Today we feature the Director of the Choueifat Lebanese School in Beirut, Darine Amhaz Beydoun. She inspires and pushes her teachers to continuously grow and take new risks in teaching.
Here are a few things she does to employ 21st Century leadership.
Humility: I try to problem-solve with the teachers instead of telling them what to do. For example, I often say things like:
- “Hmmm… that’s a tough problem, what can we do to try and fix it?”
- “I once saw a teacher try this…do you think it would work for you?”
Generosity: I try to be generous with my time and energy. For example:
- Open door policy – teachers can come to my office or grab me in the hallway to discuss anything they want
- Get my hands dirty – I will set up chairs, help students line up, call parents, whatever needs to be done
- Warm and friendly – I say hello to everyone by name every day
- Resources – I often spend my own money to buy things that the school needs
Enthusiasm: Teachers know that I love to see them try new things. I try to constantly acknowledge them. For example:
- Write “shout outs” on the teacher’s room door to specific teachers for trying out specific things
- Get into classrooms everyday, take note of teachers trying new strategies, tell them good job and talk with them about it at the end of the day