I first entered the teaching profession 24 years ago, and I remember hearing reference to the age old adage of the 3-R's: readin', ritin' & 'rithmetic". In the early 1800's, it was believed that the reading, writing, and arithmetic was the sole responsibility of schools. As decades passed, more and more responsibility fell to schools, such as history, science, and art, and then health, social skills, and character. The list of things schools were responsible for teaching grew as each decade passed. Brain research, teaching philosophies, and instructional design all evolved over time as well, and by the 1990's, the 3-R's changed to rigor, relevance, and relationships. I embraced that change as an educator. Not only was the original meaning absolutely outdated and failed to accurately reflect an
educator's job, but this new way to think about the 3-R's made sense to me; it tapped directly into my philosophy and passion for education. Graphics like this one provided a way for my beliefs to be organized and articulated. Rigor - challenge every student to achieve and support ongoing growth; relevance - connect new learning to past learning and to real life, and relationships - truly get to know each student and facilitate social/emotional development. I fully embraced these ideals as a classroom teacher and embedded them into every lesson and interaction with my students.
As I moved out of the classroom and into leadership roles, the 3-R's still spoke to me. With each job obtained, I took them with me: rigor, relevance, and relationships. The definition of each was slightly adapted with each role, and as I have evolved as an educational leader, I have added a fourth R to the list: reflection. Objective and frank reflection to give myself or my team accolades for what actions produced outcomes above expectations while also contemplating what can be changed or should be abandoned in order to produce better outcomes. I have learned that reflection is as important as any other behavior; this is where the real growth and learning occur, for people of any age. Celebrate what went well, own those things that didn't, and brainstorm how to improve. This is an opportunity for growth that only true reflection gives us, and it is absolutely essential for achieving success.
The 4-R's:
· Daily rigor in constant pursuit of goals and relentlessly striving for excellence;
· Relevance in daily tasks and keeping the work connected to personal, team, and organizational goals;
· Establishing positive relationships focused on responsibility and respect, and
· Reflecting routinely on both personal and team levels to reset priorities and renew energy.
Rigor, relevance, relationships, and reflection
These are the 4-R's by which I live and work each day. I firmly believe that it is these ideals that have helped me to build successful and effective teams and to enhance organizational cultures. Furthermore, I believe that these ideals are global and can be generalized to any task, role, or profession. With my teenagers at home, I believe the 4-R's are a valuable life lesson, maybe one of the most important. So I expect rigor, relevance, relationships, and reflection in my work and personal life, but I also strive to model each part of the 4-R's for others. If I can encourage the youth whom I influence to enter college or the work force with these ideals embedded in their daily operations, then I have succeeded in positively impacting the future.
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