Imagine...What If Our Students Believed In Themselves The Way We Believe In Them

I stopped by to check in on a third grade student who had been having a rough start to his week. Great kid, big heart, but is a student many would consider a frequent flyer to the office.

I met with his teacher earlier that day, and received the great news that he was really doing well, and was giving each assignment his very best. So when I stopped by right before recess I was grinning from ear to ear…”Buddy, I am so proud of you! We have to celebrate your day, how would you like to celebrate?”

He looked at me, smiled, and yelled with confidence oozing: “I want to take you down at basketball!”

I laughed and said, “Alright buddy, game on.”

We began to walk towards my office to get my basketball...because every principal has a basketball in his/her office...and as we took each step I heard this young man say things like: “Oh Mr. Steele, I am going to juke you so bad. Oh Mr. Steele, you have no chance, I got game, I can make any shot from any spot on the court. You have no chance, I’m young and your old. Your cool Mr. Steele, but I got this!”

Like any mature adult I responded appropriately by saying, “Man, you are going down! You have no chance, this old guy will be schooling you all over the court.”

We grabbed the ball, ran outside, and naturally he started with the ball. He dribbled back and forth, through his legs, all the while saying, “You have no chance Mr. Steele, you are doing down, get ready, I am about to juke you so bad! You are old and I have game...”

He faked to the left, was about to dribble to the right, when I stuck out my hand, stole the ball, turned around past the three point line and shot. To my amazement it went in, all net. “Well how about that? I guess this old man still has some game left!”

His body language changed immediately. His shoulders slumped over, he grabbed the ball, threw it towards the field, and with a tear in his eye said, “I suck, I can’t win, I am horrible at basketball. You win Mr. Steele, let’s go inside.”

...

Let me stop with this story right there… We need to pause, we need to think...what just happened? This third grade student had many different possibilities to choose from as a reaction to my three-point-shot after the steal: He could have congratulated me on the shot, said I got lucky and continued with the trash talk, grabbed the ball and tried again, even admitted that maybe I wasn’t as bad as he thought. Yet none of those options were chosen. What was? Instant defeat…Why was this? How did a student go from total confidence to complete defeat within five seconds? What just happened?

If we are honest, what happened with that young man is the same thing that happens in our classrooms all the time. A task seems too difficult, and so instead of trying, many students give up. Why is this?

Imagine I asked you, a grown adult, to read the following sentence: O juuuwidlg alkiffdas lkasgjijl askljsdifhg qeyyyews uyyysdfkn jh asdkfljkjasdf.

You look at it, and as an adult you are not afraid to ask for help. After all, you have been around a while, you know how to read, so you simply ask, “Hey Ryan, can you help me here? I don’t even think this is a sentence...”

I smile and say, “Of course! It is absolutely a sentence, notice the capital letter at the front and punctuation at the end. You can do this, please try harder.”

You look at it closely again…”Yeah, I don’t know.”

”What do you mean you don’t know? Surely you know the alphabet, surely you know what each letter is. Sound it out! Try harder.”

You look at each letter in the second word and try to sound them out, “J--uuuu-w-i-d--llll-g. I don’t know what it means!”

I walk over to you, read the word aloud, and then ask you, “How hard can that be? The first word obviously means to lay on your stomach and crawl using your forearms. Here is a picture of what this word looks like. Now read the rest.”

You try, but just don’t understand. Imagine I give you another sentence, and then another, and then after reading it out loud to you, I give you a test based on a story written in the same fashion, and you have 30 minutes to read that story and take a test. What do you do? If you are honest, odds are you wouldn’t even try...and that’s after failing to read the new text a few times.

Now imagine you are a student, and you were well behind in kindergarten...always in the red group, always being pulled out of class. You were given vision tests and sat in meetings with your parents, and heard about your potential, but still….to the red group you go. You struggled in first, and second, and every day in third. For four years you had teachers that loved you, parents that love you, but the work has always been hard. You have spent your entire young life feeling like a failure. Feeling like you aren’t smart enough, good enough, talented enough… Eventually, and for some this moment comes much sooner than for others, you realize something...you can’t do it, so why even try?

I have sat with teachers and parents so angry with a child, so angry at his or her unwillingness to try, saying things like he just doesn't want to. She’s not willing to take on the challenge. He’s not willing to be successful.

Here is the thing...There is a big difference between a challenge and a wall just too tall to climb. There is a big difference between not wanting to and feeling unable to. Children are smart, they are only human, and I have never met anyone who enjoys feeling like a failure. There are many students I have worked with, even adults, that are motivated by a challenge...heck, I am one of those people...If the task is difficult I am engaged, however, my engagement comes from a place of past success, not failure. Whether its academics, sports, or even life, if you are never successful, if you never get a chance to experience achievement, why would you believe you could?

If only our kids could see themselves as we see them. If only our students could believe in themselves the way we believe in them. As educators, we strive to give our students everything we can to ensure their success. We work countless hours, spend time looking at data and planning for each child. We unapologetically desire for each child to have the best future possible, and strive to challenge each and every student along the way. Yet we can’t forget this one important thing...Not every child sees themselves the way we do. Not every child wakes up believing they can, believing today is the day they break through the struggle. Today is the day they concur that math test, take down that reading passage, finally sit with a friend at lunch.

We have to stop and remember that we need to constantly tell our students we love and believe in them. Stop and show them we care, and give them opportunities to experience successful moments, no matter how small it may seem. Building self-efficacy is a vital part of what we do, and what we are called to do as educators.

...

I ran over to the field next to the basketball hoop and grabbed the ball. I placed it on the ground in front of the student with a tear in his eye. “Here is what I know...I might be old, but I promise 33 isn’t as old as you might think when it comes to playing sports… I have been playing basketball for much longer than you have been alive and I am two feet taller than you...but guess what? None of that matters, because you are clearly pretty good, and the student I know may not win, but he is going to go down giving it all hes got. So...you going to try and teach me a thing or two or what?”

He smiled, picked up the ball, and said “You are going down!”

Imagine if our students saw themselves the way we do...Imagine if they believed in themselves the way we believe in them. Maybe, just maybe, they would have the courage to take a risk, keep trying, and find the success they so desperately crave, instead of giving up the second a task feels impossible. It’s our job to remind them of who they are to us, why the sky's the limit, and why they can truly conquer the challenges ahead...and one day...who knows...they might just start to believe in themselves the way we do already.

The Need to Unplug and Be Completely Present

Balance.

It is amazing just how difficult it is to find balance in the life of an educator. I am sure many people within many different professions struggle with this as well, yet in the educational world I live in...the search for balance is often elusive and distant.

Why is this? Why it is so hard to be able to balance faith, family, friendships and work?

Here is what I know...the answer to finding balance is not time. After all, if given the ability to structure our days around what is most important, the day for many would look like this: Time in our faith would take the largest portion, family next, then friendships, and finally work. Yet for most of us, work takes the largest amount of our time, and for those in education, it’s extremely hard to shut down at the end of the day. The reality for most of us is that trying to use time to find balance just isn’t possible.

So how can we find balance? How do we find the ability to truly focus on what is most important, while still making the best impact possible on our students and school community? For me, what I am learning is that it takes two things: The need to Unplug and Be Completely Present.

Why is it so difficult to unplug from our devices? Why is it so hard to turn them off? Even for just a little while…The next time you go out to dinner look around. The next time you are at the mall, while driving, heck - even a sporting event, look around...what will you see? Faces, lots of them, looking down at the devices in their hands. It is not that uncommon to see a family of four, all out to dinner, all looking down at their own personal devices. Yet it's not just at home, for many, our devises are beginning to find their way into the classroom, while on a school duty such as recess or lunch, or even when our kids are silently reading.

In a world where we can’t find balance, can’t find time to focus on what is most important, it’s amazing how much time we spend plugged into the digital world, but not the physical world around us.

It would not be uncommon for me to leave work, come home, make dinner, and even before dinner is over with my family, have my phone out checking emails, checking voicemails, just to make sure everything is alright. Then in the playroom with my children, checking ESPN scores, Twitter, Voxer or Facebook...all the while missing the opportunity to plug into my family, and unplug from my device.

Let me be clear, I am not stating that our devices are evil. That Twitter, Voxer, Facebook, or anything else is the problem with society. In fact, I have learned more, and made stronger connections with educators, because of these tools, not in spite of them. However, when trying to find balance in life, when trying to find a way to stay connected to what is most important, there is no doubting a need to unplug, even for a little while.

Yet, unplugging is only the first step, the second can be even harder...being completely present.

Here is the challenge: In each moment, whether at work or at home, with friends or with family, be fully present. Give each moment the undivided attention it deserves, and don’t allow outside thoughts or pressures to enter your mind. For me, that is one very heavy challenge, and one that is not easily accomplished. My mind is always racing, and all it takes is something shiny, or a squirrel, to get me off track, yet it’s a challenge I take very seriously.

I wish there was a way to turn off my brain. A simple switch I could flip that could take all the stress, all the anxiety, all the problems, and just make them stop running through my mind once I left school. Of course, life doesn’t work that way, so in order to be completely present in the moments I am gifted, I need to be diligent and intentional with my thoughts and actions. Whether it is praying to my Savior, reading the word, playing with my daughters, talking with my wife, or visiting with a friend - my attention needs to belong to that moment. A concern can wait, I can return that email the next day, and worrying about something has never made things easier in the end.

Of course, being fully present at school can also be challenging. After all, how many times has your mind wondered while at the teacher table hearing the same story for the fifth time? While going over an assignment? While watching that historical background video for the upcoming unit? I often wonder how many opportunities I missed as a teacher because I failed to be fully present in each moment. Relationships are so vital in our profession, and our students need to believe that when they are with us, they have our undivided attention. The same of course goes for our teammates and partners...how many times have you failed to look up from your email when someone comes to ask a question? How many times have you expertly said things like "Uh huh, yeah, totally" yet failed to comprehend a word they were saying because honestly you just don't want to make time to listen? We are all busy, but here's the thing...doesn't giving our undivided attention completely represent how much we actually care? I would argue that it does...

Unplug and be present...two things that are beginning to create balance in my life. Life is amazingly short, and time will never be on my side, but if I can fully commit my attention to each moment...well, then I might just find some resemblance of balance after all.

Assuming the Positive and Building Your Team

Why is it so difficult at times to assume the positive? Why is it so difficult at times to not make or take things personally? Assuming the negative, assuming ulterior motives, or assuming a personal attack can be crippling to an educator. Yet it happens all the time. So here is the question...how do we protect ourselves from this mindset?

I truly believe the biggest mistake we can make as educators is to make or take things personally. To use our skewed perception to create drama within the campus, or to take our past hurts or failing moments and place that history onto a new situation that started out to be pure.

It has almost become cliche...the idea that relationships are important. Yet creating authentic relationships with the people you work closely with is vital to our success. Vital to our emotional well being, and vital to creating the work-life balance we need to continue forward for many years to come.

How do we protect ourselves from assuming the negative? I think one key component is by surrounding ourselves with those who know us, and those that can reflect back our reactions in a positive, yet honest way.

As a principal, I have quickly learned that in order to fight the temptation to take things personally, in order to fight the temptation to view difficult situations with a negative light, in order to assume the positive and not the negative, I need a team around me that knows me well. A team that can offer support and transparency as the year progresses, and can look at situations from the outside and offer a viewpoint that removes the negative assumption I might make. Building your team is a crucial component of success on any level. For me, that team is my assistant principal and counselors. Together we plan, reflect, support, and have fun. We collaborate, build-up, and carry each other’s burdens. We are a tight group, built on transparency and authentic admiration and appreciation. They are the team I rely on, spend valuable time with, and trust to help guide my thoughts in a positive manner.

Students, parents, colleagues...All three groups of people can create friction and challenges in the life of an educator. Situations occur daily...a frustrated email from a parent, a student that refuses to respond to redirection, a colleague that you just don’t see eye-to-eye with...situations, that if we are not careful, can open the door to assuming the negative or to take things personally.

When frustration occurs, or when our own baggage begins to skew our perspective, your team can provide insight in challenging situations: A frustrated parent email, while at first might have felt hurtful or taken as a personal attack, could easily be a parent upset with a situation that affects their child, their most precious thing on earth, and that angry email is not about the teacher, but about a difficult situation. A teacher might assume the negative, assume a personal attack, yet a teammate who knows you well might be able to offer insight you desperately need.

A student that refuses to respond, refuses to work, could quickly feel like a personal attack. Assuming the negative about this student could happen, and frustration can take over. Flashbacks of that year you had that one student that pushed every button you had, and made things so difficult all year begin to creep into your mind. Self-doubt, frustration, going home angry, and beginning to start thinking about other careers might enter your mind… When these trying times occur, it’s those closest to you, your team, that can offer insight and deflect the negative assumptions. There are hundreds of reasons a student refuses to work, rarely is it personal. Rarely is the child wanting to fail, wanting to be in trouble, wanting to create a divide between himself and the teacher. It’s an outside perspective, a team that knows you, that can help shift the focus from personal and negative, to a need for support and love for a child.

In case you forgot...Colleagues are human. As humans, perfection doesn't exist….Mistakes happen, frustration can occur, especially in a school setting where the stakes are high, and emotions are often tied to the work we do each day. If a school is going to be successful, there just isn’t room for drama, and I truly believe that 99% of the time drama enters the workplace is because of negative assumptions. It’s the baggage we carry that often dictates our perception. It’s a broken world perspective that often shapes our viewpoint. When others hurt our feelings, make mistakes, or disagree with us, it is often those within our team that can help refocus our perception. Our teammates can see the positive view, and begin to bridge the gap that can be created when our baggage clouds our vision.

Imagine for a minute, what would your school be like if everyone assumed the positive in people. Imagine if people viewed relationships as genuine partnerships and friendships, not constant manipulative moves where each person is trying to get something from someone else.

My wife and I have been marriage mentors several times for our church. The advice I always offered, to every potential spouse was this… Strive to give 100% of everything you have to the person you love, and expect nothing back in return. In essence, give everything you have to someone, and require nothing back as payment. What would happen if our teams worked this way? What would happen if we assumed the best in people, gave our colleagues our full attention and effort, and required nothing back in return?

The challenge: Assume the positive in all situations.

The support: The team you build around you. The people you love and appreciate. The people you spend most of your time with. The people that can offer a positive perspective.

My team is my AP and counselors - They are my rock, my confidants, and the people I trust explicitly. Who are your teammates? Do they offer the positive? Do you give them everything you can and expect nothing in return?

If nothing else...it’s at least something to think about.

YOU Are More Than Enough

Am I enough?

Do I possess enough information? Have I learned enough? Will my team see through my insecurities? Will my students? Will my principal support me when I fall? Am I enough….

It’s amazing the thoughts that ran through my head as a teacher, and if I am honest, even today. I would bet any educator reading this could at the very least empathize with those questions...especially this one: Am I enough?

The weight that comes with being in education is heavy. It doesn’t matter the role you play either...administrator, counselor, teacher, assistant, district leader or support staff...it makes no difference, the weight is there. Why? Simply put, we are in the business of teaching children. The business of saving lives, providing hope, building a future, and instilling the foundation needed for a lifetime of success.

Unlike many professions, educators go to work each day with an understanding that lives are in the balance. For a moment, start thinking about the abilities a classroom teacher must posses in order to be successful… Here are just a few: Ability to build relationships, understand and transfer knowledge, teach a child how to read, write, add, subtract, think, empathize, line up, tie their shoes, follow directions, take turns, communicate, learn from mistakes, find meaning, and process new information, and by the way...there is so much more!

Before the year started I was having coffee with a friend of mine and he said the comment that I have heard countless times, “Must be so great being a teacher, I mean think about it...you barely work half the year, and the kids leave before three, could there be an easier job?”

I responded the way I always do, I smiled and said something like this, “Imagine yourself in a room with 22 children. Two of those children didn’t get to eat this morning, and their stomachs are churning like crazy, they hurt, and that is all they can think about. One student struggles to focus on anything for longer than ten seconds, and prefers to move around whether you are comfortable with that or not. One student didn’t sleep well last night because she was up listening to her parents fighting in the other room and now her eyelids won’t stay open and her mind won’t stop worrying. Five of your students already know what you are required to teach today, and once you start they will find something to keep themselves entertained, but it will be disruptive for the others. One student is going to get pulled for special education support, but don’t forget because you will need to make sure he hears and understands the lesson. Two of your students got into an argument before the day started, they sit next to each other, and neither are ready to stop arguing. Four of your students are not able to read, but today’s lesson is built around a third grade reading passage. One of your students was in same grade last year, and already received this lesson and struggled. Two of your students won’t stop asking to go to the bathroom, one because he wants to get away from the challenge, and the other because he just can’t help it. The other three students are sitting quietly ready to learn, but all three are going to ask countless questions throughout the lesson...Now imagine your learning objective from the state says: Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text, and provide evidence from text to support their understanding...what would you do to make sure every single child is successful? Oh, and that is one of eight lessons for the day.”

My friend, who is a brilliant engineer, smiled and said, “Alright, I get it, it’s not easy.”

It’s not easy, far from it. Every day educators return to work, ready to give everything they have to the children they love dearly, but the question that often forms in the minds of many remains...am I enough?

The answer: Absolutely. To all educators, regardless of the title you hold or school you work in, understand this: YOU are more than enough.

When doubt begins to creep in, or the weight begins to press down on your shoulders. When more challenges than solutions start to appear, or the wisdom you need hasn’t been gained yet...remember these three things:

1. You are only human... Give yourself permission to fail, to not be perfect, and to be scared or confused. Give yourself permission to not have all the answers and remember that in time you will. While accepting that mistakes may happen is often difficult, it is also necessary. I will be the first person to admit this is hard for me, when I fail, I fail hard. When I struggle, I feel it deeply. Yet I am not alone in this, many of us want to be everything for everyone, to make all the right choices, and truly hurt when we fail to do so. Yet in the end we are only human, and if we fail to understand this... burning out can find its way on the table as a solution.

2. Keep your heart in the right place... In education your heart needs to be centered around the idea of hope and success for students. That, in itself, is more than enough. When challenges come, when things get difficult, you need to remember to keep your heart aligned with the calling you serve, and when the choices you make are made with that in mind, great things can happen.

3. You are not alone… In education, regardless of the title you hold, you are not alone. There are many paths to take with a statement like that...Whether it be faith, family, friends, or colleagues, hold on to the fact that you will never struggle on an island. I know for me there were many times when I felt this way...Yet when I opened my eyes and accepted grace and love, I found the support I needed.. The challenge in education is not a unique one, and it is felt among educators all over the world. So look to those who can support you, can empathize with you, and can provide a lifeline to safely. While you may not have all the answers, someone will, and all you need to do is ask. It is funny how difficult asking for help can be sometimes, but I promise there is someone ready to help without a single judgmental thought in place.

Am I enough? Am I enough to make a difference in the lives of my students? Am I enough to ensure my students have a foundation for a successful tomorrow? The answer is this: YOU are more than enough. So embrace the challenge, accept the impact you can have, and get back out there and make a difference each and every day...together.

The Power of a Team

Human connection.

Relationships.

Support.

Understanding.

We need these things. We need to feel valued, protected and loved. We need to be given grace and support even when we don’t deserve it.

Yet where do we find this? For many people that answer is at home, with a significant other. Maybe with family, friends, church or social groups.

But what about at work? Especially for teachers…

Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours away from home, away from the people who are supposed to give us the connections and support we need. For educators, work not only takes most of their waking hours away from home, but many more hours even after they leave their school. It’s hard to turn of your brain in our profession, and on top of all that...education can be a very lonely place.

While that might sound odd considering teachers are surrounded by students all day, there is something extremely isolating about being the only adult in the room. The single person making countless decisions for the betterment of the students. As a teacher, your job is to create a safe and engaging classroom culture built to support the students...not the other way around.

So where can you find support? Where can you find safety? Where can you find a shoulder in hard times and partners to celebrate with in good ones? Where can you find someone who understands the feeling of being heartbroken over a student’s homelife? Where can you find someone that can empathise with the challenges of grading papers, planning for weeks in advance, and being asked to do one...more...thing...from your principal? Someone who will listen for the sake of offering an understanding ear, and not to give you fifteen pointless solutions you have already tried? Someone who just gets it...

The answer: Your team.

Most educators work within a team...grade level, department, office, administration, counseling, specials, instructional support, special education, english as a second language, and many others...yet how often does that team become one of connection, relationships, support and understanding?

Whether you are starting a new year tomorrow, or are six months in, I want to encourage and challenge you to embrace the idea of focusing on the amazing power of a team.

The power of a teammate working side by side with you as you struggle to find the best path for your student’s success. The power of a teammate making sure you know she is there, right next door, if you ever need anything. The power of someone who can sit down and fully comprehend what you are feeling, both good and bad, and can offer encouragement that strikes the heart of the problem without judgment or persecution. The power of shared vision, a shared purpose, and a shared love of learning. The power of hope and grace when mistakes are made. The power of laughter and joy, a helping hand when you are sick, and someone to jump up and down with you when that student finally wrote his name correctly. The power of someone to accept you as you are, mistakes and all, because you are both on the same journey.

While the power of a team can be unbelievably empowering, getting there is often challenging. After all, educators are only human. Drama, rumors, negativity, frustration, and life in general can often create barriers and hurdles within a team. Often things that would seem to be little concerns on the outside can quickly become like ankle weights holding you down: How many times can she forget to make copies for everyone? Why does he always wait for the last minute to get his kids ready for the end of the day? Why does she always change the team’s plans at the last minute? She won’t share her ideas. He won’t join us for lunch. She comes in at the first bell and leaves at the last, never even trying to work with us. If he says these kids can’t one more time I am going to scream.

Whatever the hurdle might be, whatever the challenge is, a powerful team will conquer it. For teams with a teammate that seems to be more of an ankle weight than a support system remember these two things:

1. Silence is often seen as agreement. In other words, when a teammate is complaining about something or someone, and you silently listen afraid to confront the issue yet disagreeing on the inside, remember that often your silence will come across as agreement to the negative teammate. This often creates a sense of empowerment for this person, and he or she will often use your name as an agreeing partner when confronted. If fact, it often sounds like this: “Jessica and I were talking and we both agree that our team leader is under qualified and horrible at her job.” While the reality is that Jessica was merely listening, and could not disagree more with that statement.

2. Negativity without encouragement cannot survive. It may not go away immediately, but when negativity is met with a positive counter, grace, and a willingness to confront the problem, it lacks the capacity to grow. This often leads to either a change of heart, a change of profession, or a change of schools...but either way, it can’t survive.

In the end, creating a powerful team takes a unified understanding that we are in this together. Once a team embraces the belief that we are stronger together, and we will overcome any challenge together, anything is possible.

Human connection.

Relationships.

Support.

Understanding.

We need these things. We need to feel valued, protected and loved. We need to be given grace and support even when we don’t deserve it, and it is a team that can provide this for you. Your team can protect you and comfort you, it can build you up and give you strength.

In education, the power of a team can be the difference between a successful teacher, and one that leaves the profession after a few years. The power of a team can ensure the success of our students, and can help build a school culture of love and support. So once again, I want to encourage and challenge you to embrace the idea of focusing on the amazing power of a team. If you do, I can promise both you and your students will be glad you did.

Before the Year Begins - To Teachers, Parents and Students

Teachers,

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

You are about to start a new year, see new faces, welcome new challenges, and start once again on a one-year journey of student success. You are about to meet a child who will challenge you, push you, and may even go against the grain. You are about to meet a child who needs you more than you will ever know. You are about to meet a child who has failed more times than succeeded. You are about to meet a child who doesn’t get breakfast at home, and dinner is often a hit or miss experience. You are about to meet a child who already knows over half of what you are supposed to teach, but desperately needs you to push him forward. You are about to meet a child who doesn't understand how to make friends, communicate effectively, or work within a group...but is so amazingly smart. You are about to meet a parent who is sure her child can do no wrong, a parent who doesn’t want to hear from you at all, and a parent who will do anything for you.

Every child you meet in a few weeks will be different. Every child will have different needs, different goals, and different past experiences both good and bad. But here is the thing I need you to remember...every child you meet needs you, whether they realize it or not. Teaching is such a challenging profession....it's not a job, it’s a calling, and one that is not answered easily.

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

You matter, you make a difference, you have a purpose, and you can change the course of a child’s life. Think about that...how many professions afford the opportunity to change a life? But remember this...it can be for good or bad.

One year makes a difference...A child who fails over and over again is likely to stop trying. A child who fails to move forward for one year is likely never to fully catch up. A child who feels unloved, unwanted, or unnoticed for one year is likely going to struggle finding self-worth in the future. Understand the power you hold...it’s not just about teaching the subject...it's about making a difference in a child’s life.

One year makes a difference...A child who feels loved every day for one year can build a sense of self-worth that will last a lifetime. A child who feels successful each day for one year can find self-efficacy that can sustain the trials ahead. A child who learns the value of working hard, persevering, and understands learning is about the process - not just the product, will build a foundation for a lifetime of success.

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

I love and appreciate you. Teachers in all areas, paraprofessionals, custodians, food and nutrition services, coaches, and parent volunteers. I love that you chose to come to school and change lives, make a difference, and give children the chance to feel successful. I love that you work hard, tackle challenges, and refuse to give up when it would be easy to do so. I have no doubt this will be an amazing year, and I am already so very proud of you.

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Parents,

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

You are about to start a new year, see new faces, welcome new challenges, and start once again on a one-year journey of success for your child. You are about to meet a teacher who is excited to make a difference in your child’s life. A teacher willing to do everything she can to create a safe, challenging, and collaborative environment filled with learning experiences designed to meet your child where he is. You are about to walk into a classroom that will very much be like a second home to your son, a classroom filled with love and appreciation, respect and community, and a culture of acceptance and rigor. You are about to meet a teacher who already loves your child for who he is, the lessons he will learn, the mistakes he will make, and the growth he will show as the year moves on.

You have an opportunity to be a partner in your child’s education. An opportunity to work collaboratively with your school, your teacher, and your community. Make no mistake, we are stronger together. I can promise you there will be struggles at times, your daughter will make mistakes, yet we will learn from them together. While she may be one of twenty or more, your daughter’s teacher will always strive to give her a learning experience customized to her, with the goal of challenging her every step of the way. Remember to offer grace when possible, understanding as the journey of learning grows, and a desire to work hand in hand with us, as we humbly serve you and your family.

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Students,

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

You are about to start a new year, see new faces, welcome new challenges, and start once again on a one-year journey of success. You are about to meet a teacher who is so excited to get to know you, what you love to learn about, and who is going to push you to be the best you can be each and every day. You are about to make friends, and meet classmates who will soon become your partners as you all learn together. We want you to know that we are excited to watch you learn, make mistakes, and discover how to take ownership of your learning.

It's not always going to be easy. There will be challenges ahead, obstacles you have to conquer, and opportunities to show integrity and grace instead of frustration and anger. Yet, no matter the challenges ahead, know this...we will always be here for you. We will be here to pick you up, push you forward, and cheer you on as you reach your highest highs. We will partner with your family, promise to love and protect you, and always expect your best...no matter what.

Before this year begins I want to share something with you…

It is your job to come ready to learn, ready to trust, and ready to make mistakes along the way. Your education is a gift for you to own, although you may not realize that just yet. Remember to listen to your teachers, because I promise, not only do they they know more than you might think, but the decisions they make for you...they make out of love, with a far better understanding of how to ensure your success. Above all else, be young men and women of integrity. Treat others with the respect they deserve, and start each day knowing that you matter, that you make a difference, and that if you truly put your mind to it - you can reach your highest dreams. I am so proud of you, and I look forward to all the adventures that await us this year!

Year Two - A Principal's Reflection

Where does the time go?

Several weeks have passed since the end of my second year as principal. I have started this post several times over...each time I write several paragraphs I find myself stopping, reading the words slowly, and then erasing them.

The title was easy, reflecting on year two...the challenge, I am finding, is articulating the thoughts that seem to never stop bouncing rapidly across my mind.

All the ideas and the lessons learned...everything seems to fall under two words: Trust and Delegation.

I wish I could say those two words represented this past year perfectly, but they don’t. The truth of the matter is that each of those two words truly represent the areas I need to focus on going into year three. They are my growth areas, my focus points, and the words I will strive to embrace in 2016-2017. Therefore, I won’t be writing a reflection on what I did well, instead, how I plan to continue to learn and grow as a leader.

Year two was a great year, but one, like all years really, that came with challenges and opportunities to learn. As I have written about many times, I was constantly reminded of why I love my teachers so much. I was given the opportunity to watch as they worked together, side-by-side, with the unified goal of ensuring every child was successful. While I am sure every principal would say this, I really do have the greatest group of teachers anywhere. How do I know? Because they are all focused on the same thing at all times...student learning in a safe yet challenging environment.

The vision is clear, and we are all unified together with the same goals and aspirations in mind. Yet, as I reflect on last year I realize just how much time and energy I spent away from classrooms…

The best part of my day is getting to be with teachers and students. It’s when I am most happy, when I am able to see ideas turn into creations, and the process of learning something new come alive in an authentic and purposeful way. Yet, as I think about last year I quickly realize that as the year progressed, the amount of time I was able to be in the classroom declined.

In a previous post I shared about just how challenging the role of principal can be. It amazes me just how much time I can spend meeting with parents, going through necessary routines, or answering emails...not to say I truly don’t enjoy meeting with parents or communicating via email, because I honestly do... Here is a great example of what I mean: I was meeting with a teacher who is working on his Master’s Degree in Administration. He was interviewing me about the daily ins and outs of the job and we talked for about a half an hour. Throughout our meeting my computer continued to make a quiet, yet audible, beep every few seconds. When we were done visiting he asked a simple question. “Are all those beeps emails?” I spun around and turned on my screen...within that 30 minutes I received over 50 emails.

Let me say it again: The best part of my day is getting to be with teachers and students. Knowing this, as I reflected on last year I reaffirmed something I already knew about myself...I am a perfectionist, I don’t trust easily, and while I try not to micromanage...I am not the greatest at delegating. In order to ensure that I spend more time with teachers and students, I need to do a much better job tackling the hurdles that exist in my life. This of course leads me back to the beginning of this post...my two key words: Trust and Delegation.

I honestly thought I was better at trusting others than I actually am. I wrote about trust in a previous post. Trust is such a linchpin in the balance of our lives, and without trust I will never be able to delegate. The reality is that my two words go hand-in-hand. I can’t delegate unless I trust, and trust has very little meaning unless you actually give it, and one way to do this is by delegating. Trust and delegation are without question my two greatest challenges for next year. Of course, saying it is easy, applying this is the challenge.

In May I had a Leadership Retreat with my grade level team leaders and instructional coaches. I started the meeting by admitting I have a problem in these areas. Of course, this wasn’t a surprise to anyone. I then shared my hope for tomorrow, and together we created a plan that is not only exciting, but also one dedicated to furthering the success of our students.

Two amazing things happened that day, the second so astounding to me personally that it has forever changed the way I view my school leaders. First, we went over the leadership roles, and I watched as one item after another was taken from my plate, and placed onto another leader’s. The second, and most astounding to me, was the honest and transparent feeling of ownership and trust I saw in the eyes of those on the team. I always thought I was doing right by others when I held onto as much as possible while tackling everything I could for the school. Yet what I learned that day was that offering trust and responsibility to others creates a bond and structure that forms a design for success and strong relationships.

Will mistakes happen? Absolutely. Will there be things completed in ways I would have done differently? Yup. However, mistakes are how we learn, and watching others use new strategies to tackle old problems is how I will learn.

In essence, when I think about my second year as principal, there are many celebrations. I once again was reminded about the amazing teachers and paraprofessionals I have that come to school each day loving what they do. I have an unbelievable admin team of an assistant principal and counselors that gave me the gift of trust and support. I have a community of parents that I love, and a support system within the community that is growing each and every day. Most of all, I have outstanding students that strive to be the best they can be...It was a wonderful second year, with twists and turns, peaks and valleys, and opportunities to learn and grow each day.

Next year will be the best year yet, and it will start with a better understanding of my need to trust and delegate. To all those I was able to serve alongside last year - thank you for all you did last year, it wasn’t always easy, but totally worth it. Let’s make 2016-2017 even better!