Give Permission

Just the other day a teacher reached out to me to let me know that there were two upcoming conferences that she would like to attend and asked if she could attend one of them. Soon as I read the email I reached back out to her to let her know that I think both conferences had value and since they were spread out I thought that she should attend both of them.

Think of the last time that you wanted to go to a conference. What was the response when you asked for permission? Did you get the same response that this teacher recieved?

I’ve had many experiences when it comes to conferences and professional growth that haven’t turned out the way I wanted them to. They left me with a feeling of not being supported and not valued as a part of the team. I can remember an experience as a teacher asking for permission to attend a state conference in Southern California. As soon as I mentioned it to the principal, the answer was no. Then through conversation that I was able to convince the principal to go ahead and allow me to attend this conference.I went ahead and booked the hotel, paid for an airline ticket and registered for the conference.

Attending conference are fun but it is not vacation. Whenever I attend a conference, I am all in. The time when I am not attending sessions or collaborating with peers, I am writing curriculum and/or looking at standards and how we can change practices.

After returning from this particular conference on a Sunday night I submitted my receipts to office and it was meant with hesitation.  To my surprise the principal had told the office manager that she never gave the okay for lodging, food, or basic expenses. She had said the school would only cover the conference fee itself. I was upset and out a few hundred dollars. I gave up my weekend/family time to grow as an educator and enrich the lives of the staff and students at my school site.

Now as an administrator I often think back to these times and how important professional growth is. We cannot become stale or complacent, therefore we need to push forward and continue our growth. Everyone grows in different way: some grow professionally by reading, some grow by building relationships, and others grow by watching peers do certain things. I grow in a mixture of those ways. One thing I know is attending a good education conference is a great way to build all those areas and capacities. It is a good way to build relationships with others, It is good way to find new reading material, and is a good way to come back refreshed and energized for the kids the next day.

I look for opportunities each and every day to push my teachers, to push myself, and the push others to be amazing and continue to do the great work they do each day. All educators from the district level, state level, and everything in between must remember that we need to challenge everyone in education to be better. We need to encourage each other to grow professionally and it is vital we encourage each other and challenge each other daily.

Be The One who gives permission to educators to grow and become their best.