Fantastic Teacher Award

Recognition and awards often come too far and in between in the educational world. Unfortunately, champion teachers do not always get a trophy at the end of the year. All teachers do not get a participation ribbon. In my opinion, we need to celebrate teacher successes much more and not just those found in standardized test reports. We need to celebrate the life changing moments. The small gestures that build self-esteem and help establish confidence, deserve to be recognized. We need to celebrate teachers for risk taking and for innovating. I witnessed a special  moment recently in a parent meeting that was worthy of accolades. This particular meeting had the potential to be difficult. During the meeting, at a time where the tone of the meeting could go either way, the parent said the most heart-warming comment to the teacher. The parent said, "I love you because of the way you make my son feel." "He says that he loves how you talk to him." Upon hearing this the teacher's eyes understandably welled with pride. I am 100% sure that mine did. It was an honor to be a part of such a special moment when a teacher was given such a heart felt compliment that was completely honest and genuine. To me this was the ultimate reward. This was her gold star. Not only is it awesome how she treats her students, it is wonderful that the parent took the time to share her beliefs. I am guessing that compliment alone will inspire this teacher to work even harder and with even more vigor. I believe she should take this memory and picture it as a trophy that dwarfs large shrines such as the Stanley Cup. She should place this prestigious award into her mental trophy case and whenever she needs to remember this past achievement she can take it down from its case to admire its beauty.  Teachers who make this kind of impact in a child's life may not always receive recognition but they certainly deserve it.

Trust the Process

There is a newcomer in the NBA who has caught my attention. He is Joel Embiid. He plays for the Philadelphia 76ers (the Sixers have been dismal for the last decade) and Embiid is becoming quite the personality in the NBA. His backstory is inspiring. Although he was a top draft pick, he suffered several foot injuries that caused him to miss his first two NBA seasons. Now healthy, he is producing on the court. He plays with flair, enthusiasm, and charisma. He has also adopted the nickname, "Trust the Process."

Watching exciting Embiid highlights on ESPN and hearing the crowd chant, "Trust the Process" grabbed my attention. Trust the process is an awesome concept. It was certainly a good message for me to hear. The phrase tells me to stay the course and to be patient. You might not always get the product that you want but if you stick to your plan and stay true to your WHY, I believe things will eventually go your way. Don't get rattled. Believe in your self. Be confident.

When you have a bad day, trust the process. When life is hard, trust the process.  When you start to feel sorry for yourself, trust the process.

Trust the process!

Chase a Moment

Recently I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, The TED Radio Hour. On this particular episode, The Hero's Journey, host Guy Raz was talking with children's author Jarrett Krosoczka. Jarrett shares the impact that mentors had on his life. (I will include a link to the show at the bottom. You should give it a listen.) Jarrett is able to cite precise moments that these mentors touched his life. I found the accounts he shared especially inspiring from an educators' perspective. They inspired me because they were normal people performing normal actions. While listening to his accounts, I could not help to think "I could have done that." My fellow educator, you could have been these mentors. We all could have been one of these individuals in this author's life that impacted him in such a positive manner.

I was so charged up after listening to Jarrett's story because it was simple. With no fear of being redundant, we all could have made this impact! In our daily interactions with children, in what may seem the smallest, most insignificant moment, we can make an impact. It could be the music teacher, telling a student how great a child sounds playing their recorder. It could be the encouraging feedback a language arts teacher gives a student on their creative writing. The beautiful thing is that this could happen at any time If. It can happen if we live in the moment. It can happen if we are always present. It can happen if we are always there for students. It can happen if we see the positive in every situation. It can happen if we remember the potential our students possess.

Moments are out there. Chase them. Chase small, seemingly insignificant moments that just may inspire students to succeed. Chase moments where you can make a difference. Chase moments where we can boost a student's confidence, foster a memory, or strengthen a relationship. Slow down. Share a kind word. Notice a student's hard work. Make an impact. Take an extra step. Make a child's day. Never forget that the smallest gesture or act could have an enormous impact. You might just positively alter the trajectory of a student's life. Give chase!

Quotes I Live By

I am trapped in the middle of Snowmageddon 2017. We got about 2 inches of sleet and snow. Now the temperatures are in the low 20s and the roads are not clear. There is probably a good chance that we are looking at a 3-4 day weekend. This means....extra time to blog! 

I am a sucker for good quotes. I thought it would be fun to make a list of my 10 favorite quotes and blog about them.  This was certainly fun for me to write, I hope you enjoy at least reading the quotes.

1. "There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs."

I ran across this quote last week. I think it perfectly captures the growth mindset educators need to adopt. It is something that our students need to know.  If we want to accomplish our goals, we have to put in the work. I am close to believing that there is no such thing as talent. People get where they are because of hard work, experience, and sweat equity. 

2.  "Was it a bad day or just a bad five minutes?"

This quote bounces around in my head in the midst of a challenging time. We have to remind ourselves that 5 minutes does not make a day. We cannot sweat the small stuff. Things will not always go our way. When they don't, we have to accept it, and move on accordingly. 

3. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."- Simon Sinek

This powerful message is from Simon's Ted Talk and his book Start with Why. I find it important because it reminds us that things like passion, relationships, and attitudes trump gadgets, strategies, and whatever the latest educational fad is. Stay within your golden circle and you cannot go wrong. https://youtu.be/sioZd3AxmnE   

4.  "There is a brilliant child locked inside every student." -Marva Collins
This gem by Mrs. Collins encompasses the approach we must have towards every year, every class, and every student. We are all born with potential. The role of educators is to help individuals make this potential into reality. We must be able to separate a student's current path with their potential.I have kept this quote on my desk in the past. It helps me remember that every student counts. 

5.  "Education shouldn’t be about raising statistics. It should be about raising and fulfilling human potential.” -Dave Burgess

Someday we have to get through to politicians that there needs to be a better way to evaluate teacher performance than through our current model of utilizing standardized testing. Growth, which is not emphasized under most accountability models, is more important than proficiency. There is so much more to teaching and learning than what can be assessed in a multiple choice test. There is a major disconnect between classroom innovation and the tests. There is so much that our students need, that cannot be assessed in a standardized test. Education would have more to offer if the rules could be changed so that our goal was increasing student potential.

6. "It's not about the product. It's the process," -Inky Johnson
This quote comes from a young man with an enormous heart. I recommend you watching his story:  https://youtu.be/AeZZ-hM2fSY. Inky stresses that our efforts and hard work do pay off. We may not always achieve the desired result but through a relentless pursuit of excellence we are able to reach success.

7.  “I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.”- Haim G. Ginott

I am not sure what I can add to this one. Ginott sums up how much power the classroom teacher yields on a daily basis. This quote also reminds me of the term "intentionality" that Baruti Kafeli speaks of. Educators must be intentional in everything that we do. Nothing should be left for chance. Students need a voice and choice in their instruction daily but we accomplish this through careful planning. We must choose to be an instrument of kind!

8.  “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt

This is the quote I think of when I catch myself having a pity party. It reminds me that our efforts are not always met with reward. Many times our efforts go unnoticed. There will be cold, rainy days at carpool. Lunch trays will be spilled on you. You will be fussed at for something that was not your fault. There will be tough moments. Persevere and triumph. It is better to try and fail then to put forth no effort.

9. "Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be." -Rita Pearson

If that quote does not fire you up than you should look for another profession immediately. We can all strive to be that one, special teacher for each child who crosses our threshold. All students need someone to believe in them. Students need someone who will listen and advocate for them. Reach out to your students and let them know that you are here for them!  https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

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

This one is my mantra in life. It was read by the speaker at my MSA graduation ceremony. It is how I try to approach every situation. This quote may be short but it speaks volumes. It is a challenge and a standard to hold your daily actions to. Actions are more important than thoughts. Instead, put your thoughts into action. Be the change!

Head out of the Clouds

What a marvelous winter break it was! This year's winter break had a little bit of everything. There was memorable family time with my immediate and extended families. There was a mountain trip to a bed and breakfast. There was time for blogging, reading, and self-reflection. I was able to read several professional books and engaged in my Twitter PD.  My Twitter PD consists of participating in chats and interacting with my PLN. Life moved slowly. I moved slowly. I watched all the sporting events possible. I played a little Words With Friends. I have never been so relaxed. I returned to work rested both physically and mentally.

Then the students returned to school this past Tuesday. This return to the "real world was a shock to the system. It rattled me. I almost lost the momentum that I obtained from the break. During break, life was slow and controlled. My system had to adjust getting back into the work flow. Don't get me wrong, I embrace the mission and would not rather be doing anything else that what I am currently doing. I am an assistant principal at a small elementary school that is in it's opening year. I work with a wonderful principal and a fantastic staff. The community we serve is very warm. I have not even mentioned how awesome the students are!

Several days on the way home this week I found myself reflecting back on how returning to work felt. Tuesday morning started busy and Friday ended the same way. There was a bullying issue that required an investigation. I spoke with all students involved. I met with teachers and parents. There were phone calls, questions, procedure reviews, notations in our bullying log, etc. It is a thorough and extensive process. There were also classroom coverage challenges to meet. There was also bus discipline, job interviews, a fire drill, classroom visits, and mentoring opportunities. We all know life in a school is never dull or boring!

I am not complaining but these are not what I read in my leadership and educational books. This was not what I Voxed about with my PLN. I did not Tweet about tracking down lost lunch money. There was a disconnect. In the Utopian world that I had been immersed in, there were no mundane tasks. Everything was big picture. Everything was easy to understand. Things were not complicated. There were no layers. Nothing was messy. Our everyday tasks and opportunities may not always be glamorous nor would they be items that we would choose to do. But everything we do completely matters. We must approach every interaction like it is the most important thing in the world. We have to stay true to our mission. We must be our best. We cannot allow things to drag us down. We may never truly know what impact we can have in our daily actions, so we must approach them all with our best efforts. Our students need us to be the champions that they all deserve! Life in a school may not always be how we picture it but nevertheless what we do makes a difference and the impact that we can make in the lives of children makes it ALL worth it.