Mother Teresa lived her beliefs, and her response to the reporter’s question was not contrived.  She sincerely believed in the value and sanctity of every human being.  Teachers who love their work live their beliefs in much the same way as Mother Teresa did.  When a teacher is convinced that every person has unique strengths, then focusing on a child’s potential is second nature.  And it pays big dividends in the young person’s sense of self-worth.  Those feelings support the creation of a classroom culture where learning is the first priority.  Happy students willingly go the extra mile for their teachers.

It wasn’t always this way, though.  Early in my teaching career, I had serious misgivings.  I wondered whether I was cut out to be a classroom teacher.  I often felt inadequate.  I didn’t know how to respond to students misbehaving in class.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of marking and preparation required.  Sometimes I couldn’t find time in the day to take a bathroom break.

During those first few painful years, I spent many agonizing afterschool hours reflecting on questions such as:  What are my strengths as a teacher?  As a person?  What gifts do I bring to this vocation?  What legacy will I leave?  Through this questioning process, alone and with colleagues, I began to develop a vision for my vocation.

What made all the difference and kept me in the classroom for another twenty years was the slow, sure realization that I had a positive influence on the lives of hundreds of young people.  My daily personal interactions with the young people in my care could lift their spirits and put a bounce in their steps.  I felt a real joy in their various accomplishments, large and small.  I was fascinated by their academic achievements, sports victories, and personal triumphs, as well as all the challenges they faced with limited or no success.  As my teaching identity emerged, I came to be known as someone who cared enough about my students to demand the very best.

I also became aware of the almost endless possibilities for my own personal and professional growth as a functioning member of a vibrant learning community.  Coaching volleyball, leading a singing group, starting a ski team, assisting in musical theatre productions, helping out at the Science Fair … inside and outside the classroom, I was constantly learning from students, parents and colleagues.  What they gave me is priceless and lasting.  Among other memories, I treasure the laughter, the challenges met, the bonds we forged, and the shared moments of delight – delight in learning, in music, and in other aspects of life inside and outside the school walls.

Make no bones about it – teachers are leaders.  And leadership requires a high standard of personal ethics.  Books on leadership provide educators with tips and strategies that are directly transferable from the board room office, soccer field or community centre to the classroom.

Being a teacher leader means being a consummate professional.  And what is a professional?   The word has powerful connotations of responsibility, authority and specialized expertise, but a big part of professionalism is confidence in your abilities.  Trust your instinct, your intuition and your heart.  You have learned more than you know.  Your own life experiences, your studies, discussions with colleagues, practice teaching – all this and more form a solid foundation for your expertise.  Try an affirmation such as, “I am a professional.  I understand students and how they learn.”  Believe in yourself.  When you trust your own professional judgment, you will more forward with noticeable confidence.  Living your convictions is one sign of a leader.

Once I recognized that I had unique strengths as a teacher and a person, many of the frustrations and obstacles I had initially faced began to melt away.  I could respond to student misbehaviour in a caring but courteous manner.  Though I have never been much of a comedian, I could often find the humour in a tense or potentially confrontational situation.  Laughter has a way of dispelling negative emotions and clearing the atmosphere.  It also creates and strengthens bonds between teacher and students.

At other times, a quiet word or frown directed at the chief troublemaker was all it took to restore order.  A short conversation out of earshot of the other students … a promise to the class of “no homework if you get them all correct” … a glance to convey a nonverbal message … timing the lesson to engage short attention spans … all these strategies and more came quickly and easily as I become more comfortable in the teaching role.