Impact vs Impression, Making a Difference 21-30

These set of traits make both an Impact as well as an Impression, and greatly influence by making a difference in the students’ lives. Making a Difference is another way of Becoming Memorable because the impact and impression of the educators’ interactions in events can change a person’s life. These traits are more frequently mentioned, up to 50% of the time, in surveys that were completed over the past 20 years.

21. Smart

Definition: quick or prompt in action, as persons, having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability, shrewd or sharp, clever, witty, or readily effective, as a speaker, speech, rejoinder, etc.

Key Thoughts for Application: agile, astute, bold, brilliant, crafty, quick, sharp, shrewd, wise, acute, knowing, clever

Teachers are role models. If they want the students to learn then they must themselves demonstrate what it is to be knowledgeable. Life-long learning has always been a key component to educational training for teachers. The example that you show will inspire others to become smarter with the learning each and every day of their life. Be what you want them to be!

 22. Color

Definition: the quality of an object or substance with respect to light reflected by the object, usually determined visually by measurement of hue, saturation, and brightness of the reflected light, saturation or Chroma, hue.

Key Thoughts for Application: Coloring, hue, texture, coloration  

One of the key components of any presentation, especially media, is the impact that color has on the brain and its efficiency to enhancing learning. Awareness of the power of color and use of it can attract or detract from the learning. Learning in a drab, dry, monochromatic wall environment is not enticing. The environment created needs to be as comfortable and engaging as we have in our homes. We all spend the second most time there beside our homes and it needs to be “livable.” Of all the students surveyed, half of them mentioned this trait. Its importance does make an impact and creates memorability. 

23. Colorful

Definition: richly eventful or picturesque, presenting or suggesting vivid or striking scenes

Key Thoughts for Application: vigorous, spirited, dynamic, bright, flashy, rich, vibrant, vivid

As with colors described above, a colorful environment can be achieved for many purposes. It is the motivating factor of calm or excitement, attention or retention, warmth or focus on content, and gives a reason to draw the students in each day on wonderment of posters and displays. At times the colorful displays transports the students to a land far away, or provides an experience they would never have been able to attend in their lifetime. 

24. Laughter

Definition: an inner quality, mood, disposition, etc., suggestive of laughter; mirthfulness, an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement.

Key Thoughts for Application: amusement, gesture, glee, hilarity, mirth, snicker, chortle, merriment, rejoicing, roaring,

Laughter has been associated with many psychological studies for enhancement, as well as cures for sad or challenging events. It creates a place where there is a feeling of enjoyment and “good times.” When one feels good they will stay longer, work harder, and put forth the effort to get more laughter, thus achieving a better feeling. Self-fulfilling prophecy. Today we need more students who continually feel better each day, as well as become the advocates for their experiences in the public eye.

25. Fair

Definition: explicitly stated, stipulated, or expressed, admitting of no question, stated, express, emphatic, confident in opinion or assertion, fully assured

Key Thoughts for Application: candid, civil, courteous, decent, generous, honest, honorable, impartial, objective, proper, reasonable, sincere, straightforward, sincere, unbiased

Being treated fairly transcends the location of all of the youth today. They want to feel that the person that is in charge of their life will make decisions, establish routines, and have expectations that are fair and meet their needs, not just be equal to all. Some may need more consideration and some less. However, the final impression should be that what you need was met with the actions of a memorable teacher.

26. Helpful

Definition: giving or rendering aid or assistance; of service:

Key Thoughts for Application: useful, convenient; beneficial, advantageous, accessible, constructive, cooperative, essential, friendly, productive, supportive, sympathetic, useful, valuable, caring, considerate

This is a no-brainer. Teachers are helpers, they always are. Sometimes they go overboard and the balance of helping and guiding is critical. Once a need is observed, decisions on how to and how much help needs to be determined. Remember the old proverb: give a fish, eat for the night; teach to fish, eat for their life. It’s all in the manner of how you offer and deliver that determines being helpful or interfering. Making sure that you meet the challenge of their quest so they feel the satisfaction of a job well-done is critical to the self-confidence of each learner. 

27. Kind

Definition: of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person, having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence, indulgent, considerate, or helpful, humane (often followed by to), mild, gentle, clement

Key Thoughts for Application: amiable, compassionate, cordial, courteous, friendly, gentle, gracious, kindhearted, sympathetic, thoughtful, understanding, altruistic, amicable, beneficent,

School is hard. It is demanding to learn. The rigor and of all the demands to meet the standards for the year weigh on teacher and student alike. Learning is Failure because we are blank slates from the start of each year. The approach and reaction teachers make to the failure of students has a tremendous impact to the expectations they feel entering the gates of school, as well as the non-academic interactions that occur among all arriving each day.

28. Supportive

Definition: giving support, providing sympathy or encouragement, providing additional help, information, etc., auxiliary

Key Thoughts for Application: abetting, ancillary, backup, complementary, contributory, subordinate, subsidiary

Supportive and helpful are similar. When completing the survey students often try to convince all that they are the same. Helpful is the result of a teacher action felt by a student at the end of the task. Supportive, usually, is what students feel during the activity. As said before, school is hard. When doing a task there is anxiety, pressure, intense self-scrutiny, and at times educators observe students “beating” themselves up for simple mistakes. A mistake is an opportunity to learn and do something better. Edison failed over 1,000 times before he invented the light bulb which was far better for all than the use of candles and fire for light. That aha moment is why we support, encourage, and stand by the learner in their journey.

29. Interactive

Definition: acting one upon or with the other, of or relating to a two-way system of electronic communications, as by means of television or computer, interacting with a human, often in a conversational way, to obtain data and to give immediate results or updated information

Key Thoughts for Application: collective, reciprocal, associated, connected, correlative, dependent, give-and-take, interchange, joint, participated, two-sided,

The days of the sit-and-get lecture are coming to an end. Teaching is not the critical event of the day. The result in learning for all is now the goal, and educators need to frame the opportunities to maximize the student ownership of the learning, risks they take, and the results. Educators who engage with individual students and/or groups of students, facilitate their progress down the paths of the exercises, and stay connected to their progress in learning create a climate of involvement for success.

30. Understanding

Definition: mental process of a person who comprehends, comprehension, personal interpretation, intellectual faculties, intelligence, mind, superior power of discernment, enlightened intelligence, knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing, skill in dealing with or handling something, a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people

Key Thoughts for Application: Compassionate, considerate, empathetic, forgiving, generous, kindly, perceptive, sympathetic, sensitive, responsive  

Understanding has been referred to as the comprehension skill in the learning process. It is much more for educators. To Become Memorable, they need to have an understanding of the needs of the kids, be perceptive to the events occurring in front of them, and have the ability to adapt as well as intervene for the academic/social/emotional needs that present themselves. Learning is hard, but educating is immensely complex. Teachers continue to work harder each day. In order to stay healthy and sharp, the solution is to work smarter in understanding and dealing with the complex needs of the students.

Stephen Ahle Principal
Educator
2006 National Distinguished Principal
National Association of Elementary School Principals