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.