When #Oneword Comes Alongside Others

Many educators began the year thinking of one word that would best describe their hopes and dreams for 2016. This #oneword or #oneword2016 movement brought many ideas and dreams together. Yet, while one word is powerful, what would happen if many #oneword representations came together? What would happen if ideas were shared, support and accountability was offered, and honesty as well as transparency was created?

Believe. This is the word I chose to represent 2016 for me.

I am a planner. I love to think ahead, think globally, and see the big picture. Yet, I move quickly and have a tendency to wish changes could occur at a much faster pace than the reality I usually find myself in is capable of. Planning while pacing are two key ingredients to success that must work together. I have found time and time again that life happens when I am busy making plans. In education, when there are minds and futures on the line, we can’t afford to let this become the norm. In essence, I must believe.

I must believe in the collaboratively designed plan for student success. I must believe in the campus leaders, teachers, students, and families. I must believe in the process, believe in the work we are doing, and believe that success will come as a team, not individually.

I must believe.

Imagine however, what would happen if each person I work with each day knew my one word goal, and I knew theirs? What would happen if every teacher, every person on one campus was open and willing to share their personal goal for 2016...would it bring us together? Would it provide a voice for every person? A shared accountability? A vision of an amazing year to come?

This year I challenged my campus to join me in sharing their personal #oneword challenge. The idea was simple really...Write it down, post it, and let’s see what happens.

As I write these words I am sitting alone in our staff lounge, staring at the bulletin board in front of me. I am taking my time as I look at each word, carefully. It’s amazing the words that jump off the board - all encompassing words like Trust, Patience, Respect and Integrity...repetitive words shared by others like Perseverance, Faith, Love, and Hope...Plus many more...words that represent personal goals, God, joy and change.

While each word represents a different challenge, a new meaning, or a personal goal, I can’t help but notice how well everything seems to go together. Just as each person brings a different and wonderful uniqueness to our team, so does each of these words to the board in front of me.

I can’t help but imagine what this place could feel like each day if each person were to live out…truly embrace...the one word he or she selected. What would happen if people lived lives of integrity each day? Strived to trust others? Showed love even when it isn’t easy? What would happen if peace, love and respect were norms? Inspiration and healing was everywhere? What would happen if we were grateful for the little things and were patient when things got hard? What would happen if we were completely devoted to each other and our students? What would happen if we found strength in the hard times, and a grateful heart after each successful moment? What would happen….

As I get ready to turn away from the words in front of me, I remind myself to remember this moment. Remember this day. Remember the words that carry so much meaning. I look to the left hand side, and there is my word...believe.

I must believe in the heart of each person who took a risk and wrote down a word. I must believe that together, as a staff - dare I say family - anything is possible. All it takes is one word, one day at a time, together.

Here is to 2016. A year I hope is nothing short of...well, the words written down by the most wonderful, dedicated, and amazing people I know.

To Be A Great Teacher....

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.

I am not sure when I made that decision. The story has changed so many times in my mind…was it because of the good moments growing up? Moments like Mrs. Shiffner who taught me to never give up, or Mr. Benzo who found a way to bring humor to almost any subject…Mrs. Griffith, the one and only teacher who ever sent me to the principal’s office, yet offered grace when I returned. Was it a teacher? A single moment?

The fact of the matter is it was all of those teachers, and many others. It was also because of the difficult moments growing up… I wanted to become a teacher so other students wouldn’t get ignored, passed along, or unprotected when being ridiculed and left on the outside looking in just as I had been. I wanted to become a teacher to build self-efficacy in others, create an educational foundation that could last a lifetime, or offer compassion and grace when a student continued to make bad choices…instead of being a teacher who simply gave up with the signing of an office pass.

I volunteered as a teenager in youth ministry and took early education classes in high school. I went to college with teaching as the one and only plan, and worked hard to get volunteer/observation hours in all grade levels K-6 because I planned to be an elementary teacher. After all, those were the things I thought you were supposed to do to become a teacher, and as I stated before…I always knew I wanted to be one.

I graduated, and with degree in hand I began my journey as a classroom teacher. It took only one week of my first year of teaching to realize something…being a teacher is one thing, being a great teacher? Well, that is on an entirely different level.

I could pass as a teacher pretty easily without even coming close to being great. After all, all one would really need to do is pass out a textbook, tell students to turn to page 13, ask them to read the next three pages and then answer the five culminating questions at the end. Keep the room quite, grade the scores when done. Boom…there you have it – a teacher. My boss could walk by and see kids on task through the small window in my door, and as long as the grades were good most of the parents and students would be happy enough. How do I know? I have had this teacher, I have seen this teacher…I have been this teacher. It was the first week, of my first year, and it was the only time since.

To be a great teacher…now that was the right target, yet I never knew it existed. I don’t remember seeing a textbook on it in college…didn’t read about it in an article, or hear about it in a lecture. I studied the content, I learned how to manage a room, set expectations, and plan a lesson that would end with an appropriate assessment. I took a state test on content, and was given a certificate that said I was ready to change the world one student at a time. Now to be fair, that might have always been the goal of my professors and published authors…but somehow, the idea of a great teacher passed me by.

Five days. Five days of “Turn here, read this, answer that, be quiet and pay attention.”

While I don’t pretend to be the expert on all things education. While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, make all the right decisions, and never make a mistake. While I don’t pretend to see the next educational trend around the corner or have a program for all students. While I can’t offer any of those things, I can offer this…what I believe it takes to be a great teacher. While I never had this down perfectly, this is what I strive for:

Great teachers never give up, and never stop believing in the kids in their classroom. They understand a child’s worth is not measured by the letter grade next to his name, because they believe in focusing on the process of learning, and the power of the one word question… Why? Great teachers understand that learning is an ongoing process, and the team of people they work with are there to ensure every student’s success.

Great teachers are not afraid to be honest and transparent with their students. They are willing to take risks in the name of learning, and understand that a child’s education is invaluable. Therefore, are willing to push beyond bubbling letters and comprehending textbook material. Great teachers understand that an education is the key to a child’s future success, and so they never take learning lightly.

Great teachers understand it’s not about them, nor is it about presenting on stage to open ears ready to hear. They know it’s about the students in the seats, and the minds in front of them needing to be pushed to the greatest extent possible, even if that means it’s a different approach for every child in the room. Great teachers understand it’s not about a 40 hour work week, but however many hours it takes to ensure that every child’s education is created and individualized just for him or her. They understand the charge that comes with students in their classrooms needing to learn something new each day, and I assure you, it is quite a heavy responsibility.

Great teachers know education is about self-efficacy and self-esteem. It’s about risk taking and idea sharing. It’s about students coming to school every day excited because they don’t know what their teachers are going to be sharing with them that day. It’s the excitement that comes when learning is authentic and purposeful. Great teachers allow students to have ownership over their learning, and provide students with the opportunity to ask why, even at the risk of the teacher not knowing the answer. Great teachers believe it’s not about knowing all the answers, but knowing how to ask the right questions.

Great teachers can motivate the uninterested and challenge the student whose learning always comes far too easily. They know how to pick up a student when he loses hope, and is willing to take the tangent when the discussion provides a new untraveled and unplanned road. Great teachers are student focused and team driven. Great teachers, the very best…teach not only with their minds, but with their hearts.

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. But today? I want to be great…Because our students, every one of them, deserve nothing less than great.

Dear Students...

Dear Students...

You may not realize this, but the reason we come to school each day...your principal, your assistant principal(s), your teachers, your counselors, your paraprofessionals, your custodians...is because of you. We wake up early, stay late, and study hard just for you. We talk about and plan for your success, your goals, and your aspirations. We talk about your future, our belief in you, and the fact that you matter and will make a difference. We work hard to plan activities and a curriculum that is customized to your needs, even though it is extremely challenging for us. We love you, we respect you, and we give all we can each day so you can be successful.

Dear Students…

We see you hiding in the back of the room, don’t think we don’t...We know school doesn’t come easy, and we know you come to school hungry, tired, and desperately needing support. We know some of you leave school and go to work to support your family, we know that many of you are homeless, coming to your fifth school in three years, or are far more focused on surviving....let alone trying to pass the class. But guess what? We won’t let you fall, we won’t give up on you, and we will never stop believing in you.

Need food? We can get that for you. Need help? We are ready to support you. Need someone to hear you? Listen to you? Guide you? Provide school supplies? Counseling? Technology? Access to the whole world? Yup...we can do all of that too.

Don’t see a future? We do, and it is one where you are successful, impactful, and is a future filled with stories of perseverance, challenges conquered, and a life worth living.

Dear Students…

We see you getting all A+ grades without even trying. We know school comes easily for you…We know you are bored, and are even willing to get in trouble just to change the pace of the day. We have challenges ready for you, we have a plan for you...here is the truth, we want you to grow and be challenged just as much as the student who is struggling next to you. Are you ready? Are you willing to fail? Are you willing to focus on the process instead of just the results?

Here is the truth for all of our A+ students...while we are proud of the effort, the grades, and the success...we want more for you. We want you to feel challenged, pushed instructionally, and feel you are learning something new each and every day. So much so, we would bet every teacher you have ever had, if given the choice, would trade your A+ grades for a new learning moment each day...in the end...we are hoping for both.

Dear Students…

We know you are stressed. We know the pressure to be the best is always on your shoulders...perfect grades, honor roll, class rank… We know you want to do it all, but please don’t forget that you are only a student for one season of life. You will blink and graduate elementary school, blink again...high school, and before you know it, college.

Working hard is a great thing, getting great grades is a great thing, trying to be the best is a great thing… Just remember this: It’s not the ONLY thing. You matter. You have purpose. You make a difference, whether at the top of your class or not, you can be successful, and make the world a better place.

Dear Students…

We are not perfect. Believe it or not...we are only human. There are times we won’t understand what you are wanting us to hear. There are times we may seem tired, may seem exasperated, may even seem a little lost… Here is the truth, we - the educators in your life - work hard to look like we have all the answers, have it all together, but in the end...well, we want you to own your learning. We want you to take responsibility and join us on the journey to your educational success. We will always be prepared, always ready to welcome you at the classroom door, always ready to give you our best lesson...but, you need to be ready to learn something new.

Dear Students…

As you grow up, as you go out and change the world, cure diseases, become teachers, athletes, mechanics, engineers, architects, nurses, lawyers, firefighters, police officers, counselors, graphic designers, store managers, food servers, veterinarias, custodians, web designers and so much more...don’t forget us. Don’t forget we believed in you even when you struggled, and we knew that one day you would do great things.

Thank you for giving us a chance to watch you grow, watch you learn, and watch you become the amazing person you are today. We might have only been a small piece of your journey, but we are so proud to have been a part of the ride.

Sincerely,

Well, you know who we are…

The educators who are so very proud of you!

The Problem with Soapboxes

I love a good soapbox - there is nothing like going off on a tangent for a long time as passion builds and frustration kicks in because you KNOW what you are saying is right, and anyone not following your belief is clearly off the mark.

I have a great soapbox for all types of topics...Library vs. Learning Commons, makerspace, special education, curriculum, planning, student support, family support, team support, and on, and on, and on…

It's funny how quickly a soapbox can kick in as well, and it doesn’t take much...don’t believe me? Go up to any teacher and say this: “I think teachers are overpaid babysitters.” --- Then sit back and wait, trust me, a soapbox lesson will shortly follow.

I was talking with a parent the other day and she pitched me a soft ball right over the plate when I thought she said…”You know, I think the problem in education is kids just can’t learn these days, everything is just handed to them so they don’t know how.”

I couldn’t help myself...I couldn't just leave a statement like that sitting out there, so I respectfully disagreed with a 10 minutes soapbox speech that would be been up for an Academy Award had it been filmed. I made my point, the parent seemed to agree with my thoughts.

We finished our, admittedly, one sided discussion, and as she left she said this: “I love how passionate you are about these kids, maybe parents giving kids everything these days isn't the problem.”

I sat there, silent. Wait a minute, I just gave this lady a phenomenal soapbox speech about why kids can learn. I thought we were debating the idea that kids today can’t learn...not questioning parenting today. I ran back through the conversation in my mind and realized I made a mistake. What I chose to hear was, ”You know, I think the problem in education is kids just can’t learn these days, everything is just handed to them so they don’t know how.” Yet, what she said was,“You know, I think the problem in education is kids just can’t learn to do things on their own, everything is just handed to them by their parents so they just don’t seem to know how.”

Slight difference, she was sharing her thoughts on parenting today, yet got a friendly lecture from me about why our kids can learn.

Soapboxes are driven by passion, by beliefs so strongly rooted that we often find reasons to share these thoughts. Truth be told, until that moment I never saw anything wrong with a good soapbox. But I decided to do an experiment…

I asked 10 teachers what their biggest soapbox topics were - Admittedly, I did ask people who I knew may have different opinions - something very interesting happened as they were as follows :

Teacher 1: Special education students need to be in the general education setting at all times

Teacher 2: Special education students need settings and supports built for their specific needs

Teacher 3: Departmentalizing elementary is key to student success

Teacher 4: Non-Departmentalized schools are most effective

Teacher 5: Students must have choice in order to have ownership

Teacher 6: Problem based learning is the future of education

Teacher 7: Everything in education is cyclical, keep doing the same thing long enough and you are doing the right thing again

Teacher 8: Change in education is vital to student success

Teacher 9: Instructional technology is the fastest growing, and most important, part of education today

Teacher 10: Technology is nice, but nothing is more important than a paper book and a great teacher

It doesn’t take long to notice a glaring issue...Not all soapboxes match.

For most people, when it comes to sharing a soapbox moment the mouth moves and the mind turns off. Look back to the example I shared above, I spent 10 minutes talking about why kids can learn, yet never did I stop, think, or even reflect on the actual conversation/comment. Soapboxes are usually created on core beliefs, beliefs we will fight for, argue for, and stand for. Yet, for me, when a soapbox begins, the learning stops.

The learning stops...that is the problem with soapboxes. In the world of education things change constantly - in order to truly be a successful educator, you need to be learning constantly. In essence, if you want to have a soapbox, it needs to be fluid.

Look at the examples above...I have a counter soapbox speech for at least half.

Maybe, for those of us with soapboxes loaded and ready, we need to step off the soapbox and shift to a seated conversation. After all, if our goal is to be successful educators, and we know we need to learn constantly, we might as well listen and share, as opposed to lecture and stand.

Full circle...think back to my parent moment...what if, after she said: “You know, I think the problem in education is kids just can’t learn to do things on their own, everything is just handed to them by their parents so they just don’t seem to know how.”

I simply responded with - “I think you make an interesting point...let’s talk about that more.”

Imagine what I might have learned...

How Do We Reach All Students?

It’s 1:13 a.m.

I’m lying in bed and watching the blades of my ceiling fan spin.

As my eyes rotate with the fan the same question continues to repeat itself in my mind...How?

As a campus principal, how do I ensure we are reaching the entire student body? How do we create an educational experience that is individualized to the needs of every child?

There are only so many hours in a day for a teacher...in those hours they have to plan, assess, analyze, manage, support, care for, adjust, change, create, and ensure every child gets what he or she needs. So much to do, so little time.

It’s 1:17 a.m.

I am sitting on the edge of my bed staring at the clock in front of me...thinking...thinking… How? What’s the answer? How do we reach every single child?

Is the answer programs? A one-size-fits-all program?

No, would never work. Our kids range from non-readers to gifted and talented all in the same room. There isn’t one program that will reach every child…

Maybe if I change the schedule, maybe if I change the routine, maybe if I can grow our parental involvement, maybe if we adjust our positive behavioral supports...maybe...

It’s 1:21 a.m.

I am now pacing back and forth as the faces of my teachers begin to flash across my mind’s eye. Classroom, special education, specialists...The faces of the amazing people who are working so hard each day to try and answer the questions that keep me up at night. The people who give everything they have...every single day, to each other, their kids, and to me.

The truth of the matter reaches me in the early morning hours...there is only one answer to the question: How do we create an educational experience that is individualized to the needs of every child? That answer...love, support, and trust my outstanding teachers.

I could create the best schedule, invite the most parents, buy the most expensive software, even provide the best professional development money could buy - all good things...yet, if my teachers are not successful, if my teachers aren’t willing to take risks in the name of reaching everyone, if my teachers aren’t willing to plan effectively...well, than in the end every child won’t be successful.

Love, support, trust - repeat. These are the key ingredients to the question that keeps me up at night…

This is my second year of being a principal - I have made mistakes and have taken risks… For some, this would be seen as a recipe for disaster. Yet, I work with a community of teachers that all share the same passion and the same desire...we want our kids to be successful.

Love. I tell my teachers I love them. That’s right, I said it...love. We don’t hear that often in education. Well, actually we do, all the time...we hear it in classrooms all over. Our teachers tell their students they are loved, they are cared for, they matter. Why shouldn’t teachers receive the same sentiment back? The parallel couldn't be more perfect...as much as my teachers love their kids, I love them.

Support. From supporting the risk a teacher wants to take, to providing that much-needed professional development, support comes in many different forms. Regardless of how it is provided, our teachers need to know they are supported. I have their back, I am in their corner, and I want the best for them. I might raise the bar high, but I will help them reach it in anyway I can.

Trust. In all honesty this is the hardest one for me. For a long time I lived by the idea: I will trust you once you show me I can. This of course means I didn’t trust anyone at first...in essence, a recipe for a negative school culture. It was my first year in administration, in middle school no less, when my principal modeled and demonstrated something I have tried so hard to embody. She gave trust freely, and it stayed there until proven no longer possible. It was the opposite of what I knew, yet was the most freeing idea that I have come to believe in. I trust my teachers, all of them. I trust they are here for our kids, trust they are doing all they can, and trust they understand they are an important part of something larger than themselves.

It’s 1:32 a.m.

I lay back down - close my eyes, and for the first time, in a long time, I am able to sleep.

More Than Title

I have a great friend who doesn’t work in the field of education, yet loves to stay on top of what is happening in schools today. While he lives in the business world, he understands the importance of the educational one. For the last several years, every time we get together he throws out several questions that are complex in nature, and always underlined with the need for more opinions that factual evidence/data. Questions like: Why do you think our educational system needs to change? Why it is that schools in this city outperform those of the surrounding cities? What is school culture? Why do I keep reading that teachers are leaving the profession faster than ever? What does great teaching look like? Etc…

Educators are funny - whether we are at school or not, we can’t help but enjoy a great conversation about what we do. Yet...it was my most recent conversation with my friend that hit me to the core...it all started with this question: “How do I make sure my child isn’t going to be attending a Title 1 campus?”

My response: “Why do you ask that?”

My friend answered: “Everyone knows that Title schools are the bad ones.”

Before I move on let me make one thing clear --- I am a proud principal of a Title 1 school, my kids are amazing, my teachers are outstanding, my community is my second family...and we are more than “Title” ---

For those who are not sure what makes a school Title 1….Here it is: 40% or more of the student population qualify for free or reduced lunch/come from low income families.

That’s it...the only qualifier, yet somehow...in the minds of many...Title 1 means: A school with families that don’t care about their children’s education, kids that misbehave/bully/fight, sub-par educators that don’t really care about kids, lack of parent involvement, lack of community support, lack of ability, and an overall horrible place to go to school. I have to ask...Why is this?

Here is what I know - here is what I believe - The amount of money a family makes does not dictate the level of care or support they offer. The amount of money does not dictate what a child can or can’t do. More money does not translate to more love, more desire, or more ability.

Let’s be honest: Title 1 schools do have challenges - In fact, according to the Marzano Center the three largest challenges facing Title 1 schools are the following: RTI interventions are not sufficient to prepare struggling students for college and careers, new standards require whole-school alignment, and lagging indicators of student achievement are too little, too late.

Bright Hub Education suggest teachers in Title 1 schools face students with multiple distractions. They point out that some students are working part time jobs to support their families, are facing real world challenges, may feel it is impossible to break the chain of events they see in life, know someone in jail, use food stamps to buy food, often go hungry, or lack parental support thus requiring the teacher to often act as a cheerleader or confidant.

There is no question there are challenges in education, and that many students from Title 1 campuses do come with less than those in more affluent situations. There are heart-breaking stories, families just trying to get by, parents working multiple jobs thus missing time with their children, as well as family members at home unable to read/write.

Yet, in the end...regardless of the struggles, regardless of the challenges, remember this….we are more than Title. The response “Everyone knows that Title schools are the bad ones” breaks my heart. There isn’t a soapbox large enough to support my belief that Title 1 or no, our kids are amazing, our teachers are nothing short of phenomenal, and our community is one built on the belief that we are all in this together.

So to anyone with the same question as my friend, let me be clear. The decision to have your children attend your local school should not be based on whether or not it happens to be Title 1. Visit the school, talk to the community, contact the principal, and be ready to learn about the amazing things that are happening...because I assure you - this country is filled with schools that are much more than Title.

A Post for Sharing

I simply wanted to share: http://www.niusileadscape.org/docs/ChangingtheOdds.pdf

Above is a Changing the Odds issue by Bryan Goodwin