Abstract:

Jim Brooks uses a memory of his elementary school's tradition of taking children to the movies on the first day of school to apply Roger E. Allen's book Winnie the Pooh on Management to teacher leadership.

Brooks, J. (2004). Winnie the pooh and leadership too. Teacher Leaders Network diaries. Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 8 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/diaries04_05/JB03_04_05.html

Full Text:

Winnie-the-Pooh and Leadership, Too

As a child, "back to school" meant a back-to-school movie at The Parkway Theatre in West Jefferson. Dale Baldwin, the theatre owner, had a tradition of hosting all the children from West Jefferson Elementary at a movie on the afternoon of the first day of school. Classes were always dismissed early that first day, and we walked a couple of blocks down Jefferson Avenue to the theatre. Admission, a drink and buttered popcorn only cost $1 and tons of school supplies were given away as door prizes. I know we anticipated the first day of school even more because of this tradition.

We were treated to adventures like Tarzan, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Dumbo, and Herbie the Love Bug, but the first back-to-school movie I remember seeing was Winnie-the-Pooh, based on the popular A.A. Milne classic. While there is much to be said for the shared experience of watching movies on a large screen, I believe I derived much more from those experiences than entertainment. Movies have come to represent subtle ways in which I have learned many valuable lessons of leadership.

Bookstores are overflowing with books on leadership. A recent visit to my local Barnes and Noble yielded an inventory of approaches to leadership as varied as the experiences of those who craft the metaphors on which they are based. I found guides as varied as leading an organization like a professional sports coach or a corporation like Jesus, even one based on the adventures of Milne's beloved bear.

In his book Winnie-the-Pooh on Management, Roger E. Allen draws lessons from the classic children's story and applies them to the business world, but I find plenty of application for myself as a teacher leader. Allen lists "The Six Functions in the Work of a Manager" drawn from the experiences of Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Establishing Objectives: One day while Pooh was walking in the forest, he came upon bees and deduced that where there are bees, there is honey and set about trying to reach it. The honey was high in the trees and difficult to reach; most worthy goals are. When climbing the tree didn't bring about his objective, Pooh reassessed and made a different plan.

Organizing: Pooh organized the resources he needed to be successful. A balloon and umbrella seemed unlikely tools, but Pooh had a vision for success and garnered the resources that would accomplish it. Teachers must also marshal supplies, secure funding and acquire the creativity to make the most of what is available in pursuit of "honey."

Motivating: Pooh offered to share the honey with Christopher Robin in order to get his help, but Pooh realized that he didn't even need that to motivate Christopher Robin; he was his friend. Maintaining the right balance of challenge and reward our students need to be successful is key for the effective teacher. The same challenge exists in our role as leaders.

Developing People: The relationship Pooh has with Christopher Robin is analogous to a mentor relationship among teachers. We develop relationships with colleagues and build partnerships with parents and community organizations that enrich our effectiveness as teachers and leaders.

Communicating: Effective communication is crucial for teacher leaders. Pooh's interactions with the characters in the Hundred Acre Wood, though, aren't so different from the interactions in many teacher workrooms across the country. There's the whining and complaining Eeyore, the energetic Tigger, the veteran sage Owl, the worrisome Rabbit, the nurturing Kanga and the innocent Roo.

Measurement and Analysis: After several foiled attempts Pooh reassesses and determines that these are "the wrong sort of bees" and perhaps they make "the wrong sort of honey." It is important that we factor in new information as we reflect upon our efforts and adjust our methods if we are to ultimately achieve success.

Today my back-to-school ritual still includes movies, not at the Parkway Theatre but on DVDs at home. I seldom start a school year without watching a classic "teacher movie." The stories of Mr. Chips (Goodbye Mr. Chips), Mr. Keating (Dead Poet's Society), and Mr. Escalante (Stand and Deliver) are a few of my favorites. When others say, "Tut-tut it looks like rain," I am better prepared to weather the bumps and starts of a new school year, thanks to these positive "previews of coming attractions."

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