“If the learner hasn’t learned, the teacher hasn’t taught.”
How many times as an administrator or as an educator have you heard that phrase? I know I have heard it often. At times I have agreed with the statement but just as many times I have not! I think if all things were perfect – the environment was conducive for learning, the content was of interest, the class size made sense, the teacher was exceptional – er, wait. The teacher was exceptional? Of all the elements for a learner to learn, how important is the teacher? I would suggest that the teacher is clearly the critical element in this equation. How do we get exceptional teaching that inspires exceptional learning? Let’s even broaden the thought: How do we get exceptional administrators that inspire exceptional leaders? The answer is not so difficult!
I think it goes to another cliché: “If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.” So, how do you become the exceptional administrator, leader or teacher? Simple – Professional Development! Or, in simple terms, continuous learning! If we think about our own personal lives, every few years we open a new chapter. Most of us don’t remain the same at 30 as we were at 20. We have life experiences, we evolve and mature, we grow as individuals. So, why would we not want to grow and evolve as an administrator, leader or educator? I challenge each one of you reading this to ask yourself: “What have I done for continuous learning to make me an exceptional ___________(fill in the blank)? Whether it is formal – like attending a training to hone your leadership skills or joining an education community, such as this, to numerous other experiences that build your capacity and your knowledge base, that is how I believe we become exceptional. Don’t wait for others to inspire you – you inspire others by growing, evolving and being just plain exceptional, so the learner truly does learn because the teacher has truly taught!!
Pat Schwarber is Director of Leadership Services at TregoED. Pat designed and facilitates workshops in a variety of areas including: strategy formulation and implementation, skill development, team building, and productivity improvement.