Embracing Your Weaknesses

Tonight, I saw a Gerry Brooks video.  Now, if you are in education, you likely know his name.  He is a principal with a drawl who creates hilarious videos about education.  Tonight, this one settled a bit differently with me though.  It was a short video where he simply reenacted an interview with a candidate.  He very professionally asks, "What is your weakness?"  He then answers as the interviewee and says, "Classroom management."  Music comes on with the words "Thank you...Next!"

I see why this is funny; I really do. But yet, a part of me inside cringed.

Maybe it was because I used to be in that position.  I did go to interviews and say that my biggest weakness was classroom management.

Now before you start saying anything, that was not all I said.  I did say that it was an area I was continuing to grow in and was finding ways to further develop myself.  I also went on to talk about Whole Brain teaching and how it had changed my teaching.

Looking back, I wonder...did I miss out on amazing jobs because I had answered this way?

No, I do not think that I did.

Why? Because I was being honest.  I did not try to sugar coat my answers and say that everything was fine or that my biggest weakness was actually something like being too meticulous. I shared that yes, I struggled with classroom management, and I was working to be better.

I was honest with the interviewers, but more importantly, I was honest with myself.  If I had not been, I do not think I would have come as far as I have come as an educator, especially in classroom management.

And in the end, I did find an amazing job.  I found my current job.  I came to this school beaten and worn down after a rough first year as a teacher where I was constantly told I was not good enough.  And instead of using my weakness against me, my school used my strengths to help build me up into the teacher that I currently am.  I felt supported from every possible angle.  My principal would walk into the classroom to check on me after school; she would stop and ask me questions.  She would sit with me as I thought through a problem, and she offered me the advice I needed.

I had teachers all around me checking on me, guiding me, nurturing me.  They tweaked my ideas and helped me to set these up in the classroom.  I could walk into their rooms after school and ask them for what I should do in classroom management, with lessons, or other struggles.

They cared for me.  And they supported me.  So am I ashamed that I said classroom management?  By no means!  By sharing my weakness, it allowed me to be the teacher that I am today.

Ultimately, I think too often we are in a world and culture that looks down on weakness and failure.  However, we should all look at these not as short-comings, but as opportunities to grow and to embrace who we have the potential to become.