This Week I Shall Roar

My goal this week is to be a lion. Wherever I am this week I will do my best lion impersonation. Don't worry, I will not be stalking around on all fours or roaring at unsuspecting visitors! My hope is to channel the focus of a lion at school. Have you ever watched lions up close? I have. Not on safari on the Serengeti, but I watch them all the time on TV. From Animal Planet, to Amazon, to viral videos shared on YouTube I am a fan of these fierce felines. I hope that I am successful in being just like them this week.

Lions have the most amazing ability to be totally engulfed with whatever they are doing. When hunting, all their senses are focused on their prey. Their ears are tuned for the softest sound. Their eyes keen to slightest of movements. They are deciding which water buffalo is weakest. When to make their move? When sleeping they do not move. They sleep with their whole beings. Seemingly nothing could disturb them. Not a playful cub or 1,000 annoying flies. They can sleep on command and with no restlessness. No multitasking whatsoever. Regardless of what they are doing they are 100% invested.

I listened to a Ted Talk a few months ago given by a gentleman named Boyd Varty. He is a South African conservationist who has invested countless hours observing animals in their natural habitat. The talk highlights his experiences with animals of the Savannah and a lesson filled encounter he had as a youth with Nelson Mandela. The part of his talk that made the biggest impression on me however was when he talked about lions.  He spoke of them being totally in the moment, being in rhythm with all that is around them. My favorite line of the talk was that lions are " always where they are."  At the bottom of the blog I have left a link to his Ted Talk. I highly recommend taking the time to check it out.

Anyway, I digress. This post is supposed to be on the importance of focusing. This week I aim to operate with the focus of a lion. If someone enters my office I will stop reading email (or whatever task I am involved in)and give them my complete attention. I will tune out other thoughts. I will ignore my phone buzzing. I will give everyone and every task my total attention. While on bus duty, I will be completely there for the students. Wishing them a good day, reminding them to make good decisions, and to offer high fives. I will make prioritized to-do-lists. I will ignore distractions and be as "in the moment" as possible.
 
I believe we can all be in the moment more. I had to pry my iPhone out of my hand, ignore my fantasy football score, and tune-out Once Upon A Time streaming on Netflix (shout out to my awesome wife, Meagan) in order to muster the attention needed to type this blog post.  Okay, I exaggerate a little, but it is a goal of mine to increase my ability to focus on a lone task. I want to focus on a task, complete it well, and move on the next one. I think we are not being honest with ourselves when we claim to effectively multi-task. If you are working on multiple tasks at once, one of them is given less attention than the other. This lack of attention surely results in work that is less than our best and our performance suffers. When focused, I am more likely to act with intention and clarity. I am more likely to be the best version of my self possible. Wish me luck and be where you are.

Boyd Varty Ted Talk

Beat the Funk

I had a slight case of the Monday's this week. All of my fellow Office Space aficionados understand that is when you feel slightly blah on a Monday. The rain may have been to blame or it maybe it was because my family had a big weekend of soccer games, cookouts, fall festivals, etc and I was tired. It didn't hit me until the late afternoon. There was not a big scene. I didn't get short with anyone. There just was about a 20 minutes span where I was quiet and not my usual outgoing self. I wasn't smiling. I didn't ask people how they were doing. I didn't have a pep in my step. The worst part was, I know people noticed. One of my most trusted co-workers asked me if I was okay. She asked me twice. If she noticed, it is likely that students and other teachers noticed, too. The people I strive to be a champion for cannot see me caught in a moment like that! As I reflect back I cannot pinpoint any particular trigger. For a brief period the hustle and bustle of the job got in the way of the educator that I aim to be. I have just recently began blogging for the purpose of reflection and growth. I have been blogging about things that I am passionate or excited about. Then the COTM happened! I think it is only fitting that I try to learn, grow, and reflect about this experience as well.

My wake-up call was when my friend checked on me for the second time. She might as well said "Earth to TJ, Earth to TJ!" "You are being ridiculous!" I realized that the bad feelings that I was experiencing on the inside were visible and obvious to everyone around me who had a pulse. Luckily, at this moment I began turning it around. I am very thankful of this dependable and supportive friend. I thought of something I heard one of my #eduhero's say on a recent podcast. Todd Nesloney (co-author of Kids Deserve It!) told a story where he was having a bad morning and he found strength in simply repeatedly telling people that he was "fantastic." If you say it enough times you can eventually convince yourself that everything is okay and that your issues will be resolved. As you make a concentrated effort to talk in a positive manner, you can put the pep back into your step. If we want our schools to be positive and productive we must model this as much as possible!

It is easy to look back at our accomplishments and successes with pride. You should do that. We must enjoy our successes whenever we can. Thinking back to moments like Monday can also be valuable. It was a mistake. It was unnecessary. I can do better. I have very high expectations for myself. I strive to improve each and everyday.  My goal is to learn about it so that it is less likely to happen again. 

My message to fellow educators is to always remember that it is our responsibility to be there for our students. We need to be the consistent, positive influence role models our kids need everyday. Take care of yourself when you can. Find and focus on the positive going on in your schools everyday. Support your peers. Hold each other accountable and challenge one another to always be your best. 

  

Upgrade yourself

I updated my iPhone to the latest software version, iOS 10.0.1. This update seems more encompassing than most. Email and text messages look totally different and there seem to be much more emoji options. It took me a day or two to get used to the new format and there are plenty of new features that I have yet to master or even discover. Instead of swiping to get to your password, you must hit the home button. I am still adapting to that change! Overall, the new update makes the iPhone more user friendly than it was and has more capabilities.

I began thinking about how Apple must approach the update process. They must plan, experiment, analyze, and reflect intensely to achieve everything needed for an update. Surely they survey users and find out what they are looking for. They must cycle through their steps many times over before they have a finished product. It must be a non-stop process. I am confident that they are already working on the next few upgrades. They surely cannot rest on their laurels. They have competition from several different companies. They must keep their customers satisfied.

As I pondered on how Apple accomplished this update, I made a comparison to what today's educators must do. We must constantly be seeking ways to improve our classrooms, our teams, and our schools to keep up with the latest demands of our students because they are always changing. We have to satisfy our customers who are our students! The world of education is evolving faster now than ever before. Educators must have an innovation plan for themselves. I have heard all of the analogies to the medical world. When we need a medical procedure we do not ask them to use best practices from 30 years ago. We want our medical team to implement the latest, innovative, yet proven strategies. We want what is best for our health. Similarly, real educators crave what is best for their students. We must be working on a better version of ourselves to unveil to students. Today's version is the best available version, but what are we doing to improve tomorrow's version? What tweaks and innovations are we preparing? What are we doing to get better for our students? All educators should be in the "lab" developing their next jaw-dropping version that will blow learners away!

Reflect:  The power of reflection is huge. Merely thinking about and playing over lessons and days is extremely beneficial to our practice. Asking ourselves questions is huge. As you drive home, ponder questions like the following is a worthwhile exercise (drive safe as you reflect!):  Did the lesson go as intended? How was it perceived by the students? What worked? What did not work? Were all students engaged? Did the lesson achieve the desired outcome? Was it challenging enough? How can it be improved upon? If I taught it again what would I change? What can I do better tomorrow?

Brainstorm: After reflecting, go back to the drawing board. Think of new ideas. Search Pinterest, Twitter, or where ever you go for new ideas. I cannot plug Twitter enough for its ability to act as our own personal PD machine. Search a hashtag that matches your classroom or area of expertise. I guarantee you will find a network of educators already sharing their thoughts on what is important in your realm. The #ObserveMe hashtag on Twitter has loads of examples of teachers sharing what they have focused as they have developed the latest version of themselves. Teachers are basically laying out the focuses of their classrooms and are demanding feedback. How empowering this is!

Sit down with a teammate and pick their brain. Find out what they are doing and see if their idea can be incorporated into your classroom. Listen to the students and see what they are talking about. Incorporating their likes and interests into lessons and activities is always a successful recipe.

Challenge:  Set goals. Make expectations high. Don't allow yourself to be complacent. There is another version of yourself waiting to be unleashed on the world. Just like the next iPhone update it will take work, time and effort. So be patient and steadily plug away on your constant growth.

Plan:  Be intentional. We can't just try every idea that we come across or think of the very next day. Take your time and be sure to think things through. Make a timeline. Plug small goals and tasks into your calendar. Work with a partner and hold each other accountable. Ben Williams, a principal that I've worked for, loves to say "Plan the work and work the plan." When you put more thought into your work, the product is always better. Recently I team taught a lesson with a 5th grade math teacher. It was a Breakout EDU activity that lasted about an hour. I easily invested 6 hours in preparing for that lesson. It was successful but far from perfect. We executed it three times. Each time we learned something new or found a better way to frame a small portion of the activity. One of my favorite takeaways from Dave Burgess and his book Teach Like a Pirate is his attention to detail. He talks about planning every last detail of a lesson. What will be written on the board when students walk in? Will there be music playing? Will the lights be dimmed? Challenge yourself to always put as much thought as you can into your lesson plans.

Release the upgrade:  When you are prepared and ready. Put your new ideas to work in your classroom. Keeping things the same will bore both you and your students. Your students cannot be excited about what you are doing if you are not.

Repeat: Remember we will never get "there". We must constantly evolve and work on the next version of ourselves. We must constantly reinvent the wheel. We must challenge ourselves to constantly improve. Our world is forever changing and to stay relevant so must we. Many teachers have found ways to integrate Pokemon Go into their classrooms. Great for them! They will also find ways to implement the next hot craze that motivates students. Do not get left behind. Abandon the thought that your classroom can remain the same. Be brave and take calculated, intentional risks.

What will students say about you?

Have you ever heard students talk honestly about teachers? I have. Sometimes it is flattering and positive. Other times it is sad and depressing. Here are some examples of how this conversation could go: 

Whose class were you in last year? Did you enjoy that class?  The next sentence could be. 

I had Mrs. "So-in-So" She was awesome. She is the best. He is my favorite. 

Or it could go something like this:

She was always mad. He was funny. He didn't like me. She was tough. He was always busy. 

The response is usually short and I've also found that it is either positive or negative. Very rarely is it a neutral review. You teach a kid for a year, 180 days. That is 1,440 hours. They will be able to sum you up in a blurb. In one sentence.  It will be based on how you made them feel most of the time or how you made them feel one particular time. They could have felt awesome and empowered or disrespected and mortified. This snapshot could be justified or unjustified. We must be intentional with our actions as we serve our students. We believe in them. We are their champion. They are better because they are our students. No matter how tough a student is, we can still prove to them that we are a caring adult that wants good things for them. 

What message are you sending kids? What do you want them saying about you? I want the following: 

He is Mr. Parrish. He cares about us, he believe in me. If I don't to the right thing he will call my mama. I can come to him with anything because he has my back. He is fair and he treats me right. He listens. I want to be like him. 

It sure beats: He won't do anything. He won't show up for me. He doesn't care. He doesn't listen to me. He doesn't even know my name.  

Seize all opportunities that you have to make a positive difference in the life of a child. Never forget the impact that a positive, caring adult can have. Deliver discipline with dignity. Model that we may not always agree with each other but we can always respect one another. Give high fives and hugs often. Look a student in the eye and tell them that you believe in them. Smile and tell them hello. Call their mom because you saw them make a caring gesture. Tell them you have their back. Encourage them. Tell them to have a good day and you look forward to seeing them again tomorrow.   

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."-Ghandi

My review of Kids Deserve It!

I fell in love with this book starting with the title. I feel a strong connection to its message and recommend it to anyone who works in a school. The book itself is an enjoyable read. It does not rely on research or jargon. It is easy to read and apply to everyday school life regardless your role. The chapters are short and perfect for busy educators who strive to fit in as much personal development as possible in the midst of a bust schedule. As I've read the book and shared my thoughts on Twitter I've had the opportunity to interact with the authors, Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. They are highly active on Twitter, Periscope, and Voxer. They are both very responsive and clearly practice what they preach in their book. I kinda feel like I know Todd and Adam. They both have what I call "Ed Cred". They are still in education, not retirees who only speak at conferences. They are real practitioners and they know what it's like in schools today.  It's the perfect fuel for all educators who serve on the front lines of public education. It reminds us all why we chose to be educators. KDI meshes two major themes: giving students our all and being innovative risk takers as we go. It's exactly what this 15 year veteran needed to read over the summer. It definitely helped me get fired up for the 2016-2017 school year. KDI has had a huge impact on my daily performance as an assistant principal so far this school year. I'm all in on KDI. My staff is participating in an innovative book study with it this fall. As we read, we will be responding and reflecting via Twitter. I am also hoping to convince Todd and Adam to hold a Google Hangout with us during a staff meeting. Maybe they will read this shameless plug and be game! I cannot wait until our KDI book study begins. It will be so exciting to see the impact this great book has on my teammates and more importantly I cannot wait until I am able to see the impact it has on our students. Order the book today and thank me later because......Kids Deserve It!

Help the kids that need it the most.

If we do nothing else as educators this year and every year we must go out of our way to help our neediest students. By needy I mean the students who are always in trouble, who don't like school, who never have their homework, and who may have little support at home. The students who other educators warn us about. These students know failure all too well. Lets make it our mission that this year they also taste some success. I love working with "problem" children and try to make it my mission to be their champion. Below is what I think is important in making strides with these students.

Respect
The start of most meaningful relationships begins with respect. Kids who are used to getting in trouble are going to be surprised when you show them respect and kindness. It is amazing the difference just showing students kindness can make. Shake their hands. Ask them how they are doing. Be kind to them, especially at times they may not expect it because of their choices.

ListenWhen you talk with students ask them questions and find out what makes them tick. The goal is to engage all students. It helps if we know what they are about in order to prove to them why school can be relevant for them. Learn their names and call them by it every chance you get. This is a small thing that adults can do that goes a long way. Find out what they are interested in. What do they do for fun? What hobbies or extracurricular activities are they involved in? I learned last week that one of the students at my school has been assigned the chore of feeding his familily's chickens and dogs. You better believe I will be asking him how the chickens are doing this week. By listening to students we gain valuable information that can help us connect and reach them.

Be Fair and at times LenientStudents who are habitually in trouble are not going to be very afraid of the consequences. However, we can build rapport with them by showing that we will give them chances and that we are not going to throw the book at them every chance we get. Students need to understand that last year is the past and that you are going to help give them a fresh start. One mistake us educators make is to categorize and hold low expectations for students. Too often they will meet our expectations, however high or low they are. Treat them fairly. Explain to them the process. We must have the ability to discipline students without disrespecting them. Being lenient does not mean that we let students walk over us. One of my personal favorite strategies is to forgive students for a small mistake and then remind them of that leniency down the road. This is a very easy strategy to implement yet I have found it to be quite effective. I have found success with students trying to "pay me back" by making good choices.

Talk with students and Keep it Real with themStudents appreciate it when you keep it real with them. They don't want to be treated like they are babies, dumb, or as if they don't understand. Explain to them the real ramifications of continuously making poor choices. Students with a history of getting in trouble need to learn that every interaction with an authority figure will not be a negative one. It is our job to prove this to them with every opportunity we have. Speak to them by using their jargon. Find out what their nicknames are. It is important to learn about students interests and what makes them "tick" we can help them make goals that are related to their hopes and interests. Again if we can figure out what is important to them we are more likely to make an impact with them. I also like to tell them personal stories from my school days. I share choices that I am proud of and stories that include times that I would like to have had a do-over. They love to hear that we are not perfect. I think it is also important to show them that we can overcome most of life's mistakes.

Help Students Taste SuccessWe must set students up to be successful. Give them accomplishable tasks that will help them gain recognition. Ask them to lead the pledge of allegiance over the intercom. Volunteer them to help carry materials to a teacher's classroom. Use your knowledge of what they are good at to give them jobs that they can be successful with. When students are successful be sure to celebrate the success and then give them an obtainable next step. In closing, we must do everything that is within our power to help students be successful. Please don't ever give up on a student. Be a champion for our students who need us the most.