How do you measure success in a Career Pivot

When you make a Career Pivot you are doing something new.  The standards you applied to measure success in your old career may not apply in the new one.

After teaching for a year I could apply multiple measures to my performance. There was also the measurement that the school district accessed my performance. I found the school district assessment (I did just fine) was not an authentic measurement of my performance.

I could measure my performance in a lot of different ways:

• Were my students happy with me as a teacher
• Did my students pass my classes at above average rates
• Did my students pass TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) tests at above average rates
• Did my seniors graduate on time

I had three sections of Algebra I with mostly freshmen and a few sophomores. I was playing disciplinarian as well as educator with these students.  As the year we on it got easier and easier.  Unfortunately, some of my biggest problem students either dropped out or were in prison. It is a sad commentary on dealing with students of poverty.

I decided to measure my success based on my two sections of Algebra II. My biggest challenge was getting my Hispanic senior girls to pass the TAKS test.  They took the test four or five times and still did not pass.  They could pass my class but they did not believe that they could pass the test.  I spent significant amount of time pumping up their confidence and playing cheerleader.  All but one of the more than a dozen seniors walked the stage at graduation.  That was a very proud tangible moment for me.

I learned almost a year later that my juniors scored at an amazing rate on the exit TAKS test.  The school average had around 40% of the juniors passing on the first attempt.  My juniors passed at 70% rate on the first attempt and 99% passed after two tries.  Did the school district tell me?  NO!  I was informed by a University of Texas professor who was studying the TAKS scores for the district and my scores stuck out.  She interviewed me on my classroom strategies. Only then did I learn just how well I had done.

Schools do not reward teacher achievement like you find in the corporate world. How did I know how I was doing?  I had to come up with my own measurements. Given this was my first year of teaching this was really difficult. On top of that, I was exhausted by the end of my first year, both emotionally and physically.

When making a Career Pivot you need to be able assess your progress because the measurements you are accustomed to may not be there.  I did really well my first year but no one told me! I was really proud of my seniors when they walked the stage to get their diplomas but I was exhausted!

How do you measure success in your career?

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Marc Miller Career Design Specialist