The Tipping Point

Who do you know in your school that is an example of a connector, maven or salesman? Perhaps you are one of them. Give specific examples w/o necessarily using their names.

I am, most assuredly, a maven. I thrive on input. My room is resource for students and teachers alike. Both material and mental, I have a store of knowledge and theory in my bookshelves and file cabinets. The science teacher expressed amazement at the variety of random items I could produce upon request, but she also came to me for ideas I’ve stored away for the right person in the right circumstance.  I rarely push a given perspective, but try to provide a spectrum of possibilities and allow personal choice.

Within our educational district, many have been born and raised, so know everybody locally and everything that goes on, however, we have one teacher who is everybody’s buddy. His intentions are always golden, and he includes everybody in his circle and knows everybody in the area--in the broadest sense of the word. I guess he would be our connector.

Another teacher may be the salesmen. She has a great memory for detail and makes quick decisions which she will fully justify at the drop of a hat—and she talks to many people, in and out of her group of personal friends. She is fully convinced of her perspectives and uses convincing arguments that might sway opinion. One, also, in the elementary is highly respected for her knowledge in her area, as well as her expertise in the classroom and commitment to the children and constituents in our area.

How would you use the theories in this book to build membership in your Local?

Perhaps of most importance is to identify the facts of the matter and explore the contributing factors, before identifying the point at which to apply the band-aid. Environmental and contextual matters must be explored as we identify critical links to carry out the plan-- and apply a factor of stickiness Thinking of the 80/20 principal, it is important to identify the connectors and salesman to begin the process and determine how best to make sure it is sticky enough to survive.

Now do it... build a Local membership plan for your school district.  Using Gladwell's theories and principles, show us a comprehensive action plan for the upcoming school year.

Step 1--As a maven, I guess I would first do the research. Why should they join. What has the union done for rural teachers? How have they spent the moneys collected in dues. What has been the response to perceived injustices by members and has the union helped them resolve the issues. How have the politicians supported by SECEA improved education in general and teacher salary in rural communities? I work in a district where our school board and administrators have demonstrated considerable support and appreciation for its staff members. Though our wages are low, I firmly believe that they would increase them if money were available—and I think most of our staff would agree. Though our responsibilities continue to rise, we know that all options were considered and actions were taken to have as little impact on student education as possible. Administration has been fair with us, even with teachers who have been in the wrong, the administration has generously worked with them and given them opportunities and training to improve their performance.

I would include personal discussion with member; why they are members—and non-members; why they are not. So, I would begin with data. I would begin by demonstrating that there is a need. So—convince me! What does SECEA do for rural districts? Perhaps the stickiness factor would be real information about how the new laws regarding teacher performance are going to impact us, and how unions will protect us if our jobs come into question, if that appears to be a pressing threat in our minds.

Step 2—With roughly 20 teachers in our district, connectors may not be an issue—so, on to the salesmen. I would attend to at least one in each building, personally delivering and asking for input from salesmen, members or not, and asking for their response to the information, searching for answers to any pressing questions. I would continue to personally distribute information until I find a salesmen in each building that takes it to the staff.

Who do you know in your school that is an example of a connector, maven or salesman? Perhaps you are one of them. Give specific examples w/o necessarily using their names.

The Superintendent of my school is an excellent example of a maven. He is very frugal with expenditures and very detailed in the accounting of monies spent. Some teachers complain about this, however our school is financially sound which means that no staff will lose their job in our school. I am very grateful that he is a maven.

How would you use the theories in this book to build membership in your Local?

Being a salesman would definitely help to recruit more teachers in the school to become part of the CTA. This could be done by emphasizing the protection that a unified front of teachers has against false accusations by a student.

Now do it... build a Local membership plan for your school district.  Using Gladwell's theories and principles, show us a comprehensive action plan for the upcoming school year.

First I would show situations where being a CEA member could be beneficial. This would correlate with spreading the message.  The second step would be to give specific examples of those benefits. This step would correlate with the salesman principles. The third step would be showing examples of negative outcomes of teachers who were not CEA members.This would be the maven principle showing that it is a frugal move. The hardest part would be connecting the people together as the woman who is head of the CEA in my school only asks new teachers if they wish to join and does not incorporate the other principles that Gladwell discusses.

Book Study Questions - Week 6

1. Who do you know in your school that is an example of a connector, maven or salesman? Perhaps you are

one of them. Give specific examples w/o necessarily using their names.

Yes, knowing myself, I think I am both a Connector and a Maven. A friend walked into my office once and, in surprise, said, “You have a library in here!” …and it’s true.  I am more than a book collector; I have actually read most of these books. I love to do research. Yet I am a very slow reader because I read for detail and I retain that information, too.

On our online school, I would say that the director of the school is the connector. It is quite difficult to get her on the phone as she is almost always on it; nevertheless, when I do get through to her she takes a genuine interest in what I have to say. She is quite a cheerleader of my efforts.

My former Superintendent, Mr. Shields, is quite a salesman—a huge promoter of rural school districts. While I think that there is nothing he has not at least tried once, he is a great promoter of the school. He has travelled far and wide to get the word out about our program.

The school itself was quite an innovation when it started through a former superintendent, Mr. Hines; there weren’t other Online schools. Vilas School District is a very small public school. It started an online school as a form of reaching out to students in Colorado who needed an alternative for their education, for instance, ranchers and farmers, seriously ill children or students with jobs.Of course, he served as a perfect example of a salesman, as he had to not only implement the online school, but had to "sell" the idea to the teachers, parents and students.  Now it s a lot of competition as it seems that most public schools in Colorado have an online program.

The teachers with the online school are both connectors and mavens and sometimes salesmen of the online program. I am very impressed with the quality of teachers this school has. Not only do they have the expertise and commitment to the children, they are quite friendly, and ever so willing to help and promote a team effort.

 I once asked my former superintendent, Mr. Hines how he got so many good teachers to do the online school, his reply was, “All these teachers have one quality that I look for, and you have it and I bet you don’t know what it is?” Of course, I didn’t have a clue. “They all smile on the phone!”

A maven at my school would be our History teacher. She absorbs information. She has received awards as a teacher She is very much a resource person and is always helping other teachers with information and technology. She is at the forefront of getting information out to the students through technology. Sounds like she is also a connector and an innovator as well.  J

It really is amazing how much the school staff know the personal details of our students’ lives and their parents’ lives.   They have a genuine love for the students and take a genuine interest in our students. So I would say they are definitely connectors.

One teacher has started an online newspaper and connects with teachers, parents, and students this way. She has even started an online Talent show. I can hardly wait to see that.

See what I mean, there are so many talented, informative teachers and staff at our school that it may be too numerous to mention them all.

2. How would you use the theories in this book to build membership in your Local?

With an Online school, we almost never meet face-to-face, so what I do is email the information to the teachers, which is a connection we never had before now. Although we had a representative, we received no information at all about benefits or about what was happening with SECEA/CEA.  I tell them about the benefits, like taking this class and tell them that this is really a good deal. Of course to have the liability insurance is a big deal. From there I let them decide as I am not a salesman. I’m really quite shy when it comes to selling. If and when we do meet, I will let them know that we will be meeting shortly after the teachers’ meeting.  

3. Now do it... build a Local membership plan for your school district.  Using Gladwell's theories and principles, show us a comprehensive action plan for the upcoming school year.

1. I, myself, would probably have to be the maven and have complete and accurate information to impart to other teachers and how it would help them to be a member.
2. When and if we do meet face-to-face, I could give my own personal reasons for joining and tell stories about some of the other members. We could talk about ways to increase our membership at these meetings and how we could better communicate.
3. Tell through email to all the teachers, members and non-members, about the benefits and advantages of that the SECEA/CEA offers to its members.
4. Communicate with current members through email at the beginning of the year.

a.   Send Q & A by email to get to know each other.

b.   Phone them to see if they have any questions about SECEA/CEA. Then, LISTEN.

c.   Determine who the connectors are  and ask them to initiate contact with non-members to tell the benefits of SECEA/CEA

d.   Discover the salesmen who can use their power of persuasion to "sell" the teachers on concept that they need to join SECEA/CEA. They need to send a message that is sticky enough to draw interest- even online teachers need representation. Two sticky factors that may appeal to the online teachers are:

1.    The book study to renew the teacher’s license

2.    The liability insurance

e.   Make follow-up phone calls

3.     Plan a webinar to discuss the benefits of membership. Perhaps our history teacher who knows a lot about   technology could help set this up.

4.     Have regular webinars so members can share their ideas and suggestions to improve our district. (This is somewhat difficult as online teachers are contract services, and not an employee.)

5.  To voice any concerns with our district, superintendent and school board. (Be a connector)