Walk in Their Shoes

"How many of the students who walk by you each morning came from a house filled with chaos just ten minutes before they arrived at school."

Since reading Kids Deserve It this summer, this particular quote has resonated with me. The quote reminds me how difficult life outside of school is for many of our students. The 8 hours that students spend at school each day can be a sweet reprieve to the adversity and chaos that students often face at home. Like many educators, I have middle class roots and cannot really relate to what its like to grow up in or live in poverty. Just last week, an interaction at school caused me to reflect about what life must be like for students with challenging home-lives. My thoughts placed me in the shoes of a homeless student who attends my school and the obstacles he and his family must face on a daily basis. What does he have in his control? Is he concerned about where his next meal is coming from or if has completed that night's homework? Should I blame him for having an attitude at times? What struggles does he face and watch his family face on a daily basis?  I wonder why he is so protective of his younger siblings. What has be protected them from?It is imperative that we have patience and empathy for students who face adversities that we can only pretend to understand. Our goal must be to enhance their lives. School needs to be a place of comfort and peace for our students.

I think back to a particular student I taught about 12 years ago. He was intelligent and hard working. He always gave 100% while at school. I noticed one winter morning that he arrived to school smelling of gas. I found this peculiar. I was unable to immediately think of a plausible reason why he may possibly smell of gas. I took him aside and asked him what was going on. He went on to tell me that he smelled of fuel because his parents left for work really early, before he was awake, and that they left the kerosene heater on for him so he would not wake up cold. The only heater they had in their home ran on kerosene.  It was his responsibility to cut the heater off before he left for school, before putting himself on the bus. I distinctly remember how upset he was the day that he was afraid that he forgot to turn the heater off. Heaters like this should not be left unattended. The frantic look and the complete state of concern he was in that day were unforgettable. Luckily we were able to reach one of his parents at work. I was afraid that he may have tried to leave school in order to check on the status of his home. Growing up middle class, I took things like having a home equipped with central heating system for granted. I share his story to remind us all that our students face circumstances that we are not aware of and may not truly understand. 

It is our job to offer stability to students who may come from difficult situations.We must advocate for students and be their champion. We must be dependable and compassionate. We must be patient, kind, and loving. We must provide relief and cushion for the harsh conditions they may face when they are outside of our care. They may come to us hungry, sad, and hurt. While they are with us, it is our job to make them feel safe, comfortable, and cared for. We cannot control what happens to our students outside of school hours but we absolutely control what happens to them and how they are treated while they are in our charge. 

Time

There is a phrase that I am done with. It is right up there with "we have always done it that way." It is often a cop out. It is overused and misused. Sometimes it is a straight-up lie. The phrase that I hold in such disdain is....I just don't have time.

In our busy and modern lives time is precious. I understand there are acceptable uses of this term I hold in contempt. I have used IDHT (I don't have time) on countless occasions. It made me feel better. It helped me save face when I didn't have a good excuse for not trying something new or different. I have used IDHT when I really meant things like:
Trying out that new idea is not a priority for me.
That is a risk that I am not ready to take.
I have no clue what that is or how to do it.
That is way outside of my comfort zone.
I am too afraid to fail.
I wanted to try that new idea but I got distracted.
I don't think it is a good idea.

Using IDHT is a poor excuse. I strive to not use it anymore. Educators need to be bold and take on challenges. We cannot keep offering students the current version of school. It is time to innovate. Try new things. We owe it to our students to push ourselves. Be genuine. If you think something is a bad idea, be truthful and say, "that is a bad idea." Don't use lack of time as an excuse not to challenge yourself to become better for students. Our time is precious and it is up to us to make the best of it. Repeating lessons, activities, and strategies that are ineffective, but comfortable, are the ultimate waste of time. Taking opportunities to be bold and inventive maximize our time. Make time for things that are important. Make student learning your top priority and don't be afraid to try new things.

It is the Process

I was thinking of one of my favorite quotes on the way from home from school this week.

"Its not about the product, its about the process."
-Inky Johnson

Inky has several inspiring videos that can be found on YouTube. I'll give them a listen every once in a while, especially when I need some motivation. I have even shared the video with a 5th grade student of mine. The young man is definitely a work in progress but when we cross paths at school, I will say to him, "Its not about the product...." and he will respond with "its about the process." I am proud of teaching him this quote and hope the wisdom sticks and helps him in the future.

This week on the way home I was reflecting about past and present goals. I was thinking how in the past I have lost focus on the process and focused instead on the product. The product being a promotion. I was focusing too much on being named principal of a school because "I was ready". I felt that I already deserved to be the principal of a school. My thinking was all wrong, I was focusing on the product and not the process. I still dream of being a principal one day. It will happen, eventually. My job now is to be the best AP that I can be and continue to learn and grow to prepare for the future and whatever it brings. I should only focus on getting better.

Luckily, I had my epiphany within the last year and came to the correct conclusion that it is about the process and becoming better for kids. We must focus on our daily performance, growing ourselves, and continuing to learn. Regardless of what happens, I will focus on my growth. I will focus on getting better. I will continue to own my professional development. I will reflect. I will challenge myself. I will pursue excellence. My ultimate destination in life is not the most important thing, what I learn on my journey is. I will not be satisfied with the husband, parent, or educator that I am today. I will continue to evolve because it is all about the process!

Be You

This week's big event for me was an interview for a principal position. My school district holds an event titled Aspiring Leaders. The event combines activities such as an interview, several role playing activities, and situational problem solving scenarios. This was my second year participating in the event. It is not a professional development opportunity, it is a competitive process the district uses to gather information regarding filing principal vacancies.

This year's event provided me with an important lesson. The lesson is to be yourself. I mentioned that I participated in the event last year. Last year, during the interview process I could have performed better. While answering questions, rather than speaking from the heart, instead I searched for the "perfect" answer. I was nervous, too. Rather than just speaking my mind, I attempted to answer the question almost from a textbook standpoint. The result was likely stiff and impersonal. I was afraid to make a mistake. This year my strategy was to be myself and to trust my instincts. I listened to the question and did my best to respond with what I thought or how I would handle the situation. I did not search for a correct answer, I shared my answer. In a few weeks, I will receive feedback on my performance, so then I will know how I did. However, with the honest approach I am more confident with my interview.

I share this experience because I think it is valuable and translates to life and school. We cannot always worry about finding the textbook answer. We cannot approach challenges in a rigid manner. Be comfortable. Be yourself. Trust your instincts. Find your right answer. Believe in what you have learned from your experiences. You cannot be someone else. You can only focus on being the best version of yourself and for that to happen you need authenticity. You have to put your voice out there. Put your personal touch on your work. This lesson is very transferable to the educational world. Your classroom cannot be generic or cookie-cutter. It needs your spin on it. Your lessons must include your interests, in addition to the interests of your students. Your classroom needs pictures of you outside of school. Your office needs pictures of your family. Students and teammates must know who you are. If you go about your job without inserting your personality, your performance will only be a fraction of what it could be. Whatever you do, make it yours.

Intentionally being more intentional

Life in a school is often unpredictable. Much of what happens is unplanned and spontaneous. There is a great need for educators to be proactive, we all know so much of what we do is reactive. Many times I have sat at my desk checking email or working on a project, and I receive a phone call where I am forced to react to several "fires" that arose one after the other. I truly believe that if you can get out and about in your school, you can get ahead of these "fires". If you are out observing and interacting in the building you can actually prevent problems from occurring. I also believe that the most important work of school leaders happen outside of the principal's office.

I am making a goal to be more intentional in my daily actions. To accomplish this, I think it will take discipline and planning. One of my mentors often says "Plan the work and work the plan". I am pretty sure that he stole that saying from one of his mentor but there is great wisdom in this borrowed statement.

Some of the things that I want to do more of are: informal classroom visits, positive communication with staff (written and verbal), positive phone calls to parents, and working with students directly in their classrooms. These actions will allow me to take a more active role in contributing to the culture and direction of my school. In the grand scheme of things these activities represent the "real" job of school leaders.

In order to make this happen I have found I must build them into my schedule. I am a huge advocate for my Google calendar and I have found it helpful to schedule my goals into a daily schedule. It doesn't have to be Google or a digital platform. If you use a paper calendar by all means put it to use! I may not always be able to make all of the appointments that I plan for myself, but if I do not insert these activities into my daily schedule the chance that they will happen will decrease significantly. Make a list of the things that you really want to accomplish during your day and plug them into your calendar. Keep what is most important at the top of your agenda each day.

If you have an idea, or best practice you use for making your days intentional, I would love other educators to add their proactive tips or calendar items in the comments section of this blog!

Everyone's Favorite Teacher Podcast

Around New Year's Resolution time, George Couros challenged fellow educators to share in video, a goal for 2017. Here is mine. My goal was to host my own podcast to showcase champion teachers who put their heart and soul into the profession. I am happy to say that this goal has been realized! In the past two weeks, I have recorded the first two episodes of Everyone's Favorite Teacher Podcast (available on iTunes). This could not have been achieved without the support of my wife, Meagan. Follow her on twitter @MeaganhParrish and check out her blog. She is a phenomenal teacher who integrates technology consistently into her 4th grade language arts classroom. She takes risks and pushes her students every day. She will be presenting at the NCTIES Conference this year. Meagan and Danielle Simerman (@dksimerman) will be leading a session on using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) as a platform for digital portfolios. Meagan serves as executive producer and lead consultant for the podcast. She handles everything on the technical end and without her the podcast would not happen. Recording the podcast has been very exciting and I look forward to refining the process and improving upon the finished product.

I am also extremely thankful for the two teachers who agreed to be my first two guests of the show. Jenny Hudson and Derrick Pate. Jenny (@petiteflower975) and Derrick (@FourOaksPate) were both brave enough to take a chance on my passion project. I believe in these first two episodes I was able to capture their love for students and teaching. I couldn't have found two better educators to have as guests! Thanks Jenny and Derrick! Here is a link to Derrick demonstrating his rap skills.

My goal now will to be to continue to push myself. I need to learn more about the profession I love. I need to continue to evolve as a learner and a leader. I want to connect with more awesome educators and share their stories. If you would like to talk with me or if you know a champion teacher who would be a perfect guest on the podcast please send me an email to FavoriteTeacherPodcast@gmail.com. Lets grow and learn together! BTW, my next guest is going to be awesome!

Get Fired Up!

There has been much (needed) discussion in education these days regarding compliance, engagement, and empowerment. Clearly we want to move away from classrooms that breed compliance. Students do not need to be completing an endless list of mundane tasks. Students need to be challenged and involved in their learning. In an engaged classroom, students enjoy what they are doing and would likely continue doing it even if they did not have to. Engaged students are active participants in their own learning. They are motivated because they are involved in tasks that are of high interest to them. Empowered students have freedom, voice, and choice regarding their own learning. Empowered students have design responsibilities. They choose pathways. Empowered students become responsible for their own learning.

The time has come to expand the compliance, engagement, and empowerment conversation. The message that I want to really drive home this week is not about student engagement, it is about educator engagement. All school administrators, teachers, and leaders need to challenge themselves to move beyond compliance. Students need educators who are engaged and not simply going through the motions. Running a smooth school or classroom is not enough. Students need educators to follow their hearts, take risks, and be ultra intentional. How can we expect our students to be engaged or empowered if we are not putting our hearts into what we are doing? Are we giving kids our best or are we giving them our average? Are you on cruise control? It's time to take ownership of our own learning. Start a reflective blog. Listen to a podcast on the way to work. Here is a link to  a podcast I've began hosting. Participate in a Twitter chat so you can be exposed to new ideas. Arrange a Voxer Chat with you and a group of your like minded peers so you can share and learn. Sign up for an EdCamp. Check out new titles on Amazon and order a new book. Make a goal to read more and stick to it! No matter what, do not allow your passion for education to dwindle. Fuel your passion so others can feel your flame!

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.

My Top 5 Leadership Tenets

One of my favorite topics to read and learn about is leadership. During the course of my studies, I have chosen 5 aspects that I find most compelling. In this post, I will discuss my thoughts on each aspect and share lessons learned. This is where the true joy of blogging comes into play. Imagine reading this post 10 years from now! Heck, I may think differently next week! My thoughts will likely change as will the themes found in popular educational readings. It is about embracing a growth mindset and being dedicated to learning!

1.  Service:  Being service oriented is a must for effective leaders. If its the CEO of a billion dollar company, rubbing shoulders with the crew of workers on the assembly line, or the school principal mopping the floor in the cafeteria, there is huge value when the leader of an organization has the ability to roll up his/her sleeves and do work. When leaders show their team that they are willing to perform the tasks that they ask of others, a certain respect is shown. Also, stakeholders appreciate and respect leaders who are visible and involved in the daily tasks of school life. Some of the best school leaders I know are at car pool everyday opening doors and directing traffic or in the bus parking lot unloading the buses. They are connected and present. I will never be a disconnected leader who rules from his office. One's office is not where the real work lies. It is not where the magic happens! Walking the halls and interacting with everyone allows you to keep a pulse of the school. How can you expect to understand the culture of your building if you are not out and about in the building?

2. Humility: Leaders must embrace that they are not always the smartest person in the room. One of my mentors often states, "I may not be the smartest person in this building, but no one will out work me." He also said, "I don't need to walk around the school and tell people that I am the principal of this school." The messages conveyed in this leader's everyday actions show that he is humble and that no one person on the team is more important than another. The message he sends is clear: no one is more important than what is good for everyone. It is not about me, it is about WE! The buildings we work in can survive without us. We are all replaceable. The day that we put our papers in to move on, we will be replaced. Our schools WILL go on without us. The roofs will not cave in when we are gone. It is not about us!

3. Positivity: Leaders must be positive at all times, especially when facing adversity. Through life lessons I have thoroughly learned that being negative, having a temper, and becoming upset are all pointless. Someday a parent will come into your office and bless you out. Everyone within listening distance will be able to hear. You cannot control this. You will likely not be to blame. Do your thing. Listen to the individual. Hear their issue and deal with it. The look on your face when the drama unfolds is what you can control. It is also how you can impact the culture of your building. Grin and bear it! By showing your team that all is good, all will be good! We cannot control what life throws at us, we can only control how we react. Reacting with a smiling, positive outlook is by far the best approach. I was once advised by a veteran school leader to always smile when you are on the phone with a stakeholder, especially a parent. This has proven to be very valuable advice over the years. By simply smiling, you go into the conversation with a positive attitude. During the course of these challenging conversations, we have the ability to do so much good. We may not be able to immediately resolve someones' issue but we can speak with them in a positive manner, allow them to be heard, and begin upon a path of mutual understanding. Another one of my mentors is always able to make challenging opportunities into positive experiences. Human resource opportunities are positive. Issues are communicated and so are expectations, but most importantly the target of the issue feels understood and supported. It is not US vs THEM. It is, this is how we are going to help YOU. Administrators can best yield their power through support and coaching, not through intimidation or an "I got you" attitude.

4. Empowering: Having the ability to raise others up is very powerful. Sharing leadership and responsibility are mutually beneficial for a leader and his/her team. Schools function at their best when key stakeholders have a true voice in the decision-making. I have been in several situations where the leading bodies of a school in reality had little say so. Too often, school administrators keep the "important" decision making to themselves. This denies others input and is effectively a dictatorship.  Granted there are many situations where a committee is not needed for both time and simplicity, but for the most part gathering input from the important stakeholders surrounding a situation is the way to go. We > Me!

5. Vision: A school's vision is not just the principal's vision, it is the school's vision. This must involve an exchange of information, a decision of what is important, and what speaks for a community. The leader definitely needs to have an impact on what the school is focusing on but it cannot be based solely on what the leader thinks. It matters greatly what the students think. It matters what the parents and staff think. A school's vision is a collective agreement on what is important and what will be focused on. Once established, this vision should guide what the school leaders design for the students of the school. This shared vision, should be what the community is able to rally and focus on. Once established, a school's vision should hold all stakeholders accountable and focused on the mutually embraced set of values. It should be what everyone is working towards. One of my mentors does an excellent job of hitting stakeholders upside the head with the vision of his organization. He consistently shares his vision regardless if he is speaking to a group of district administrators, parents, or community members. It doesn't matter who it is, the message and focus stays the same.

I cannot wait to learn and experience more in my leadership journey. For now, I step forward expecting good things and am determined to bring about great results. Our future is so bright, we only need to work together to obtain it.

Mid-Year Tune-Up

Time flies. It seems that just yesterday it was August and we were gearing up for the start of school. Now here we are at Christmas Break. In the blink of an eye, the second half of the year will be gone, too. Luckily, for educators we have a little quiet time before Christmas and after New Years. Take time for yourself. Find balance. Your family and health must come first. Now is the perfect opportunity for reflection and self-improvement.  

Here are some of the questions that we all need to be asking ourselves:

What is working? What has been successful? What goals have been met? Is this the educator that I want to be? What should I do more of?  What has been difficult? What has not gone as well as it could have? Where can I improve? What practices do I need to stop using immediately? What is my mid-year grade? 

Humor me with an exercise. Close your eyes. Wait a minute if you close your eyes you cannot continue to read my intriguing and life-changing blog (ha ha!). Don't close your eyes. Anyway, think of the educator you signed up to be. Think about the educator you dreamed of being. Think about the educator you want to be on January 3rd (or whenever your classes resume).  Is the educator you are envisioning comparable to the actual version? Surely you did not become a teacher to breed compliance, be boring, or suck the excitement out of children. Hopefully, you did not picture yourself as someone as captivating as Ben Stein's character in the 80's classic, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Most likely your dream was to be something similar to a teacher like Ron Clark, Dave Burgess, or Jaime Escalante. We hold these wonderful educators in high regard and they deserve our admiration. But the truth is we can all be like them. We can be our own version of them. I think that their secret isn't God given talent. Their secret is hard work, dedication, focus, and passion. These are all things we can emulate if we make that choice.  

So I encourage you to answer a few of the italicized questions above. Make a simple plan to improve in a few areas. Sharpen your saw. Stop doing the things you are not so proud of. Start doing more of the things that you are the most proud of. Be more animated. Smile and laugh more while you are teaching. Bring your passions into your classroom. Seize the attention of your students. Rock your classroom. Finish the year striving to be the teacher of your wildest dreams.

A Student's "Why"

A recent conversation I had with a student taught me a very important lesson.

The lesson was sparked from reflecting upon the "sentencing" faze of a discipline issue. I was working with a student whom I had worked with quite extensively at the beginning of the school year. Over the last few months, the student has made great progress. He has been making better choices thus seeing his assistant principal much less formally. He has been a success story. On this particular occasion, he had not made too bad of a decision. He had engaged in some horse-playing but luckily his actions had not been intentional or malicious. He accidentally hit another student, luckily the other student was uninjured. He was merely looking at a time out. After sharing this news with him he was visibly upset. He held his head low and nonchalantly wiped at his eyes. I first thought he was worried about what his parents would say when we contacted them. I assumed there was some privilege at home he was going to lose or maybe a punishment. This was not the case at all. He was upset because he thought that he was going to be kicked out of the science club. He said, "I want to still be a part of my group." I explained to him that I did not think the science club sponsor would kick him out based on the circumstances. I told him that she would understand and since he had not done anything "mean" on purpose that he would be able to continue with his club. This seemed to help lessen his concerns slightly. Later in the day, the science club sponsor stopped by and affirmed for him that his status in science club was okay. When he heard the news from her, the weight was truly off of his shoulders.

The reason this conversation resonated with me is that it highlights the importance of getting connected with our students' "why". We need to know what motivates our students if we want to best reach them. In this young man's case the science club seems to be what makes coming to school worthwhile. Being a member of the science club is what makes him excited to come to school each week. I am not sure if he is motivated by the content, the energetic teacher who sponsors the club, or if he likes his teammates. It may be a combination of those factors or others. I do know it is one thing he seriously looks forward to. I believe being a member of the science team has been a major part of his turn around.  It is his "why".

Our schools, our classrooms, and our individual relationships can all benefit from becoming more attuned to what motivates our students. Knowing this information can lead us on so many right paths. Knowing the "why" can tell us what extracurricular activities to offer and which students to offer them to. Knowing the "why" can give us important information for designing our instruction. Ultimately, knowing our students "why" makes us better educators. Invest time getting to know your students as individuals so you can be a better educator for them.

Big Man Makes an Assist

Today, as I was coaching my son's undefeated basketball team (2-0 baby!), I saw a former student of mine. He was actually a player on the opposing team. After the game, we shared a brief moment. It was special and warmed my heart. Moments like this are precious and add fuel to the fire that is my passion for education. On special occasions, our acts of kindness and love we give students comes back to us. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career thus far.

I have not seen this young man in over 5 years. I remember him for his charisma, intelligence, and warm personality. We spent a LOT of time together. I was his assistant principal, so you can infer what that means. We interacted quite often. There were many difficult episodes. However, his charisma still made him a student that regardless of his behavior the adults at school all loved him. When he got in trouble, it was emotional for the school staff as well. We all wanted to see him do well and it pained us to see him have such a hard time. During the game, someone pointed him out to me and told me who he was. It was hard for me to place him because he has literally grown at least 2 feet since the last time I saw him. In today's game he proved himself to be a solid big guy in a league of 11-12 year-old's. He owned the glass and dropped in several put backs. He was by far the best player on his team. I noticed he played with composure and a level-head. His teammates looked up to him. Kids on my team knew him and respected him. I know it was basketball but I definitely got the sense that he has matured and is on a good path.

After the game I went up to him and shook his hand and told him who I was and the school where I once worked. It took a second, but then he did recognize me. After he remembered who I was, the handshake turned into a hug initiated by him. Between that and the smile on his face, my soul was given a dose of pride. This is why I do what I do! I know he remembers me in a positive light. That feeling is so rewarding. It also tells me to keep fighting the good fight. Keep giving extra attention to the most difficult kids. No matter how hard it is, show all your students that you care. Never give up on troubled students. These are the students we must champion! I wish that every educator that reads this is one day rewarded with a moment like this one. What we do makes a difference!

Perspective

This fall I have participated in a professional development course that's been an interactive book study of George Couros' The Innovator's Mindset. One of our assignments of the book student was to shadow a student and reflect upon the experience. This past Friday, I shadowed a randomly selected 5th grader.


This was a very interesting experience. I had to remind myself that I was there to seek out the student perspective and not observe/evaluate a teacher. As an administrator, observations and evaluations can become very routine and instinctual. I wasn't there to evaluate I was there for the experience of viewing school through the eyes of a student. This experience reminded me that the student perspective is by far the most important. I was able to see how students perceived different parts of their days. I could infer which classes they enjoy. They bounced to the parts of their day that excited them and basically dragged themselves to the unfavorable parts.

Our day started in Art Class. The students seemed to be very comfortable here. They thrived on the routine. Art class seemed therapeutic for students. The painting and sketching came natural for them. They were relaxed and clearly enjoyed the opportunity to engage in casual conversations as they worked. Maybe it is because there is little pressure as far as grading is concerned. 

The most powerful moment of the experience occurred during this period of the day.  During art, the students at the table I was located at were working and talking. The casual banter began with the students asking me why I was there. I explained and they began offering me their thoughts on school. About this time, the fourth student at our table arrived to school. After explaining why I was there, the conversation continued. I asked her if she was late to school because she missed the bus. I was expecting an answer like, "we overslept" or something else typical. Her answer surprised me immensely. The family issue she cited and explained so casually blew me away. I am not going into details out of respect of her privacy. However, I will stress it was an example of the unbelievable amount of baggage our students often come to us with. Many of our students have such challenging home lives. The rest of the day I couldn't help but notice how normal she acted. I couldn't get over how she focused on her work. It was amazing to see her act like the other students. She was kind to her classmates and well-behaved. I couldn't help but think on how she could have acted. She didn't act as if she was mad at the world. This child has grit. She overcomes daily struggles that are extremely difficult for adults to deal with and for the most part no one around her would ever guess!   
Other topics that this honest conversation covered were also eye-opening. Two of the kids at the table loved everything about school. One girl in particular said that school is fun and that she wants to get a good education so she can get a good job and not have to work in fast food. The student with the family issue referred to it as being like "jail". When I asked her to expand her thoughts, she offered because "we can't do what we want to do." The fourth child said that the best part of school is the free lunch. I also heard: "The only thing I like about school is seeing my friends. I don't like learning. It's boring and it's hard." The student did go on to add, "even though it's hard and boring I have to do good on my EOG's so I can make it to 6th grade." Another student added her opinion that, "I think students should be able to have their phones in their back pockets." I pretty much agree with her statement.  

Of the four kids at the table, two kids have attended 5 schools during their elementary careers (in 6 years!). The remaining two have attended 2 and 3 different schools. Lesson here: teach the students you have to the fullest of your ability, we never know how long we will have them. We might not have another chance other than today to make a difference in their lives. 

Recess was another highlight of the shadowing experience. The student I was shadowing played kickball, so I joined in the game. I was all-time pitcher. It was another opportunity to see the students in a setting where they obviously seemed more comfortable. There was little pressure. It was fun. They had freedom. They could interact. If kickball got boring they could go slide or play tag. I understand our classrooms cannot be entirely like recess. There needs to be structure but choice and freedom need to be a huge part of our classrooms. 

Students love an animated and excited teacher. They don't care what you are talking about if you are animated. If the teacher is excited about the topic, the students will watch and absorb. If you talk without energy you will bore them. Also, they clearly like to be included in the lesson. Insert a discussion part to your lessons. Students look forward to it and will gladly participate.

Shadowing a student is a practice I highly encourage all fellow educators to try. Teachers, administrators, and decision-makers can all benefit from taking the opportunity to see things once again from the eyes of a student. 

My final thoughts are that we need to work on developing our "why" in the classroom. There is always room to grow in the relevance and the relationship departments. We must continue to work towards improving our students perceptions towards school. We must work to build better relationships with students. We must make our classrooms important to them. As educators we need to stay grounded to the "why" we teach. We must remember "why" we do what we do. If we remember our "why", our "what" will take care of itself. Our "what" is after all the life-changing business. 

Education is a Team Sport

By nature I am a competitive person. I want to arrive to work first. I want to be the best assistant principal. I want my favorite sports teams to always win. I want to pick the shortest and fastest moving line at the grocery store. I want to beat my son at FIFA '17. I think there are many examples where being competitive is a good thing. Recently I have reigned in my importance on competition, especially at work. It is more important for me to be a good teammate than to out perform anyone. I believe one of the most important character traits an individual can possess is to be a good teammate. Being able to lift up those around us is so important. Offering others kind, encouraging words costs nothing. Being a good teammate allows us to add value to our teams, organizations, and schools at no cost. When our teammates improve, we improve. 

Collaboration and communication make up two of the "Four C's" of 21st Century Learning. They are as important skills for educators to display as they are for us to help students develop. How can we expect our students to be help each other if we do not model it for them?

I should support fellow assistant principals, not compete against them. They are not my rivals, they are my teammates. I should communicate with them. There is plenty that I can learn from them. By supporting each other we all benefit.  In education, we must remember that we are all on the same team. Everyone in your building is your teammate. The bus drivers, the cafeteria staff, the custodians, and the office staff are all your teammates working towards a common goal:  We want to make our school the absolutely best that it can be! Everyone who works in your school has something to offer. We shouldn't think of the other schools in our districts and state as competition, either. 

Our district's superintendent reminded the administrators at the beginning of the year that the time for pulling against each other in public education is over. He did this by having a few schools challenge members of the district office in a match of tug-of-war against. When the match was over, he asked who won. When a few people pointed at the winning side, he poignantly pointed out that when we pull against each other no one wins. This example, was powerful. Over the last few months, this message remains strong and relevant.     

So this week and every week concentrate on being a good teammate. Make those around you better. Support your team. Give them a boost through your positivity.

  The competition that we benefit from the most is within ourselves.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”-Margaret Mead

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." -Helen Keller

Many Thanks

In the honor of the season, I am using this blog post for focusing on what I am thankful for in my school life. I have had the honor of helping open a new elementary school in my district. I have had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from a tremendous principal. It has also been a blessing working with a wonderful staff, who has been up to the challenge of opening a brand-new school.

I am thankful for my school kids. They remind me of my purpose at school. I thank them for their positive, smiling faces. I thank them for their love of learning. I am thankful for their enthusiasm and for showing up everyday.  I am thankful for the students who look out for each other. I love it when the older students look after the younger students on the bus or in the cafeteria at breakfast. I am thankful for the students who I know come from tough home lives but are champions at school anyway. I love to see students display grit. Learning to persevere is one of the top life skills. I am thankful that I am able to witness the young man in third grade who overcomes physical ailments on a daily basis without ever complaining, or even blinking for that matter. I get to watch him plug away each day with a smile on his face. He never feels sorry for himself or compares himself to others. One day he challenged me to a race. During the race, he slipped on the slick, gym floor. In the blink of an eye, he was back on his feet and putting one foot in front of the other. I am thankful for the Gung-Ho 5th grade girl who is a member of every extra curricular activity that we offer. She comes to school early twice a week and stays after school up to twice a week. She is in the Chorus, Science Club, Student Government Association, and a member of the Battle of the Books team. She takes advantage of everything that our school has to offer and excels. This enthusiasm will take her far in life! Most of all, I am thankful for the kids at school because they make me confident that we have a bright future in store for us.

I am thankful for my co-workers at school. I am thankful you are problem solvers and have positive attitudes. I am thankful for my co-workers who champion kids. Thanks for not giving up on students. Thanks for not showing frustrations. Thank you for designing your classroom for all of your students. Your classrooms are such happy places! Thank you for meeting with parents after school. Thank you for sitting in IEP meetings during your planning.Thanks for all the extra time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears you put into your job. You go way above and beyond 40 hours per week. Thank you for offering extra-curricular activities for our students. Thanks for offering Science Club. Thanks for offering before school choir. Thanks for offering Student Government Association. Thanks for offering the Battle of the Books Club. You don't make a dime for offering these wonderful opportunities for our students, but you surely make an impact. I am thankful for my staff who is beginning to branch out and discover all that Twitter offers for personal growth. I am thankful for the instructional assistant, who when assigned the task to drive an activity bus on a field trip, drives to the location in her personal car and on her personal time. She has done that twice so far this year. What dedication! Thanks for going above and beyond for our students!

I am thankful for having the opportunity for learning from a dynamite principal. She supports our teachers so much! Its been amazing to watch her as the opening of our new school has unfolded. She knew exactly what our new classrooms needed. She knew what our teachers needed. She understands what the community demands and expects. Most importantly, she knows what our students require to be successful. She is an efficient problem solver, who expertly plans upcoming events. I have a better respect for the importance of details because of her. She leaves very little to chance. I am thankful for being able to learn from her on a daily basis.

I am also thankful to my Personal Learning Network. I have an awesome group of friends and colleagues that I learn from on Twitter. I even have a small group of peers whom I collaborate with via Voxer, I appreciate their willingness to share. I am also thankful for the Edu Heroes that I look up to. Thanks to innovators like Dave Burgess, George Couros, Adam Welcome, and Todd Neslonely. I admire their passion, enthusiasm, intelligence, and generosity. They have inspired me to challenge myself to grow as an educator.

Thank you to all of my students, coworkers, and fellow educators for the huge impact you have made in my life! I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Wheels on the Bus

This afternoon I accepted an invitation to ride one of my school's buses as it made the afternoon route. Please note the invitation did not come in a formal manner. It came in the form of hyped-up students that forgot how to properly sit in their seats and how to not break local noise ordinances. I may be exaggerating just a tad, however I am working on a theory that our sweet darlings are currently under some type of effect caused by the super moon. This past Monday, the moon was closer to the Earth than it had been in approximately 68 years. I wonder how kids behaved in school during that cycle back in 1948. What did the schools do? (lol) Even though I could have caught up on office work by answering emails or completing various other to-do-list type items, I did my assistant principal duty and rode the bus.   

What a ride! Now this is not my first bus ride. I try to make rounds riding different buses from time to time. Its a great opportunity to observe and learn about our students. 

There are countless reasons that those of us who work in school should ride a "yellow fellow" from time to time. You have an opportunity to have real conversations with students. While on the bus, you are fair game for the students to fire away at you with questions. Its an up, close, and personal chance to serve as a role model for your students. Your mere presence on the bus makes the ride so much easier for the driver. The ride offers a small glimpse of what school/life is like through the eyes of a child. Bus drivers will love you for it by the way. You get to see where the students live. You will see their parents waiting for them at the stop. You will get a glimpse at younger siblings. You can see their pets in the front yard. BTW, any of these can serve as wonderful conversation topics with students. You gain so much authentic perspective. You create a positive memory. They will remember you riding the bus with them for a long time. I often get stopped in the hallway students referencing our rides together.

I heard Ron Clark say once that all teachers are going to Heaven. I think the same is also true for bus drivers. They deserve a pass to the front of the line at the Pearly Gates! Peter probably ushers them in through a special gate. Is there a more important job in schools? They bring students to and from school. They are in charge of their safety for the journey to and from school. Parents place their kid's lives in their hands on a daily basis. These folks don't get rain passes. They can't stay at home because its Siberia-cold outside. They go to bed early so they can crank their buses at Zero Dark Thirty. It can be really a thankless job. Too often they only hear negative feedback. Do something about that. Bus drivers are the first and last school employees kids see each day. Please take the time to thank a bus driver for what they do! Its an act of love and duty. 

So to all of my fellow educators, I challenge you to....Ride a bus. Support a bus driver. Connect with kids. Make a memory. Gain some perspective. Go ahead, get out there and be awesome!