Skip to main content

Educators Need More Than ‘Hustle’, Have To Also Be A ‘Hustler’


     Anyone in education should know that it’s hard work. In addition to the expectations, demands, versatility and creativity, there is supreme emotional strength needed to survive and be successful.

     We’ve all heard over and over since our youth things about ‘hard work,’ ‘early bird gets the worm,’ and more. Like in all professions, there are those that deliver and those that don’t. In some ways, it’s really that simple.

     What teachers and educators need to learn is to be a ‘hustler.’ That’s right. Learning and winning with students is a game. Those that learn to play the game, and play it well, will rise above any adversity thrown at them by government bureaucracies, students, parents, colleagues or other.

     Again, educators need to become ‘hustlers.’ This doesn’t have to be the negative street connotation, but rather about those that learn that all systems can be mastered, legally and ethically, to get them to work for you. We have to play and maneuver at high levels of passion, expertise, confidence and purpose.
     What happened to the definition of ‘hustler’ that was good that was defined at one time as “an enterprising person determined to succeed; go getter”? We let the more negative definition or connotations take over.

     In terms of school, how does this work? Well, which classrooms seem to have the best resources and the ‘extra stuff’? Well, the teachers that are ‘hustlers.” Which classes and programs get grants? Those that have educators that are ‘hustlers.” Who gets great field trips together? Those that are ‘hustlers.’ Who figures out how to integrate and incorporate technology even though they may not be experts? Those that are ‘hustlers.” Who gets great guest speakers? Those that are ‘hustlers.’ Who learned long ago to not have their career defined by a single standard, assessment or experience? Those that are ‘hustlers.”

     Get the idea? If educators wait for the system, the school boards, the leaders to make things better, they will wait too long. Don’t get me wrong. We need great leaders, school boards and better systems. They make a huge difference.
     But good teachers and educators need to realize that they have to work above and beyond those. They have to take their situation and maximize or optimize it. They don’t wait for others to bring them cool stuff for their students, bur rather they go get it. They don’t wait for others to get them funds or support, but rather they go get it. They don’t wait for others to take them to training or professional development, but rather they go get it. They don’t wait for others to reform education, but rather they become the reformers.

     In all professions, those that ‘hustle,’ or become ‘hustlers,’ in all the right ways, are the ones that lead and are successful. We need educational ‘hustlers’ more than ever.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Evolutionary Education - 5 Things That Could Be Extinct Soon

     It has often been uttered, that “only the fittest survive.” But when it comes to education, it seems things that might not even be that fit have continued to survive. However, just like in living species through time - dinosaurs, saber tooth tigers and the wooly mammoth just to name a few - even things that have lived on for a long time eventually go extinct. So, with that in mind, it seems educational evolution is occurring too and extinction might be inevitable for a variety of standard educational pedagogy, tools and practices. HERE ARE MY FIVE THINGS THAT COULD BE EXTINCT SOON:  Textbooks/Single Source Curriculum: (this includes ebook textbooks too). Regardless of whether they are digital or not, depending on and surviving on one text as the foundational source of information and context - regardless of course, age group and purpose - seems almost prehistoric at this point. Information changes daily and resources are born every minute on line. Anyone d...
11 comments
Read more

21st Century High School Student Bill of Rights

     Since I began teaching in 1990, I have repeatedly heard the term “reform” with regards to our educational system. And as someone who has always believed in and practiced teaching that worked to be real world, relevant and student-oriented, I can still get excited about the “possibilities” of real change. However, even with all of the classrooms, schools and some systems that have embraced new standards, new technology, project-based approaches, democratization/student voice and more, it’s almost appalling how little has changed in many of our nation’s high school classrooms. They are still dominated by outdated pedagogies, resources, activities and learning environments. Many still live and die by the lecture, low level note taking, and low level quizzes and assessments, as well as teacher/administrator mindsets not in line with anything related to 21st century workplaces or careers.       This lack of overall progress has lead me to be more anxi...
5 comments
Read more

Five Things Educators Will Have To Accept & Embrace

     The profession of education is going through unprecedented change. Many aspects of teaching and school will eventually never be the same again. And nor should they. Although wholesale and fundamental change is slow, there are some things that educators will have to accept and embrace (if they plan on being successful and staying in the profession).      These five are: 1) Education is more PUBLIC than ever – I’m tired of the word transparency. And that is really just the beginning of being “public” as an educator in our changing paradigm. We need to showcase our professional work as educators, as well as the work of our students, with larger communities. Venues such as YouTube, Twitter and all Social Media outlets will be a foundational way for us to continue the idea of being public. Whether it’s for parents, administration, district officials, government agencies or others, educators need to fully accept that close doors and private work are...
10 comments
Read more