A521.1.4.RB_StoriesInYourOrganization_BeldottiLou

A521.1.4.RB

Stories In Your Organization

            As a High School Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Instructor, there are many stories that I can reflect on.  Most of these stories are perpetuated by Cadet-Students about previous instructors and former Cadets.  However, these are not the stories that speak to the mission of the High School.

            

            I have worked in Secondary Education for the past five years.  The mission of both schools that I have taught in has always been to graduate students.  Stories would circulate in the teacher’s lounges and staff meetings about how a student was motivated to perform well and graduate because of a certain teacher or group of teachers.  There were also tales of the hopeless student that no one could help. 

            These tales, true or not, motivated teachers to do their best to propel students through four years of high school.  I, personally, was always motivated by tales of the hopeless student and made it my mission to seek them out and do what no other teacher had been able to do.

            I found that these tales, true or not, did make a difference and impacted the outcome of each school year.  Don’t get me wrong, there were teachers who really didn’t care and nothing but a pay raise would motivate them.

            However, I believe that it is the stories that teachers tell their students and the stories that students tell each other that really affects the culture of the school.  There are so many of these stories that I could not list them all.  It is how these stories are managed that determines whether the culture is toxic or positive.