"I Wanna Get Better" - #LeadershipDay14

Who wants to get better? Are any of you running over to the line designated for those who want to get worse? Probably not, there's nobody standing there. Scott McLeod's #LeadershipDay14 is an admirable, and inspirational collection of blog posts from educational leaders from around the world. (Click on the Leadership Day 2014 badge for more information) I was racking my brains trying to come up with a topic and theme that wasn't already part of this outstanding project. Then, while doing pull-ups at the gym, this Bleachers song comes over the loudspeakers, "I Wanna Get Better".

Jack Antonoff's lyrics are referring to our personal psyches as we face adversity or tragedy. However, the chorus "I wanna get better" grabbed my attention as I framed it in an educational sense. Everyone wants to get better. Learning, regardless of age or status, makes us better.

What if each of us gets a little better every day?

What if each of us helped someone else get a little better every day?

How can we formulate a plan for self-improvement? Books are a good place to start. Here are three books that have helped many educators get better.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Psychologist Carol Dweck's research reminds us that our abilities are not fixed, getting better can be accomplished through effort and dedication.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us Daniel Pink's book identifies three key factors of motivation; autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Intrinsic rewards have proven their value in getting better.
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People How do successful people get better? Stephen Covey's research identifies the daily habits of people who have succeeded at getting better.

The mechanisms and technologies are available to anyone wanting to make a commitment to getting better. Administrators, teachers, and students can improve schools and learning by acknowledging the human condition of wanting to get better, and also creating conditions that celebrate a culture of learning and growth.

What is your PoA (plan of action) for getting better?

What is your plan for helping others get better?

photo credit (2): Leslie Abram via photopin cc

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