Teaching is not intended to be a competition. I’ve worked with educators who have treated it as such.
Lesson plans and project ideas are treated as secrets of the state.
Collaboration is a no-no, and unwarranted rivalry a must.
An imaginary scoreboard exists in which other educators should always be falling behind.
I’m not sure why some educators treat education and learning this way.
To see someone else’s growth as a threat defeats the entire purpose of learning.
Continuing along your path as an educator by building a wall around yourself hurts you and your students.
Some may fashion this wall as a badge of honor.
I’m doing this on my own becomes the rallying cry.
It’s a rallying cry, however, that no one hears.
If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that we are always better when we are together.
Teaching is not intended to be a competition.
Stop the competition.
Start the collaboration.
Rich