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While many people reflect on their school experiences from childhood, they remember the principal as one who struck fear in the hearts of misbehaving students. Today's administrator must have an upbeat, welcoming, no-blame, solutions-oriented, professional demeanor; model respect for all members of the school community; and make efforts to invite and involve staff in various school-wide functions and a similar outreach toward students that engages and involves them in a variety of ways.

Today's schools are complex systems. We need to look at all the parts when addressing student behavior; making strong personal connections with students is something that cannot be overlooked. We cannot expect students to come to our classrooms and schools behaving perfectly. We have to acknowledge the variables and development of students when it comes to misbehavior. We have to acknowledge our role as adults that helps shape the behavior of our students by being the shadow of the positive school culture we expect to see. This requires teachers and administrators to put extra effort in connecting with students through an intentional, daily focus and in return they will demonstrate improved behaviors on your campus. Successful principals work hard at building strong school communities and prioritize collaboration and trust. When students see the principal as someone who respects and values the teachers, the students will know they are part of a caring, supportive environment rather than a place where morale is low and discussions are centered around war stories about troubled students and other management issues.

We are often asked how to create such a positive school culture where students respect and respond to the adults on campus. Our answer is simple: Treat your students the same way you would want someone with authority over you and your environment to treat you.

Some do not necessarily like this response, since their beliefs are that students need to come to school already knowing how to behave. They would prefer a traditional model of asserting authority over students or using a strong-armed method as their approach. Well, it does not work! Students who do not respect their teachers and administrators will behave differently (negatively) toward them. They will lose their sense of school connectedness and begin making decisions without taking others into account. We hear how some educators and administrators speak to students and/or about students. We hear students share how some teachers are mean and make horrible comments to students. We hear about the educators students are afraid to approach. And then we wonder, why don't these students feel supported and/or emotionally connected in this atmosphere?

We have seen a great number of "defiance" office referrals that are the result of a power struggle where a student felt they were treated disrespectfully and embarrassed in front of their peers, resulting in a student trying to save face. The magical question that usually proves that every action has a reaction is the "What happened ten seconds before that?" question.

Student: He pushed me.

Teacher/Administrator: What happened ten seconds before that?

Student: I tripped him 'on accident.'

While pushing another is never acceptable behavior, it was a secondary/reactive behavior. Teachers must realize the way they talk to and treat students creates secondary/reactive behaviors as well. The "What happened ten seconds before that?" question could be asked of many office referrals for student defiance that would likely incriminate a teacher's behavior. For example, a student is sent to the office for using profanity toward the teacher.

Administrator: What happened ten seconds before the student used profanity toward you?

Teacher: I told him to sit down; he didn't so I got in his face and said, 'I already told you...SIT DOWN!'

As the adult, we must know better than to get into power struggles. If the conversation feels like it's slipping toward one, find a way to change the course by maintaining control of your actions while finding a way to give the disruptive student an 'out' so that he or she can back down without losing too much face in front of their peers. Even removing the student from the class so the teacher and student can deal with the issue privately can do wonders for the situation. Also, take the time to learn about a student's background; knowing a student is dealing with issues at home or poverty can make the difference between compassion and callousness. Connecting to your students will help you avoid such pitfalls.

We work with a lot of educators and often hear, "Our students would not respond to us in this way, or they won't do what we say, etc." If you do not intentionally work on establishing connections with students, they will not respond. The relationship building and connection needs to be authentic and ongoing. If it is temporary or disingenuous, students will know and see right through it.

Here are 10 easy ways to connect with students on your campus to help prevent behavior problems and create a positive school culture:

Talk to the students daily: Know them by name, ask them questions, listen to their stories, and know the influential students in each group on your campus. Students light up when they are in any setting where the principal can call them by name; they also notice when you reference their peers by name. The easiest, but most effective thing a principal can do is take a yearbook or class composite binder home and memorize every student on their campus.

Eat lunch with the students: Get out of your office and go interact with your students during unstructured times. You will learn a lot about your students by seeing them interact within their social environments.

Be visible: Not just because you have supervision, but because this is a critical time to make positive connections with students and learn about what is going on at your school. Actively point out some positives to students and groups of students during your supervision time.

Greet students: Take the time to greet students in the morning as they arrive to school and throughout the day. Seeing your familiar face welcoming them will help them feel safe and at home at your school.

Take time to get to know the students and their families: Have an open door policy so students and families feel like they can come talk to you about their successes and concerns.

Support your students at all school events: Make sure to attend all functions at your school and wish the students good luck and let them know you are proud (e.g., high fives & supportive comments and cheers from the sidelines or backstage).

Have classroom chats or chats with groups of students regarding current and serious topics on a regular basis: Try to understand their lingo and the topics that mean the most to them. Talk to students if you have concerns about certain behaviors (e.g., bullying, drugs etc.) escalating at the school; if you give them a chance to speak and provide solutions, they will.

Play a game with them at lunch or participate in school activities: Don't be afraid to have fun with the students. Let them see you as a regular person and not just their teacher or administrator.

Be there for them if they need: Be aware when you see changes in a student's personality or notice if a student is always alone. Also, create an open line of communication with students where they feel comfortable to share with you if their friend(s) are struggling as well. If they feel safe, they will ask for help before situations escalate.

Positive phone calls home: Create an expectation where the principal makes five positive phone calls home per week, while each teacher makes one. Have teachers keep a positive phone call log to ensure every student gets a call. Something as simple as, "Jason grew a reading level today; I just wanted to share this with you before he came home so you can celebrate with him. He's been working really hard and I'm so proud." or "Nevaeh helped up another student that tripped on the playground today; I wanted to reach out and let you know that I'm very proud of how caring she is toward other students." We've had parents audibly cry on the phone because they've never had anyone call home to praise their child. Taking the time to make these phone calls will help you make connections with both your students and their families. In return, the students will know you care.

Students demonstrate improved behaviors for teachers and administrators they like and respect. That is why it is critical for teachers and administrators to take time to connect with students. Students will remember the connections and connection attempts and it will help them shape their behaviors. In our next article, Blaming the Students Doesn't Help, we will give five strategies on how to shift thinking from blaming students to finding solutions and working with them to change behaviors.

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10 Easy Ways for School Leaders to Connect With Students - Corwin Connect

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While many people reflect on their school experiences from childhood, they remember the principal as one who struck fear in the hearts of misbehaving students. Today's administrator must have an upbeat, welcoming, no-blame, solutions-oriented, professional demeanor; model respect for all members of the school community; and make efforts to invite and involve staff in various school-wide functions and a similar outreach toward students that engages and involves them in a variety of ways.

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According to Weber’s (1947) definition, charismatic leadership is the commitment of followers to a leader who had extraordinary qualities. Later in 1974, Stogdill modified the definition to “emphasize the leader’s personality and behavior, leadership stability and change, the emergence of the leadership role, and leadership and social power” (Zehir et al., 2014).

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The charismatic leadership style relies on the charm and persuasiveness of the leader. Charismatic leaders are driven by their convictions and commitment to their cause.

Charismatic leaders also are sometimes called transformational leaders because they share multiple similarities. Their main difference is focus and audience. Charismatic leaders often try to make the status quo better, while transformational leaders focus on transforming organizations into the leader's vision.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a charismatic leader who used powerful oratory, an engaging personality, and unwavering commitment to positive change in the lives of millions of people.

Read on to discover more about charismatic leadership:

What sets charismatic leaders apart is that they are "essentially very skilled communicators, individuals who are both verbally eloquent, but also able to communicate to followers on a deep, emotional level," said Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., professor of leadership and organizational psychology at Claremont McKenna College, in his Psychology Today article "What is Charisma and Charismatic Leadership?"

Charismatic leaders are often identified in times of crisis and exhibit exceptional devotion to and expertise in their fields. They are often people with a clear vision in business or politics and the ability to engage with a large audience.

A charismatic leadership definition is incomplete if it does not focus on the leader personally. More than other popular leadership styles, charismatic leadership depends on the personality and actions of the leader - not the process or structure.

Differences between charismatic leadership and other styles

"Charismatic leadership is a leadership style that is recognizable but may be perceived with less tangibility than other leadership styles," writes Mar Bell in "Charismatic Leadership Case Study with Ronald Reagan as Exemplar."

Charismatic leadership is similar to other styles. Both it and transformational leadership rely on the ability of the leader to influence and inspire followers. Transformational and charismatic leaders motivate the individual or those around them to be better and to work for the greater good of an organization or society. Other similarities include:

Leaders rally those around them in service of a common goal

Initiative and boldness are encouraged

The differences between charismatic and transformational leadership styles lie primarily in how the individual is viewed.

The personal vision of a charismatic leader has a great deal of influence over his or her audience

Charismatic leaders speak about their moral compass or passion rather than an existing method of doing business

Democratic and charismatic leaders compared

When compared to democratic leadership, similarities to the charismatic style include:

They both place considerable responsibility on the leader

Leaders guide employees, team members or volunteers in a particular direction

There is often a spirit of collaboration

The differences between charismatic leadership and democratic leadership include:

In democratic leadership, workers must have high-level skills in addition to the desire to work

Democratic leaders are highly rational and deliberate in their style

Charismatic leaders appeal to the emotions of the audience

In the charismatic leadership style, working toward a greater good is emphasized

Comparing autocratic and charismatic leadership

Likewise, charismatic and autocratic leadership styles share some traits. Both leaders often increase employee productivity. The key difference: The charismatic leader typically inspires employees to perform. The autocratic leader uses their authority to demand high performance. The short-term result is identical, although the long-term consequences may differ.

Charismatic leaders structure their organizations as they see fit. This is another example of a crossover between charismatic and autocratic leadership styles. The intensity of both styles may also generate early burnout of their leaders (and followers).

History of charismatic leadership

German sociologist Max Weber first published his book "The Three Types of Legitimate Rule" in 1958. In it, he sets forth a tripartite classification of authority for organizations and governments:

Two forms of order: authority and norms

Weber suggests that there are two fundamental forms of order: norms and authority. In organizations with authoritative order, people follow rules set by their leader. Transactional and bureaucratic leadership styles fit into this form of order.

Institutions that use norms depend on the appeal of their mission and vision to inspire allegiance in employees or followers. Charismatic leaders use norms to build a strong emotional relationship with the people who work for them.

Charismatic leaders are from all walks of life. In addition to business, this leadership style can be found in religious institutions and political and social movements.

Religious examples of charismatic leadership

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Born in 1929, Dr. King followed in the footsteps of his father as a Baptist minister. He started his civil rights career as the leader of the bus boycott the night that Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. King's powerful speeches and belief in peaceful protest put energy into the civil rights movement. In January 1957, he and several others founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1960, Dr. King gained national notoriety for his arrest at a lunch counter sit-in, which came to the attention of presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. He was soon released and went on to have even greater influence in the fight for civil rights.

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches ignited smaller movements for equal rights through the American South and beyond. Dr. King is best known for the August 28, 1963, march on Washington that drew more than 200,000 people. At that march, he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. The following year, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.

Mother Teresa

Born in Macedonia (now Yugoslavia) as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910, Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun best known for her work with the poor. Mother Teresa joined the Sisters of Loreto when she was 18 and moved to India in 1929. As a novitiate, she was sent to Calcutta and taught at St. Mary's School for Girls.

In 1946, Mother Teresa abandoned teaching to follow what she considered her calling, founding the Missionaries of Charity to live and serve in the slums of Calcutta. Over the course of the 1950s and '60s, she established a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, a family clinic and a string of mobile clinics.

In 1971, she traveled to New York to open her first U.S.-based house of charity. In 1985, she spoke at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly. By the time of her death, the Missionaries of Charity numbered over 4,000 sisters with 610 foundations in 123 countries. Her inspiring, devout persona and devotion to a singular idea make her a good example of a charismatic leader.

Pope John Paul II

In 1920, Pope John Paul ll was born in Poland as Karol Józef Wojtyla. Under Nazi occupation, he began his theological studies in a secret seminary in 1938 and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1946. John Paul became the bishop of Ombi in 1958.

Well regarded for his work in the church, John Paul was made a cardinal in 1967. In 1978, he was elected pope, a role he occupied until his death in 2005. Pope John Paul II was instrumental in examining the Roman Catholic Church's role in the modern world. He traveled to more than 100 countries and was a vocal advocate for human rights.

Political examples of charismatic leadership

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in 1911. He gained fame as an actor after signing a seven-year movie contract with Warner Brothers in 1937. During World War ll, he made training films for the military. Although he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, a labor union, Reagan's political views shifted from liberal to conservative in the 1950s.

He began giving motivational talks to businesses and moved to the national stage in 1964, when he gave a well-received televised speech for Barry Goldwater. He ran for president beginning in 1968 and won in 1980. President Reagan was able to articulate his political vision in ways that appealed to his followers. Along with Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Reagan is recognized as one of the most charismatic American presidents of the 20th century.

Sir Winston Churchill

Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born in 1874. Although he is best known for being the prime minister of England during World War ll, he honed his communication skills as a war correspondent in World War l and crafted legislation for Parliament as a member. He was a powerful orator who used radio speeches to buoy the British people's resilience during Germany's World War II bombing of England.

Lee Iacocca

Lido Anthony Iacocca was brought to Chrysler in the late 1970s to rescue the automaker from impending bankruptcy. Those who saw Iacocca "work the room," ultimately persuading Congress to guarantee a huge loan to Chrysler, observed a charismatic leader working his magic.

Iacocca, an automotive executive with an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering, was not blessed with natural charisma, but he developed the talent. A memorable example of his charismatic style is his signature slogan, "If you can find a better car, buy it!"

Jack Welch

John Francis Welch was born in 1935 in Peabody, Massachusetts. He grew up playing sports and used lessons he learned as an athlete throughout his life. After college, Welch went to work at General Electric as a chemical engineer in 1960. He rose through the ranks to become the youngest CEO in GE's history in 1981.

As a CEO, Welch went out of his way to develop positive relationships with GE employees and customers. He talked informally with workers, making them feel as if they might receive a note or a visit from him at any time. Although Welch didn't hesitate to cut costs and lay off employees he viewed as poor performers, his leadership style engendered a sense of value and pride in the company.

Mother Teresa: "Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Martin Luther King: "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable...every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

Pope John Paul ll: "Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

Ronald Reagan: "We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone."

Winston Churchill: "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

Lee Iacocca: "Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people."

Jack Welsh: "The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important - and then get out of their way while they do it."

Common characteristics of leaders with charisma identified by Jay Alden Conger, leadership expert at the University of Southern California, and Henry Kravis, professor of leadership at Claremont McKenna College, include:

Sensitivity to their environment and the needs of their employees or followers

Articulate and visionary

Inclined toward personal risk taking

Adept at using unconventional behavior

There are many advantages to this leadership style. Charismatic leaders are often a catalyst for social change. They are, however, not a fit for organizations that depend on rigid structures and processes to function.

Charismatic leadership pros

Charismatic leaders inspire people to work together for a common cause

Organizations are committed to a central mission

Management prioritizes learning from mistakes in an effort to succeed in their mission

Charismatic-led companies tend to be cohesive because their workers have a clear purpose

Charismatic leadership cons

Leaders may develop tunnel vision or arrogance, undoing their previous good deeds

Organizations can become dependent on charismatic leaders and may suffer if he or she retires, leaves the company, or dies suddenly

Charismatic leaders sometimes become unresponsive to their subordinates or constituents

These leaders may not learn from their mistakes, compounding them

Charismatic leaders may believe they are above the law, committing financial or ethical violations

The world needs charismatic leaders because they fight for quality of life and a better world. Charismatic leaders have the courage of their convictions. They are willing to stand up to people who have a differing view of society or the organization.

Charismatic leaders tend to be able to see the gaps between what an organization delivers to its workers and what the workers need from the organization. They create visions that their supporters can readily see, and in return the supporters are motivated to contribute to a common goal.

Sources:

Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., " What Is Charisma and Charismatic Leadership?," Psychology Today

John C. Welch IV, "Insights on Charismatic Leadership from the Heroes and Villains"

Brian Evje, " 3 Dangers of Charismatic Leadership," Inc.
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What is Charismatic Leadership? Leading Through Personal Conviction

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The charismatic leadership style relies on the charm and persuasiveness of the leader. Charismatic leaders are driven by their convictions and commitment to their cause. Charismatic leaders also are sometimes called transformational leaders because they share multiple similarities. Their main difference is focus and audience.

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Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard

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On Linda Cliatt-Wayman's first day as principal at a failing high school in North Philadelphia, she was determined to lay down the law. But she soon realized the job was more complex than she thought. With palpable passion, she shares the three principles that helped her turn around three schools labeled "low-performing and persistently dangerous."

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As school officials become more aware of the pre-existing prejudices on campuses there should be policy that handles racist harassment. In Pasadena, Maryland, it was reported that at Chesapeake High School a racist message reading, “Kill All Blacks” was found on a paper that students use to sign-in to counseling appointments. The school has reinforced that such behavior is not acceptable and that they “will do everything we can to help ensure that every student feels safe” while at school (Lumpkin, 2018). However, students have reported incidents in the past where they felt uncomfortable due to their race or religion.

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A message threatening black students was found Friday afternoon at Chesapeake High School. The incident is the latest in a string of racist acts at the Pasadena school.

Despite district-wide initiatives designed to encourage acceptance, officials still struggle to curtail Chesapeake's ongoing issue with racism and anti-Semitism.

School counseling staff were made aware of a message that read "Kill All Blacks," along with a fourth word that was scribbled out, on Friday afternoon, according to a letter sent to families on Monday. The message was written on a sheet of paper students use to sign in and out for counseling appointments.

The school's principal, Stephen Gorski, called the incident "unacceptable."

"I also want to assure you that we will do everything we can to help ensure that every student feels safe while at Chesapeake High School," Gorski said in a letter sent to families.

Administrators and county police are currently investigating the incident. No one has been identified in regards to the incident.

The incident comes in the midst of a system-wide push to promote tolerance. The school district this year started engaging students in activities intended to help them build relationships with each other.

"It's absolutely sickening in this day and time, where our school system and our county has spent so much time and effort to impart messages of acceptance and inclusion and kindness," said Bob Mosier, a spokesperson for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. "It shows us that we cant let our foot off the accelerator."

County schools last week took part in the National Bullying Prevention Center's Unity day and wore orange shirts to stand against hate.

"Our school year has, thus far, been marked largely by a climate of acceptance," Gorski said.

However, the Chesapeake community continues to struggle with acts of racism. There have been a handful of incidents at the school in the past eight months.

Carl Snowden, convener of the Caucus of African American leaders and a Capital Gazette columnist, said he is in ongoing conversations with schools Superintendent George Arlotto.

"Last school year, Chesapeake High School and other schools experienced numerous incidents," Snowden said in an email. "Children are sent to school to be educated not intimidated. The Caucus, NAACP and other organizations will be collaborating on what the community can do to assist with the eradication of these [incidents] in our public school system."

Mosier said the school system has interpreted Friday's message as a threat. But there are currently no plans to add more security to the high school.

Chesapeake High School has one school resource officer. There is another officer stationed at Chesapeake Middle School. The officers assist one another, Mosier said.

"I think what we see now is what appears to be one person," Mosier said. "The issues that happened at that school last year were a very small number of people, compared to the school's population."

"But even a small number can cause major disruptions," Mosier said. He said Monday at the high school was a "normal" day.

Gorski in his letter to families did not directly address several incidents that transpired last year at Chesapeake.

Black students in March claimed they endure abuse at the school on a daily basis. Shortly after, ethnic and religious slurs and symbols were found written on a toilet seat and carved into a doorway.

A fight with "racial overtones" broke out in April, Gorski said at the time. Administrators found an "expletive and a reference to a specific race of people" on a mouse pad in the school's computer lab.

On the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., a student flew a Confederate flag from the back of their pickup truck and hung a noose in the car's rear view window.

The school has mostly white students; about 5 percent of the student body is black and 4 percent are Hispanic or Latino.

The incident comes in the midst of an eruption of racism nationwide.

On Thursday a white man fatally shot two black people at a Kroger grocery store outside Louisville, Kentucky minutes after trying to barge into a predominantly black church. Eleven men and women were murdered at a Pittsburgh synagogue by a man who reportedly told authorities "I just want to kill Jews" on Saturday.

Snowden said that is even more reason to take the threat at Chesapeake seriously.

"We believe that all threats must be taken seriously and given the acts of wanton violence and murder that has occurred all over the nation including at the Capital Gazette newspapers in June, parents and students are understandably concerned," Snowden said in an email.
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Racist message threatening black students found at Chesapeake High School

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A message threatening black students was found Friday afternoon at Chesapeake High School. The incident is the latest in a string of racist acts at the Pasadena school. Despite district-wide initiatives designed to encourage acceptance, officials still struggle to curtail Chesapeake's ongoing issue with racism and anti-Semitism.

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Author of This Is Not a Test, José Luis Vilson, offers a new narrative on race, class, and education. Vilson writes a memoir of his account growing up in New York City, his education in the city, and later in New York State at Syracuse University, and his return to the classroom as a NYC math teacher. This Is Not a Test provides readers with an autobiography that is all about learning and leading students and educators to dissect the U.S. education system during a pivotal time in history.

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Graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in computer science, Jose Vilson left campus with no job and a few hundred dollars to his name, propelling him (eventually) to his calling: teaching middle school children math in a public school in Washington Heights / Inwood, Manhattan. From his own background as a boy growing up on the drug-tainted, community-centered projects of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, this book takes the reader on the coming-of-age story of a naïve young man struggling to mature through the first few years of his career, balancing the lows of murder, poverty, and academic failure to the highs of growth and eventual triumph.

His career takes a twist when he starts a blog with incisive commentary on the state of education on his eponymous blog TheJoseVilson.com, taking prominent figures and institutions like NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and The New York Times to task. (As of this letter, the site is banned from most NYC Department of Education computers, yet read by central offices.) In his collection of multifaceted essays, he provokes discussion on issues of race, gentrification, and the teaching profession from the eyes of a Black-Latino educator with a mix of research and first-hand experience.

This education book is not to be missed!

Graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in computer science, Jose Vilson left campus with no job and a few hundred dollars to his name, propelling him (eventually) to his calling: teaching middle school children math in a public school in Washington Heights / Inwood, Manhattan. From his own background as a boy growing up on the drug-tainted, community-centered projects of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, this book takes the reader on the coming-of-age story of a naïve young man struggling to mature through the first few years of his career, balancing the lows of murder, poverty, and academic failure to the highs of growth and eventual triumph.

His career takes a twist when he starts a blog with incisive commentary on the state of education on his eponymous blog TheJoseVilson.com, taking prominent figures and institutions like NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and The New York Times to task. (As of this letter, the site is banned from most NYC Department of Education computers, yet read by central offices.) In his collection of multifaceted essays, he provokes discussion on issues of race, gentrification, and the teaching profession from the eyes of a Black-Latino educator with a mix of research and first-hand experience.

This education book is not to be missed!

"Jose's autobiographical journey offers a big window for seeing why our nation must blur the lines of distinction between those who teach in schools and those who lead them. With powerful prose and poetry, his narrative as student and then later, NYC teacher leader, loving father (and husband), and advocate for children paints a portrait of what public education can and must be for American society. Jose's last chapter, "Why Teach," offers a hopeful vision for the future of the profession in spite of wrongheaded policymakers who seek to control teachers rather than listen and learn from them. Jose represents so many teachers across the United States, whose pedagogical skills and leadership acumen have yet to be tapped in the transformation of teaching and learning. Read "This is Not a Test" now!" - Barnett Berry

In its telling, Jose Vilson's evocative collection of essays are ferociously honest and, as expected from someone whose creative impulses are informed by hip-hop, unapologetic and lyrical. A thoroughly engaging narrative about the intersection of race and culture, identity, economic disparity, and education, This is Not A Test is a must-read for parents and educators who want to understand, truly and deeply, the challenges inner-city students face. It was, after all, written by one of those children, a young man from a marginalized community, who grew up and bum-rushed the system he dedicated his life to changing from within.

"Jose Vilson is a teacher of the highest order. Through the powerful narrative of his life both inside and outside of the classroom, Jose teaches us important lessons on every page of This Is Not a Test. Jose teaches us about the intersection of education, race, class and activism while calling all of us to do better - to be better - as we strive along with him to be the educators all our children need us to be. This book is a must read for educators, soon-to-be educators, parents, students and anyone who cares about education and the children of this country."

"Jose Vilson offers us a riveting combination of classroom experience, common sense, and culturally-critiqued educational theory, flavored by genuine passion for teaching and social justice, all delivered with exquisite hip-hop dexterity. He represents voices in the U.S. education community too long muted and silent no more. If there were a test, this is what should be on it.

Too many books about teaching read like dull academic treatises, condescending how-tos, or simplistic Hollywood scripts. Jose Vilson's This is Not a Test avoids these traps with a narrative that is by turns passionate and funny, angry and vulnerable, and full of keen insight born of on-the-ground experience in schools. Whether referencing Jay-Z or John Dewey, discussing corporate school reform or the intimacy of one-on-one interactions with students, Vilson is a bold and fearless writer, weaving his own story and struggles into broader conversations about race, equity, and the future of public schooling. His singular, urgent voice is one we all need to hear.

"This Is Not A Test opens with a poem and continues reading like one - full of imagery, rhyme, and hip hop rhythm. It's a life story, a love letter, a song...in which Jose Vilson uses his teacher voice to speak candidly on issues the rest of the world discusses in whispers: free speech, sexual orientation, child abuse, race, poverty, education, and the inequities that surround each of these issues. Reminiscent of Frank McCourt's Teacher Man, Vilson paints a picture of his life as a student, and as a teacher, in New York City, all the while his words relating to students and teachers everywhere. Be prepared to set aside some time. Once you open it, you won't put it down until you're done. And then Vilson's words will continue to spin around in your head and will provide a forum for important, and necessary, discussions about teaching ALL children."

"Jose Vilson writes from a place of authority about the intersection of race, class and America's education system. His straight-talk about the absurdity of America's test obsession, failure to meet or even acknowledge the needs of an increasingly diverse student population, and a "reform" movement that has reformed nothing, failed at much and distracted from students' very real needs is a telling portal on what's really going on in American education today. Those who can relate to Vilson's experiences as a student or a teacher will welcome his unvarnished honesty and reflections. And those for whom this is terra incognita will find an insightful and illuminating window on the educational experiences of America's emerging majority-students of many hues and languages, whose families struggle everyday, for whom their education may be the only way up, yet who too often are failed by systems ill-equipped to foster their success. Vilson's visceral accounts remind us of the humanity of teachers-their struggles and triumphs, their frustration with forces outside their classroom walls and, above all, their devotion to their students. By telling his own story and those of his students, Vilson shows why teacher voice is essential to shedding the failures of the past and to reclaiming the promise of public education."

"In This Is Not A Test, José Vilson writes a personal narrative that counters folks like Coleman's concept of education, literacy and language, their valuation of people's voice and experience. This Is Not a Testis a refusal to be silent. It's a refusal to capitulate or conform. It's an expression of a vision where we do give a shit about what you feel or what you think, because we care about people. Because in doing so - particularly in education - we help support one another in growth, in coming-of-age, in learning, and in liberation."

"At its essence this narrative is an aggressive act in that it addresses race and class through its own codes and it flips the codes of the dominant culture on itself. This is not for the faint of heart. Vilson asks us in education to give up our distanced "professional" self for one that thirsts for understanding and the ability to empower those we teach."

"The book is a powerful commentary on the world of school today, woven through his narrative as both a student and a teacher. Jose uses the lens of his own experiences to speak to some of the most important issues facing our schools, from issues of race and class in our schools, to the need to understand our students as far more than a test score to answering the fundamental question of "Why Teach?" This is Not a Test is a deliberate creation of both memoir and social commentary that is woven together in such a compelling way as to remind every reader of the power of story to educate us of what we can and should value in our schools and in our society."

"In Vilson's struggles with race and education, one hears echoes of W. E. B. Du Bois's classic work, The Souls of Black Folk. Writing at the turn of the twentieth century when the Jim Crow regime was at the apex of its power, Du Bois took note of the special place of leadership that had been accorded to preachers and teachers within the African-American community. At the head of the church and the school, the two social institutions in which African Americans in the South were able to exercise a small measure of self-determination, the preacher and the teacher were the political and spiritual visionaries of the community, the molders of community thought. According to Du Bois, they 'embodied the ideals of this people-the strife for another and juster world, the vague dream of righteousness, the mystery of knowing.'"

"But even though he doesn't necessarily shy away from blogging about the personal, This Is Not a Test takes a different approach than is found in Vilson's blog. Here, embedded within his autobiography, is a large-scale critique of the education system and society at large. That it comes from a teacher and a man of color makes it all the more powerful."

"He says it in powerful and compelling ways in This Is Not a Test, illustrated by stories from his own life and the lives of his students. Vilson's deconstructed anecdotes cut through the platitudes of politicians and the endless alibis of central office admins, into the heart of America's unresolved contradictions: public education and democratic principles; equity and privilege, race and class."

"But most importantly, I walked away thinking I want someone like Vilson to be teaching my kiddos. This is a teacher who cares and a teacher who is making a difference each and every day he steps into his classroom. We may disagree on the finer points of testing, with me hoping he would give more credit to the value of interim assessments in improving both teaching and learning. But there is no disagreeing that Vilson gets it. He knows what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong in the American classroom. He cuts through all of the flowery language and platitudes and excuses we hear far too often, and speaks truth on issues where honest truth is often absent. And he lays out issue after issue that I want to further engage him on, have a deeper discussion of, and, yes, try to change his mind about."

"José Vilson, with his in-class experience and poetic energy, would be the top choice to write A People's History of American Education. The spirit of Vilson's argument reaches its crescendo in a poem called 'This is Not a Test.' ... As a whole, its rhythm and anger is reminiscent of the oeuvres of Amiri Baraka and Allen Ginsberg. One can argue that in "This is Not a Test" the "this" can be symbolically replaced by "school." It's tempting to say school is about overcoming hurdles and establishing grit and perseverance. School, believe it not, should be a lesson. The lesson. Not the assessment."

" If you have ever doubted the commitment of teachers or taken as evidence of the many, a story of a teacher who can't do simple math, but because of the unions cannot be fired, this book is for you. A simple tale of one man who gets up every day to teach our youth, but also fight for a system that does not test them to boredom, values them as humans, respects their heritage instead of stripping it from the history books, and above all wants every child to not just race to the top, but grasp their dreams and be happy."
- Veronica Arreola,Viva La Feminista
"Book Review: This Is Not A Test"
"One way to read Vilson's memoir is as a journey toward authenticity in the classroom, as he finds ways to reconcile the inevitable tensions that arise from this dual consciousness represented by José and Mr. Vilson. The current NCLB testing regime, with its requirements to rank and sort his students, places the greatest split between these two selves. Vilson is clear what his cause is: it's not anti-testing as much as it is pro-children. He sees firsthand the injustices and pressures that the current accountability system places on them. But his objections are full of nuance and detail, making them worth listening to."

Michael Klonsky, SmallTalk
" This is not a test... "

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This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education | The Jose Vilson

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Graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in computer science, Jose Vilson left campus with no job and a few hundred dollars to his name, propelling him (eventually) to his calling: teaching middle school children math in a public school in Washington Heights / Inwood, Manhattan.

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For some reason, I always forget how to get to this site. It's nice to have it in one place.

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Anyone trying to come up to speed on emotional intelligence would have a pretty easy time of it since the concept is remarkably recent, and its application to business newer still. The term was coined in 1990 in a research paper by two psychology professors, John D. Mayer of UNH and Peter Salovey of Yale. Some years later, Mayer defined it in HBR this way:

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How Emotional Intelligence Became a Key Leadership Skill

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A reading list to bring you up to speed.

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Emotional intelligence is more than a hot topic or trending hashtag. The term describes an extremely important concept: a person's ability to recognize his or her own and other people's emotions, to understand the powerful effect of these emotions, and to use that information to guide thinking and behavior. This quality greatly enhances your efforts to achieve success--in many areas of life.

So how do you develop emotional intelligence? As with any skill, you must study and practice. Here are 5 TED Talks that will help you increase self-awareness and start targeting areas for improvement.

1. Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

In this open and honest talk, psychologist Kelly McGonigal admits a fundamental change in her thinking regarding stress. She recounts that for years she taught others what sounds like a completely reasonable theory: Stress makes people sick. But then she shares the research that got her thinking differently: Stress may only be bad for you if you believe that it's bad for you.

McGonigal encourages us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to the resulting benefits in doing so. She also teaches us how reaching out to others--either when we're under stress or when they are--helps build resilience.

2. Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep

You know Ms. Huffington as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, as well as an accomplished author and businesswoman.

In four compelling (and very funny) minutes, Ms. Huffington shares a personal experience that led to a personal discovery. In doing so, she urges us to take a closer look at the benefits of getting enough rest--and gives new meaning to the phrase "sleeping your way to the top".

3. Laura Trice: The power of saying thank you

There are few phrases in the English language that match the power of these two words: thank you.

In a simple (yet profound) three-minute talk, Dr. Laura Trice shares with us the potential of those two words to change relationships, along with the reasons why we don't hear the phrase as often as we should, and why we shouldn't be afraid to ask someone else to say it.

4. Daniel Goleman: Why aren't we more compassionate?

Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and award-winning author who greatly contributed to the popularity of EQ through his 1995 best-selling book Emotional Intelligence.

By brilliantly mixing scientific research and absorbing anecdotes, Goleman delves into the theme question with gusto. In doing so, he inspires us to think about the society we've created, what influences our perspective, and how we can do better. (His concluding story is eye-opening, to say the least.)

5. Mandy Len Catron: Falling in love is the easy part

I almost didn't include this one, but in the end I couldn't resist. It's true, the title might not speak to an audience of entrepreneurs and business owners. But the insights Ms. Catron provide go much further than finding romantic love.

In exploring the differences between falling and staying in love, Ms. Catron teaches important lessons about how we get to know others on a deeper level. Even more importantly, she raises thoughtful questions that each of us would do well to ponder. When we do, we are reminded of what it takes to maintain our most important relationships.

Upon reflection, we realize that developing emotional intelligence may not be easy--but it's definitely worth it.

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5 Brilliant TED Talks That Will Boost Your Emotional Intelligence

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Emotional intelligence is more than a hot topic or trending hashtag. The term describes an extremely important concept: a person's ability to recognize his or her own and other people's emotions, to understand the powerful effect of these emotions, and to use that information to guide thinking and behavior.