Why Educators Need to Promote Themselves

Back when I was a classroom teacher, my principal -- to whom I rarely spoke -- came by one day to tell me that one of my math students had gotten the highest score in the school on a standardized math test. "Good for him," I said. "He deserves it!"

Another time, an outside observer was attending one of my classes. Afterwards, she told me the lesson was one of the best she had seen that year. "Well, this is a great group of kids," I replied.

Both of those responses were accurate, but incomplete. And they are typical of how many educators talk about their work and accomplishments. Why do we have trouble acknowledging our contributions to good outcomes?

I thought of these instances -- both of which occurred more than a decade ago -- while recently reading Peggy Klaus' book, Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It. The book was written to help professionals promote themselves without turning off those who they are trying to impress. It dispels the myths about bragging; for example, that it is something you should only do during performance reviews. It also addresses some of the cultural norms we have regarding self-promotion -- such as the virtue of humility -- that make so many people uncomfortable doing it.

The author is a Fortune 500 consultant, and the book seems geared towards professionals in that type of environment. But as I was reading, I realized how the concepts also apply to educators. Most educators need to get better at talking about their work. Consider this:

Reasons for Bragging

Tips to Help You Brag

So how should one start bragging? As Klaus puts it:

She offers a series of questions that helps readers begin to think about their history and create a "brag bag" (a collection of information on accomplishments, passions, and interests) with "brag bites" (snippets of information expressed in a short, pithy manner that ensures people walk away with something to remember) and "bragologues" (stories that can be told in a variety of ways in a variety of circumstances).

In addition, she offers a number of tips, some of which I've modified to fit the current educational climate, including:

Overall, the key to successful self-promotion, or bragging, is conveying authenticity -- sharing your story about your work and accomplishments in a way that feels natural.

What do you think? Do educators need to brag more often about their accomplishments? Share your thoughts in the comments below.