“I am a principled teacher, who pays close attention to a learner’s unique character, needs, and motivation. I permit these factors to dictate the nature and pace of my lessons. I strive to always act in the interest of my learners.”
That’s me, at least according to my CV. Feeling that it was time for a change, I recently began reworking my resume, a process that stimulated some much-needed introspection as regards my relationships with the students I teach.
A few years back, having been inspired by Stephen Covey’s discussion of the ‘Character Ethic’ in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, I formulated a list of principles that would guide my teaching practice. Covey argues that human behaviour should be guided by carefully considered principles rather than expediency, and that bearing witness to ethical and socially-concerned principles through one’s conduct defines a successful person.
My own list of principles states that:
1. Every action I implement and every word I articulate in the classroom should be guided by love for my students.
2. Neither convenience nor institutional norms should dictate the structure of my lessons, how I discipline students, or the environment in which classes are conducted.
3. The behaviour I exhibit in the classroom should not be motivated by my own desires, but rather inspired by what I believe is best for my learners.
4. Human growth is the overarching objective of every class I teach, and I vow to do anything within my power to facilitate the holistic progress of the learners in my care.
Sounds pretty impressive. The process of formulating these principles continued over a few days, until I had established a comprehensive and satisfactory list. For a while, I read these principles to myself before beginning my classes. But then, as with so many well-intentioned endeavours, life got in the way, and whilst I did struggle to ensure my classes were conducted according to the interests of my learners, my principles took up residence in my subconscious, occasionally awakening at opportune moments (like when writing a CV).
As I tapped away on a keyboard attempting to convince some faceless HR executive of my significance, I considered how the lesson I had delivered earlier that day looked in the light of my principles. Could I really claim that despite the pressures of pacing schedules and looming examinations I had attempted to engage with every learner’s individual needs? What quantity of my classroom activities were designed according to my desire to cover all of the assigned material rather than the requirements of my students?
Were the kind words and praise that I directed towards my learners an example of genuine goodwill, or more so motivated by Etsko’s ‘Second Attention’, seemingly giving, but with the intention that resistance to my governance could be squashed with a smile? Am I genuinely a ‘principled teacher’, or are my principles effete platitudes that bear no relation my actual classroom practice?
My introspection continued. How many of the interactions that I engage in outside of the classroom are in line with the principles I claim guide my behaviour? Barely acknowledging my young and highly impressionable daughter as she reels off her day’s activities, preferring instead to respond to a pressing e-mail or an important WhatsApp message. Lamenting the lack of time to engage in family activities and then watching a YouTube video rather than spending time with my wife in the garden. Assuring myself that service is the sincerest form of thanks I can offer for the uncountable blessings I experience, yet glaring at the obnoxious wretch rude enough to request a favour from me.
My own experience is that without consciousness and attention, principles have a habit of disintegrating the moment they are exposed to the real world. There is often a disconnect between the principles we hold and the behaviour we execute. Whilst I trust in the value of outlining one’s principles as an explicit reminder of what one expects from oneself, the measure of a person is not her ability to decide upon her principles, but rather her capacity to realise them in her interactions.
It is worth considering our principles, clarifying them, internalising them, and then filtering all of our activities through them, permitting our behaviours to be guided by what we believe is appropriate, not by what will bring us the greatest personal benefit in a given situation. Having established clear principles, it is valuable to remind yourself of them regularly. Perhaps display them on your desk or in your kitchen, review them often, and set up reminders on your phone to jog your memory in the heat of the daily battle.
Our principles make most of our decisions for us, and awareness of them 
offers a roadmap by which we can guide ourselves when immersed in the fog of hectic days and busy nights. However, as with all vehicles that have the potential to move us towards personal excellence, it is our responsibility to bring our principles to life, and to act in accordance with them regardless of the circumstances. I found it relatively simple to outline my principles on my CV. I find it substantially more challenging to resuscitate them in my daily interactions. Very few people impact meaningfully on the lives of others due to the quality of their CVs. However those whose being accords to their principles live on long in the memory as examples of human excellence.