2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. New Living Translation (NLT)
Your classroom climate will be determined by your attitude. Your school climate will reflect the principal's attitude. AND the district climate will reflect the attitude of the Superintendent. Any place of work will have the climate set by its leader. Essentially, the leader sets the tone, and the workers or students reflect the behavior of the leader. There are joyful, fun-loving leaders, strict, no-nonsense ones, diligent detailed leaders, and quiet, gentle leaders. All of these personalities can be successful in the classrooms, schools, and businesses. But a leader with a negative attitude, whether angry, unforgiving, uncaring, uninterested, unethical, or arrogant, will have difficulties in discipline and overall management.
Jesus told us that the greatest leaders among us would be great servants (Matt. 23:11). A leader is a servant. We are called to serve, to teach, and to share the knowledge that God has so graciously allowed us to learn. Leaders must never have a proud spirit. Our age, education, and experience have equipped us to go beyond ourselves and our pride. We must approach our classrooms or places of work with humility, but also with confidence knowing that God has supplied us with a message to teach and lead.
As conflicts arise whether you lead adults or children, we must take a moment to remember our own mistakes from our pasts. This will help us find a balance in our discipline/correction as we realize that many mistakes are due to immaturity, inexperience, and or simple thoughtlessness, not mutiny or outright defiance. If a student or employee is rebellious, we are to give firm correction and encourage him or her to change the defiant behavior. If one lacks understanding, or forgets, we must re-teach as we work to modify behavior. Two people can display exactly the same behavior for two different reasons--rebellion or naivety. The only way we can determine which applies to the particular offense is to allow the offender to explain. Patiently listen for what is said "beneath" the explanation.
Love the individual as you learn of the underlying cause for the challenge. The Love of Christ can help you understand the person who tests you repeatedly. He/she may be an adult or a child. He/she may be immature regardless of age. He/she may not see through the same seasoned, mature, experienced eyes that you do. Gently, lovingly, and firmly deal with those "for" their good” and, "for" their future. Draw from the love of God within you, and get rid of any negative emotions you have before you discipline. Pride and/or anger can block your ability to do this. You must lay down pride and replace it with a grateful heart, full of humility and the willingness to serve God's Kingdom. Demonstrate Emotional Constancy, which is technique 47 in Doug Lemov's Teach Like a Champion.
A teacher’s or leader's Emotional Constancy is a source of students’ and/or employees steadiness in performance. Emotional Constancy does not mean expressing no emotions. It means that you express emotions as a way of consistently promoting learning and achievement. Emotionally constant leaders do the following:
1. Control their own emotions rather than let others control them;
2. Use their outward show of emotions to keep the moving forward;
3. Tie their language to achievement and positive behavioral expectations;
4. Earn the trust of those with whom they work by always being in control of self and of the room or office;
5. Use that control respectfully to help others cope with emotional trials that interfere with performance.
Dear God,
Discipline and management of people seems to be the hardest and most emotionally draining part of our jobs. We expect others to do what they are supposed to do just because it is right. But, some are not so trusting of us to just accept that we know what is best for the classroom or our organization. We chose to lay down our pride and pick up a servant's attitude. Help us to learn Your ways as we teach and lead others. Help us to not let anger or hurt build up but instead guide us in letting all of that go. Help us to realize that most of the uncooperative behavior of others comes from a place or experience that has nothing to do with us personally and usually comes from a place of hurt or prior bad experiences. Give us Your eyes, Your heart, and Your words as we address those who test us and challenge us in our work. In Jesus's Awesome Name we pray...Amen.
Adapted from http://www.teacherdevotion.com/Devotion_Archives.html and Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov.
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