Imagine that you have no choice but to physically break up a playground fight. The children are small, so you have no fear for your own safety, and you have no doubt that it is professionally correct. How would you feel?
Imagine that you are relaxing after work; shoes off, at home with someone you love, enjoying a glass of something warm on a winter evening. How would you feel?
In two situations like these, we will behave in very different ways, and feel like very different people: in the first, we might feel decisive, clear-headed and energized; in the second we don't feel decisive at all, and are unlikely to feel either incisive or energetic. These differences will be evident regardless of our personality types. Even the most impulsive person can play a languorous role, and even the most indecisive person can take rapid action when needed.
The fact is that we all play many different roles in life (mother, teacher, daughter, boss) and it is clear that each of them may require a different set of attitudes and behaviour in order to be successful. Some people talk about wearing different 'hats' to do different jobs. Some talk about a particular 'mindset' being needed for a particular role.
The key point we need to address in TM4T is that the single role of 'teacher' may itself break down into a number of distinct working sub-roles (researcher, pedagogue, administrator, listener) which may each demand differing attitudes and skills - in fact, different mindsets. Tackling a piece of work wearing the wrong teacher 'hat' can lead to frustration or limit achievement.
For the purposes of Time Management for Teachers, we will be focussing on six particular roles and mindsets, and considering the attitudes and behaviours needed in those roles. These roles are explained here.
Click here to read more about combining and comparing mindsets.