class at large was doing. Instead, she fed this ability by challenging him with extra and harder math assignments. I credit this extra attention with his continued love and ability when it comes to math. Uh, Growth Rings, anyone? (If you don’t know what Growth Rings are, you should and can learn about them in the short video below.)
3. She cares for my kid
Ezra was bothered by something that happened at school the other day. She noticed, she addressed it with him, and she helped him work through it. He didn’t come to her with an issue or problem. Instead, she knows him well enough to know that something was up and cared enough to check in with him. She’s also quick with a joke, a hug, and a compliment. Gosh darn it, she just makes a kid feel cared for and special. Who doesn’t want that even now as an adult?
The list could go on and on but here’s my point. If you’re leading a group of people, how you engage with them matters. And it probably matters far more than you realize. So, here’s to Ms. Chidester — one of the best coaches I know my son will have in his lifetime and one to whom I’ll be forever grateful. And here’s to all those teachers out there who fall into the same category of top-notch, kick-butt, life changing coaches. They may not be leading a team of sales reps selling millions of dollars but the outcomes that are on the line are even more valuable.
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