Comments on: Just How Important Is Excellence? http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3550 Joel Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:10:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3550 Wow, as I reread this, I realize that I have not seen the distinction between competitions and contests. Musical excellence is a great goal, but it does not have to be at the expense of others. I'm doing pass-offs with my band as I prepare for UIL. It encourages a pursuit of excellence (and a little bit of friendly competition) without encouraging competitiveness. I'll write more about this soon. I think Clix was onto something that I just totally missed until recently! Wow, as I reread this, I realize that I have not seen the distinction between competitions and contests. Musical excellence is a great goal, but it does not have to be at the expense of others.

I’m doing pass-offs with my band as I prepare for UIL. It encourages a pursuit of excellence (and a little bit of friendly competition) without encouraging competitiveness. I’ll write more about this soon.

I think Clix was onto something that I just totally missed until recently!

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]]> By: Stengel99http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3168 Stengel99 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:56:47 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3168 Hi Joel. This is precisely what I've been thinking about having performed the Winter Concert at one of my schools. I think I've been so focused on excellence and high standards and expectations that I may have burned out some of my students. Although I don't think "fun" is the most important aspect of music classes, I probably haven't made the experience as enjoyable as it should be. (Pardon the self-promotion, but I've got several blog posts on this topic in the works. Stay tuned!) Hi Joel. This is precisely what I’ve been thinking about having performed the Winter Concert at one of my schools. I think I’ve been so focused on excellence and high standards and expectations that I may have burned out some of my students. Although I don’t think “fun” is the most important aspect of music classes, I probably haven’t made the experience as enjoyable as it should be. (Pardon the self-promotion, but I’ve got several blog posts on this topic in the works. Stay tuned!)

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]]> By: Johnhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3167 John Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:17:23 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3167 Joel: “I compete with myself in certain situations.”

As a life long competitive athlete and habitual over-achiever I assure you that we are always competing with ourselves. The opponent, other team, what have you, are merely a vehicle as in the end it all resolves down to how we as individuals performed and that means competition with Self. People project far too much importance on “the competition” and that interferes with the “Inner Game” which is where our true greatness is to be found.

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]]> By: Johnhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3166 John Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:10:40 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3166 A very timely post and right on point. With the continuing interference by career politicians in the business of qualified educators, most recently via No Child Left Behind, "results" from the teacher's perspective needs to be modified. As teachers we are given a very brief window of opportunity to be a positive influence in the life of a young person. It would be nothing less than a shame if this opportunity was lost due to focus on teacher based outcomes rather than student improvement, however defined. A very timely post and right on point. With the continuing interference by career politicians in the business of qualified educators, most recently via No Child Left Behind, “results” from the teacher’s perspective needs to be modified. As teachers we are given a very brief window of opportunity to be a positive influence in the life of a young person. It would be nothing less than a shame if this opportunity was lost due to focus on teacher based outcomes rather than student improvement, however defined.

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3159 Joel Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:23:03 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3159 Clix: As I see it, competition is a pursuit to be the best in the world (or the city, or the school, or the class, or whatever). I take competition to be more than merely trying to beat someone else. I compete with myself in certain situations. Maybe I am confusing myself a little bit. Maybe competition is healthy when the goal is to be great rather than the goal to be better than someone else. In the Texas Band world, we go to UIL contests and we perform for a rating. If every band there has a superior performance in the eyes of the judges, then every band there receives a first division rating. It is not head-to-head competition, but it is definitely competition. Against a standard that has been established by the UIL. What if I don't aim for that? What if I aim to get my students to have the best possible performance they can have? That's a pursuit of excellence, without a competitive undertone. My problem seems to be that my pursuit of excellence tends to get in the way of my pursuit of respecting the students who are not working hard. Maybe that's a better way of phrasing it? Clix: As I see it, competition is a pursuit to be the best in the world (or the city, or the school, or the class, or whatever). I take competition to be more than merely trying to beat someone else. I compete with myself in certain situations.

Maybe I am confusing myself a little bit. Maybe competition is healthy when the goal is to be great rather than the goal to be better than someone else.

In the Texas Band world, we go to UIL contests and we perform for a rating. If every band there has a superior performance in the eyes of the judges, then every band there receives a first division rating. It is not head-to-head competition, but it is definitely competition. Against a standard that has been established by the UIL.

What if I don’t aim for that? What if I aim to get my students to have the best possible performance they can have? That’s a pursuit of excellence, without a competitive undertone.

My problem seems to be that my pursuit of excellence tends to get in the way of my pursuit of respecting the students who are not working hard. Maybe that’s a better way of phrasing it?

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]]> By: Lee Annhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3146 Lee Ann Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:44:25 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3146 Thank you for this post. I teach theatre arts and I know exactly what you are saying. I know that sometimes I become so focused on getting the results I want that I forget that I am dealing with young students who are trying to balance numerous activities all at once. Your post reminds me that we are here to teach our students and the times when they don't win can be great teaching times. I hope I can remember this as I gear up for One Act Play season after the holidays!! Thank you for this post. I teach theatre arts and I know exactly what you are saying. I know that sometimes I become so focused on getting the results I want that I forget that I am dealing with young students who are trying to balance numerous activities all at once. Your post reminds me that we are here to teach our students and the times when they don’t win can be great teaching times.

I hope I can remember this as I gear up for One Act Play season after the holidays!!

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]]> By: Anniehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3143 Annie Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:04:46 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3143 Sounds like someone is starting the New Years resolutions a little early. I blogged about something similar a month or two ago: http://teachhub.blogspot.com/2008/10/extreme-sports-how-much-is-too-much.html. It's great that you had that moment of realization because a lot of coaches (and maybe even some teachers) are beyond saving. Sounds like someone is starting the New Years resolutions a little early. I blogged about something similar a month or two ago: http://teachhub.blogspot.com/2008/10/extreme-sports-how-much-is-too-much.html.

It’s great that you had that moment of realization because a lot of coaches (and maybe even some teachers) are beyond saving.

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]]> By: Lindsay Pricehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3141 Lindsay Price Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:28:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3141 Competition is a real world skill - it's something we should all learn how to do, how to deal with it, how to handle it. Winning is not a real world skill. Winning is a treadmill to nowhere, because no one wins every day. It's not possible. The balance between teaching competition skills and the need to win is a tricky one. If you find it, you'll have given your students something really great. Competition is a real world skill – it’s something we should all learn how to do, how to deal with it, how to handle it. Winning is not a real world skill. Winning is a treadmill to nowhere, because no one wins every day. It’s not possible.

The balance between teaching competition skills and the need to win is a tricky one. If you find it, you’ll have given your students something really great.

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]]> By: Clixhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3140 Clix Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:53:01 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3140 I don't see competition and excellence as being as interchangeable as you seem to imply. I don’t see competition and excellence as being as interchangeable as you seem to imply.

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]]> By: Jonathanhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/just-how-important-is-excellence/#comment-3139 Jonathan Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:49:43 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=735#comment-3139 Do you share this with your students? Do you share this with your students?

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