Leaducator November 2019
Barry Lewis Green
Educator, Speaker, Coach, Writer, Creator ... advancing Character Leadership and Education ... to move forward together, stronger ... engaging change.
We are changing things up a little this month, offering The Leaducator a few days before Monday; so we can get out The broadCAST on Remembrance Day ... for this month. Both, going forward, will be increasingly world embracing speaking to educators and leaders globally on matters of character education and leadership.
In the Leaducator for October 2019, we launched a new path. In that post, we noted that we would be drawing on the global work of The Virtues Project and that of the Global Goals, and exploring on advancing the work of educators who seek to build cool learning environments driven by intelligence and character... as Martin Luther King Jr. noted:
- The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.
Exploring the Human Tech
Just this week, we offered up two posts on what I affectionately refer to as Human Tech:
I humbly and assertively recommend the reads. That being said, and for this month, I want to take a bit of a closer look at the first strategy from The Virtues Project, Speak the Language. As noted in Human Tech Talk...
- "Speak the Language addresses the need for us to expand our vocabulary on virtues and character. The notion of character is not some vague construct about being a "good person". There are many virtues, and they are often less than well understood in both meaning and practice. In order to practice such strengths of character it is helpful to start building an inventory/library of understanding on the myriad faces of character. This is foundational to advancing character within ourselves and sampling same for others. In knowing ourselves and seeing the strengths in others, it starts with greater vocab. To help with this you can download a very inexpensive app of Virtues Reflection Cards for iPhone and Android... and all monies support the global not-for-profit work of The Virtues Project. Or, you can do a daily virtues pick at the home page. Either way, build your language."
Vocab Matters
Vocabulary forms the basic building blocks of learning. If we consider Bloom's Revised Taxonomy of learning, vocabulary references remembering and understanding.
In order to better apply, analyze, evaluate and create using the other 4 strategies, we start with gaining a grounded awareness and understanding of the meaning of the virtues. We build our functioning vocab. Here are 101 words; all facets or faces of character.
As noted above, you can either download a very inexpensive app of Virtues Reflection Cards for iPhone and Android... and all monies support the global not-for-profit work of The Virtues Project or you can do a daily virtues pick at the home page. Either way, build your language."
Real World
Remember, our intent is not to create more work for educators. You (we) are already giving much. That being said, developing a better understanding of the virtues can have a phenomenal impact on engagement, connection, impact and results. When we better understand virtues and their meanings, we can name them when we see them. Great coaching engages what I call naming and claiming. If we can name it, others can claim it.
I had a college student one time submit a business paper. She was in her thirties, a single parent, working a part time job and doing full time school. Her grades were typically "B" while many of her compatriots were living at home and getting "A" grades. On this particular paper (a major one in the course), the mark was a 74. I thought to write a note that went beyond "good paper" with only feedback on what was "right" and "wrong" etc. I thought to write a note that identified a strength of character I saw in her work. I commented essentially that I admired and valued her Steadfastness in putting together solid papers while balancing children, work and school. She approached me after class and asked what Steadfastness was, and I gave her a simple answer.
It went like this:
- Me: You know what Determination is right?
- Student: Yes.
- Me: Well Steadfastness is like Determination on steroids.
You could see a light go on. She knew she had that strength. She did not know what it was called; until that moment. Here, an instructor named it and the student could now claim it.
I could have as easily focused on her practice of Devotion
I have continued to take such simple opportunities. I have to mark papers anyway. It is now an opportunity to sharpen the blades on the vocabulary of character. Telling someone "good work", "good job", "nice work", or "great question"... does not say what was good, nice or great about the thought, work or question. Attaching a character strength does. For example:
- That question shows great Discernment.
- Your paper demonstrates real Creativity.
- Your project work shows Diligence.
- Your Commitment is strong.
- I admire your Enthusiasm
- I thank you for your Honesty.
The Difference
This is different from commenting on a behaviour. Behaviour is often temporal; even fleeting. We do not possess it as much as we deliver it. Commenting on behaviour is often not as resonant as commenting on character. Commenting on the latter allows us (or others) to take more ownership as character is a piece of us. Resonance is heightened.
In addition, strengths of character are accessible and able to be practiced when we don't "feel" like it. We can call on Confidence instead of simply hoping we feel it. I know some who imagine virtues as "angels". Personally, I like to think of them metaphorically as arrows in my quiver. I always have the opportunity to practice any of the virtues. They are available to us all, in practice. So, commenting on their practice (demonstration and manifestation) is a compliment of our practice; and practice makes permanent. Indeed, it is a journey of Excellence, in practice.
In so focusing on character, we are reaching greater resonance and zeroing in on practice (the work). And, we are expanding our own vocabulary, getting used to naming strengths we see in real time. We are also expanding the vocabulary of strengths for others.
All in all, it deepens resonance, focuses on practice, and advances vocabulary. It also takes little or no extra time and can have significant impact.
Try it out this month. Catch people doing something virtuous. Name it. Let them claim it.
See where that takes you.
Peace, passion and prosperity...
Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy with Epic Engage
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