What about the Murals?

I was working with a class upstairs a short while ago testing the relationship of support stress points and distribution of mass.  At one point, I found myself staring directly at the mural of the Luther boys going off to fight in the Civil War or as some say in the South, “The war of Northern Agression”.  By the way, the murals that we have here were hand painted by one of the greatest men I know, Marion “The Professor” Kellum.  The Luther boys fought bravely for the North. In fact, John Luther was the person who served as an adjutant to Col. John Wheeler and was the one to carry his lifeless body off of the battlefield in Gettysburgh.  The Luther boys are no longer here. Their families are, but not the ones who paved the way.  One day, we will not be here.  One day, my good buddy “The Professor” will not be here. One day, I will not be here…that came close to reality in 2009.  One day, someone will tear this building down.  No one really thinks of that when it is built, but nothing lasts forever.  Our school replaced a high school that was torn down.  In time, our school will be torn down and replaced with God knows what. The people depicted in the murals paved the way for many to follow - The Luther’s, the Weiss Family, John Wheeler, and yes, Marion Kellum someday. They left a legacy.

What about you?  Someday, you will leave this school.  That could be five years from now.  It could be 10, 15, or 20 years from now…maybe more. It could also be 5 months, 10 days, or 20 minutes from now.  Nothing lasts forever, including us.  What mark do you want to leave?  What will you do now that will cause people to notice a difference?  What memories are you making for your students?  Have you taught them what is essential?  Have you shown them how to act through your actions?  Have you provided the example that you intended to?  Know that each day brings yet another chance to make a difference in someone else’s life.  That’s what it really is about. Who are you paving the way for and what will they say about you?  The question comes down to this:  what is your legacy going to look like?  Is doesn’t matter if that legacy to leave only has a few minutes left or many years left.  It is what you are doing today to make a difference in the life of someone else.  How will these kids remember you?  It may be what you do in the next five minutes.  Do not discount the difference you can make.  Realize that every decision you make, everything you say, and every action you take will contribute to your legacy.  If a mural was painted about you, what would it look like?

Next week, you have an opportunity to share in students reaching their goals.  Each student has an individual goal for the big test.  Each team has set a team goal for the big test.  The school has set a goal for the big test.  This is an opportunity to do something together, to see the fruits of our labor together, to revel in reaching goals together.  Spend this time before to encourage your kids.  Spend this time inspiring them.  Spend time telling them that you believe in them.  Spend time telling them that it is now time for them to show what they have learned!  It is time to make their teacher proud! It is now time to bring it!

Extend the Life of Your Vehicle

I am rarely asked to be the driver for any group trip.  When I was a new driver about 40 years ago, my friends insisted that I did not drive.  There are people decades older than me who insist that I not drive them anywhere.  This is not because I am a horrid driver who cannot seem to keep it between the lane lines. It is not because I take chances and consider driving to be an offensive show of will. It is not because I play the game of chicken while visualizing that I am driving in Hanoi where there are no traffic lights or stop signs. I do not drive recklessly.  In fact, I have never had a traffic ticket. So, why do people shy away from riding shotgun with me? The answer is simple:  I drive slowly. In multiple decades of driving, I have been given the one finger salute too many times to count.  One of my best friends says that I can be passed by erosion.  AARP tells me to speed it up.  Recently, I read an article about preserving the life of your vehicle.  The mechanic who wrote the article listed five ways to make your vehicle last longer.  These included regular service inspections, keeping your tires properly inflated, replacing your timing belt every 60,000 miles, and maintaining your vehicle’s exterior.  All these were great advice.  However, the number one way to make your vehicle last longer was to SLOW DOWN!  Yep, I feel vindicated!  The difference between driving 50 miles per hour and 70 miles per hour is that your vehicle is working twice as hard because the drag caused by the wind has to be overcome at twice the rate.  So, the next time you are following people like me, lay off the horn, put your finger down, and take notice that the car in front of you will be around for a long time.

In education, we sometimes get too bogged down in how fast things happen.  We get the feeling that we “have to finish the book” before the school year ends or some sort of cardinal sin has occurred and the line for the confessional is going to be long. Education isn’t just about breath of material, it necessitates depth of material.  Deeper levels of understanding need to take place.  Knowledge and comprehension are fine, but what needs to be embraced is movement toward achieving at levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.  That is critical thinking. There is nothing biblical about any of our textbooks.  They do not hold the answers to the world’s problems; those problems seem to be increasing.  The textbook that you use in your classroom is only a resource.  It is only one of many resources that are available for you to use to help kids deepen their understanding of what you have deemed to be essential in their education.  I watched a 5^th grade teacher this weekend teach his kids about the Civil War by having them participate in a mock battle complete with the correct colors.  That is not in the book.  It’s okay to get out of the book.  It’s okay to get kids out of their seats.  It’s okay to get kids to use all of their senses to understand something.  The textbook is only a resource.  I have heard one of our teachers say multiple times, “Here’s something that your textbook won’t tell you, but I will.”  You don’t have to race to finish a textbook. Find ways and resources to get your kids to the highest levels of understanding.  Plan carefully to make the product last; in this case, an education where retention and transfer of material is the highest value. 

The River

Garth Brooks rise to stardom was meteoric.  He seemed to hit just the right chords (pun intended) with people across many age groups and musical tastes.  He was largely responsible for the surge of “New Country” music being generated on the radio and for the purchase of long-sleeved cowboy shirts and ropers. He opened people up to this style and people came to realize that they too may have “friends in low places”.  He sold millions of albums and packed every concert that he offered.  We saw him in 1992 at whatever they called the venue in Tinley Park at that time and mercy, this guy could put on a show.  This man had more hits than a lounge lizard at a Holiday Inn open mic night. Now, he makes millions doing stints in Vegas where he packs the house routinely.  In my opinion, one of his better songs is called “The River.”  It is a song of inspiration.  It is a song of hope.  It is a song for dreamers.  It is a song for those chasing a vision.  It is a song that implores you to stay the course, to keep fighting the good fight, and to never lose sight of your dreams. 

“You know a dream is like a river; every changing as it flows and the dreamer’s just a vessel that must follow where it goes

Trying to learn from what’s behind you; never knowing what’s in store, makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores.

I will sail my vessel till the river runs dry. Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.

I’ll never reach my destination if I never try, so I will sail my vessel till the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside and let the waters slip away.  We put off till tomorrow, it has now become today.

So don’t you sit along the shoreline and say you’re satisfied.  Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide”

The vessel in which all of us engage kids is this school.  The momentum that is created is by the people given the charge of making this the most productive and most memorable three years of a kid’s school years.  If you don’t believe that can happen then you’re in the wrong place.  Each day we create another memory for each student. If you are not in the memory creation business then you’re at the wrong place.  We learn from what is behind us from taking a real look at formative data to plan for future success.  Yes, each day may be a battle, but it is a battle that produces satisfaction.  If you do not desire satisfaction from what you do, then you are in the wrong place. The river is the kids.  They just keep coming.  We are a growing school and a growing corporation.  That is to be embraced and not cursed.  Without this river, we don’t get to come here.  What is your destination for your students?  Do they know where you want to take them?  Do they understand your long-term goal that you have posted?  Don’t miss this opportunity in your life and the one chance that you get with these kids.  Don’t let this time slip away.  Don’t wait to bring your best – bring you’re “A-Game” every single day. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo.  Aspire to achieve more and more to take your kids far beyond what is typical. Dare to be different.  Never lose sight of the fact that you get a chance to make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of kids.  Not many people EVER get that chance.  You do.  Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.