Distinguished

Do you ever just need to hear that you're doing a good job?

I'm a pretty confident person.  I know my strengths and weaknesses.  I know what I like and don't like.  And I don't mind tell you.  I know what I need to work on and what I do well.

But sometimes it's nice to hear someone "higher" up than yourself say that you're doing a good job.

I had a principal a few years back who excelled at complementing teachers and paraprofessionals. Not just generic "You're doing a great job!", but complements that were specific to the work you'd done.  This same principal was also quick to point out things you needed to improve on.  Most, if not all the time, I knew what I needed to work on but it never bothered me when I was told to improve some thing because my bucket had been filled with some many "attagirls!"

I have a great principal now but his philosophy is more of the "If I'm not saying anything to you... that's a good thing.  You'll know if I'm not happy."  Which is good except during all the silence you kind of worry that maybe he's building up to telling you something you need to work on/fix.  Ha!

So when during a meeting with our interim superintendent and some other higher ups my principal said I was a distinguished teacher I about fell over with happiness.  And seriously y'all, as soon as the meeting was over I ran to my office and texted my Houston Girls, my Nac Girls, my mom, my husband and my lead librarian.

So maybe all the texts were overkill but I was excited y'all.  Ha!