Teachers are in the sales business. Plain and simple- we're selling life-long learning, and inspiration is our currency. In sales and marketing there is a formula for building trust and it is: sincerity + competence = trust. So before we earn anybody's trust, we must establish these two foundations. Here is a sample of some questions students might ask in order to establish whether sincerity and competence are available:
Sincerity                                                                          Competence
Do I like you?                                                 Can you teach physics effectively? (or whatever subject you teach)
Do you like me?                                             Can you teach it at AP level?
Are you going to help me?                        How well do your former students perform at college?
Will you help my classmates?                  How many of your former students have graduated in physics?
Are you fair in your evaluations?            Will your exams and assignments prepare me for the AP exam?
Do you have integrity?                                From what university did you graduate? What was your major?     
Do you value family?                                    What was your grade point average in college?
How important are relationships?          How difficult is it to get an A in your class? 
​Are you interested in me as a person?   Can you help me get into the college I want to get into?

Guess which side students want you to establish first? Well, you might be surprised to find that some will need your competence established first, then the sincerity, while others need sincerity first. That is why we need to understand our students and get to know who they are and what they need. One thing is undeniable- in order for them to learn from you, they need to be able to trust you. In order to earn their trust you need to demonstrate both sincerity and competence.  Teaching is the greatest sales job in the world.

The school building is under attack... literally. The school building is the place where we gather to share ideas, help each other grow, encourage one another's successes and help one another through setbacks. It's where we meet people, form long-lasting friendships, figure out what we like and dislike, develop a love for learning under the influence of a positive mentor and other members of the tribe. Why is it under attack? It is not a simple answer like some suggest. Schools are a symbol of milestones, connections, and accomplishments as well as a symbol of rejection, failure, alienation and heartache. Those who identify with the first set of adjectives can barely understand how anyone can see it any other way, yet those who identify with the latter struggle to see anything positive in the brick and mortar that is a school building. The past two years has challenged the value of the existence of these "relics" of the past implying that students can be served remotely via Zoom and online delivery of course curricula. What cannot be delivered online is the connection of a community. It is difficult to communicate, cooperate, and feel genuine compassion through a screen- even though it is just as present in either form. The advantage of being together is the secret to the success of our society in the future. It is during the formative years of school that we learn to get along- even with those with whom we do not agree. It is where we learn the value of in-person conversations and collaboration efforts that work better than the technological trade-off. Being present with those in your presence is the key to making the brick and mortar school building valuable. Sitting in isolation amongst twenty-five of your peers while playing a game, or streaming, or scrolling endless social media posts is not a good way to develop the need for significance or love and connection unless you are one of the online influencers receiving praise from those who are in isolation. The school building is the gathering place for our communities to practice compassion, unlike the faceless social media version of trolling and verbal abuse which leads to fewer and fewer meaningful conversations. The quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask... and the people from whom you seek to get the answers.