I saw this quote on a basketball training site I was checking out and it really spoke to me. This is where I think we are as a society . . . and the reason why so many people are weak mentally and physically.
I am very focused on becoming stronger physically and have been really working out hard . . . I am the strongest and fittest I have ever been in my life. But I can't settle. I'm not satisfied. I will continue to become stronger; not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Satisfaction leads to failure.
The high school I teach at just found out that we are "excellent" on the state report card. We also got positive comments from an accreditation group last week. Two years ago my school was struggling to improve its Annual Yearly Progress . . . now we are "excellent".
Satisfaction leads to failure.
To be honest, I question the level of my teaching every day and every week. I don't feel "excellent". I like to think of myself as a pretty good teacher, but I feel I can be a stronger teacher and in turn help my students to become stronger. Yet, through it all, our students score well on the OGT (which measures basic skills) and we are rated "excellent" as a high school.
Satisfaction leads to failure.
At what point do we all say, "Great, but we can do better! We have to do better"? And when will someone start asking people, "What are you doing today to make us better? Great? The best?"?
For me, it's time to move beyond "satisfaction" and even beyond "excellent". But, I struggle from a teacher point of view as to what I can do to become better.
Can I in my one classroom make the change needed to be great? Can I get my students to be great? Can I help the math department to become great? Can I do this on my own? If not, how do I rally others to join me in the push to be great? Who will challenge me . . . because I need to be challenged.
I'm tired of being satisfied. . .
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