So we hosted Todd Whitaker... Here are my notes from the day.

What crummy people lack?

"The ability to know how we are coming across to other people." (Emotional Intelligence)

"A follower is never going to cure cancer."

"Everybody does the best they know how."

"Why do people sit behind their desk the whole period? Because they are are scared to death and they don't know any better." - We need to figure out if they are ignorant or insubordinate.

"Winers whine...Two things we do with pouters. One, we avoid them, and two we empathize with them." - Why do we give them so much power?

He gave the example of a great teacher losing her parking spot that she has always parked in.  "A great teacher rationalizes why it is good for them." - Whiners whine.

"Treat all people as if they are good."

"Seek out serial pouters and sidle them up" - Approach them from the side in close proximity, treat them as if they are good.

Dealing with difficult parents - sidle them up.  Sitting behind the desk is a line drawn in the sand.

Ignoring is an option when dealing with tough issues.  It doesn't mean you will forget you will just deal with it when you are ready.

"We play too much defense in education go on offense. Don't avoid and don't empathize."

"Bad teachers want to talk about anything other than teaching and learning."

It's people not programs
Great teachers, great schools
Poor lecturers classroom - There can be good lecturers
Assertive discipline
Open classrooms

"Great teachers will run with a new program, crummy teachers won't do it or follow it for success."

"Nothing happens randomly in a great teachers classroom...Everything happens randomly in a bad teachers classroom."

"When you hire a new teacher the goal is to have the school to become like the new teacher, not the new teacher to become like the school."

"Most valuable gift principals can give to teachers = confidence."

"Most valuable gift teachers can give to students = confidence."

"The best thing about teaching is that it matters, the hardest part is that it matters everyday."

Three behaviors that never take place:
1. Never argue
2. Never yell
3. Never use sarcasm

"Great teachers don't have buttons to push."

"Great teachers don't have rules they have expectations."

"Raise the praise, minimize the criticize."

5 Ways to praise:
1. Authentic
2. Specific
3. Immediate
4. Clean
5. Private

"The difference between a great teacher and your worst teacher is a canyon."

"Would rather deal with a teacher that is wrong than a parent that is right."

Three kinds of teachers:
1. Superstar = irreplaceable, respected by their peers
2. Backbone = not fully engaged
3. Mediocre