Miracle on Joliet Street

As you may know, my wife’s side of the family has a tradition of playing a trivia game centered on a Christmas movie each year during our gathering.  Since “Uncle Tim” is a teacher, he is in charge of preparing the questions.  In this, Uncle Tim has to watch the movies. This has elevated my estrogen levels to some extent.  Throughout the years, trivia questions have been presented on It’ A Wonderful Life, Jingle All the Way, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story and others. This year, the movie is Miracle on 34^th Street (1994 version). Why the winning team did not choose the original from the 40’s is beyond me. Some movies just should not be remade.  In this movie, a little girl, Susan,  is confronted with not being sure if Santa is real or just “a nice old man with whiskers.”  You know the story…Kris Kringle becomes the Macy’s Santa Claus after knocking the Thanksgiving Day parade drunken Santa out with his cane…creates a publicity stunt causing department store wars…works hard to convince the mother that he is the real deal…smacks someone else with his cane…goes to the mental ward…goes on trial for claiming to be Santa…wins the case…works all night and delivers presents to all the “good little boys and girls”…mysteriously disappears…manages to leave little Susan with the gift that she wanted.  End credits to follow. Susan just had to believe. 

Here’s my tie-in. There is a great deal of discussion around the state on the rigor of the “New” ISTEP.  No one can argue that this version of the state exam will be a challenge not only for our kids; but for the teachers who are preparing the kids.  That is why the test examples and video snippets are so important.  Take heed, dig deep and show the kids what WE are up against.  Make them work the technology so that they UNDERSTAND what to expect and are PREPARED to work the keypad correctly. Take nothing for granted.  Right after break, we will begin our “93.5 FM – Are You Dialed In?” theme through daily announcements, the making of student and staff videos, T-shirts, themed pencils and other ways to create the carrots for kids that the test itself does not provide.  Yes, there is a huge emotional side to this.  If you haven’t shown your students their goals for ISTEP, do so when we return.  Finally, we have to BELIEVE in our kids, BELIEVE in ourselves, BELIEVE in our preparation, and BELIEVE that we can reach the goals we have set.

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The Browns play in the great state of North Carolina this Sunday vs. the Panthers.  At this point, we are playing for pride (i.e. – contract money) since we, once again, will not be in the playoffs.  We finish up on the 28^th against the Ratbirds at Baltimore.  A promising season down the drain – saw this movie before.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gmail

When was the last time you actually wrote a letter?  On paper. Using a pen. Addressing an envelope.  Stamping. Dropping it in a mailbox.  Yeah, me too.  Email has just about put the United States Postal Service out of business.  They have changed their push to package delivery service as they compete against giants like Fed Ex and UPS.  Rumor is that the latter two are merging under the new name, “Fed Up”.  Anyway, I came across a quote from Paul Buchheit, creator and lead developer of Gmail, an incredibly popular email service used by millions. His philosophy has always been to extend his employees, to stretch his company, and to think outside of the box. This is what he said about naysayers;  “If someone says: ‘That’s impossible!”, you should understand it as:  “According to my very limited experience and narrow understanding of reality, that’s very unlikely.”  Excellent.  Too often, the answer to a vision is “Why”.  That is the glass half-full view leadership style.  The more appropriate response to a vision should be “Why not?”. Never let logistics get in the way of a worthwhile vision. That is why successful companies flourish.

How about us as educators?  Be honest with yourself.  Have you ever had preconceived notions about a student that there was no way in God’s green acres that this kid will amount to anything?  Did you ever think that what is envisioned is impossible to do?  Did you ever squash someone’s dream just because it was painted outside of the lines?  Did you ever look at a kid’s incoming state test score and think that he had a snowball’s chance in Hades of making the cut so why even bother?  While test scores impact many things beyond our control, that’s not what this is really about.  It’s about making adifference in the lives of others. Don’t let numbers get in the way of that. Let’s look at kids and see the positives that they bring  rather than a majority focus of the negatives.  Let’s move away from limited experiences of our own and embrace things that come our way as a way to grow ourselves.  Let’s widen our range of understanding by really digging deep to explore what makes that kid tick and how I can reach him or her.  The only thing that is limited is the time we have with these kids.  Let’s make a difference while we have them.  The overarching vision is to make a difference - never let logistics get in the way of that vision. In the meantime, write someone a letter – it’s the new weird.

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The Browns play their final home game on Sunday vs the Cincinnati Bengals in round two of the “Battle of Ohio”.  If we hope to make the playoffs, this is an absolute “must” win.  It has been 10 years since a game in January had personal meaning.

Colors

A few years ago, I attended a Promise Keepers conference. Promise Keepers is a Christian organization for men with a core mission of building strong marriages and families.  This was held at the former Hoosier Dome and it was jam packed.  One of the speakers was a black minister whose name escapes me.  Booming voice…very articulate.  His speech began by stating that people many times over the years commented that he was “colored”.  “Colored?”, he asked all of us rhetorically.  He found amusement in that because these comments came from white people.  Amusement?  Yes, amusement. He said that “white” people are only “white” part of the time and that they change colors multiple times a day.  He cited that we are “blue” with sadness, “green” with envy, “pink” with embarrassment, “yellow” with a lack of courage, and “red” with rage.  He ended that segment with, “And you all have the audacity to call me colored!”  Chuckle.

Red should be a prominent color in education; except for the grading pen.  I would hope that all educators be red with passion!  After all, isn’t that why you got into this business, anyway?  Right?  It could not have been because you had zero passion for working with kids.  Wasn’t it because you wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids…maybe even because a former teacher of yours made a profound difference in your life?  We have all had so called “bad” days; maybe even to the point where you were “red” with anger…and showed it quite vividly. This writer is guilty as charged. Advice = step back, count to ten, take a walk, refocus, think before reacting, and remember that a lot of eyes are watching you and will learn from your example. Working on that myself; especially in this latest battle.  If our face is red, let it be red with passion for what we do!

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The Browns play against the Indianapolis Colts on the shores of Lake Erie this weekend.  Weather forecast is brutal…Colts play indoors, right?  Hoping that Andrew runs out of luck.

Freedom of Want

We’ve all seen the Norman Rockwell depiction of the iconic Thanksgiving table – Grandma putting the big bird on the table with Grandpa looking over her shoulder as others look at the table with anticipation of devouring the well-cooked fowl.  That painting was made in 1942 and published inThe Saturday Evening Post.  This painting is actually called Freedom from Want, and is part of a four-part series of paintings by Rockwell.  He was inspired by FDR’s State of the Union Address in 1941 that outlined his Four Freedoms (later to become The Atlantic Charter).  In Roosevelt’s speech to the nation he said, “The third is freedom from want – which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants –everywhere in the world.”  Fast forward to 2014 – just not so. There is tremendous “Want” in the world.  A want of the basics – food, clothing, and shelter. A “Want” of heating and cooling, peace, fresh drinking water, love and too many others to list. 

How about those who come through our doors?  For the last week, we have distributed turkeys and bags of groceries to some of our school families because of “Want” (actually, “Need”).  This was possible because of generous donations of time, talents, and treasures of others.  Know that on a daily basis, we have a large number of kids who come to us in “Want”.  You may not know that by looking at them.  “Want” comes in many shapes, sizes and degrees.  It is more than just hunger, proper clothing, and adequate shelter. Maybe it’s the kids who just can’t seem to make friends; or don’t know how to. Maybe it’s the girl who just received her first pair of non-hand-me-down shoes and nobody noticed.  Maybe it’s the boy who didn’t get a “Good Morning” that day…or week…or month.  Maybe it’s the kid who is aching for someone…anyone…to tell them something positive.  In all of this, my point is to keep establishing positive relationships with your students.  That is paramount to success in teaching. Recognize your kids; in turn, they will recognize your recognition….because they “Want” it. We have a good thing going here. Let’s make our own “Rockwell” version of Freedom from Want.

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The Browns travel to Buffalo this weekend to face the Bills in a “must win” situation. Buffalo – the same city with 67” of snow during the week of November 17^th…shovels packed.

GPS

When I was a kid…scratch that…when I was a teenager…nope…when I was a college student…delete…when I was a younger Dad of three and well into my teaching career, a map from the gas station was an important need.  Still have a few.  These maps provided insight and a guide to your destination.  Re-folding the map was another thing.  Those maps made you think through directions, convert scales to actual mileage, and identify which roads were interstates, state roads or “farm” roads.  These maps are all but a memory with the availability of GPS (Global Positioning System) not only in vehicles but also on your cell phone.  This came in handy last July when Mary and I set out to visit our oldest daughter, Amanda (Potter) in Leesburg, Virginia.  If you take the “southern route”, there is a stretch where you move from West Virginia to Pennsylvania back to West Virginia to Maryland to Virginia back to Maryland and then finally back to Virginia.  Thank God that Mary had her GPS equipped  iPhone to guide us.  It was as simple as entering our current location and destination.  From there, a recorded voice with much authority tells you which way to veer, which exit to take, and dang near parks your car for you.  Awesome.  Even better with the pretty girl next to me.

How’s that “GPS” looking in your classroom?  Throughout the year, there have been multiple assessments.  Many have been formative (hopefully) and some have been summative.  Others have been progress monitoring like Acuity and Star.  Here is my question – are you checking the GPS?  First and foremost, you should know the destination – these are the long-term goals. Punch that in first.  Now, work your way backward and set those key points in between.  Lastly, set your current location.  The key point here is that current location is the STUDENT’S current location, not yours. Look hard at the data.  Make that data informational. Use it to plan your instruction – that is the route to take to reach your destination.  Without using what you have, well, you just won’t get there.  As George Harrison sang, if you don’t know where you are going, then any road will get you there. George Harrison?  He was one of The Beatles.  Beatles?  Ask your parents.  In the meantime, continue to “recalculate” your route as necessary. That is what great teachers do.

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The Browns travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.  After a loss last weekend, we better be hungry!

Ducks

I like ducks better than geese.  The reason being that ducks, in my experience, are much more docile.  Don’t believe me?  Try approaching a mother and father goose when they are herding their young goslings.  I made that mistake and ended up declaring the goose the winner in about three seconds. Ducks, on the other hand, are calm, cool, and collected.  There are a gazillion breeds of ducks including the Wild Mallard (the party duck), the Bourbon Duck (waddles a little too much), the Danish Duck (favors breakfast pastries), the Dutch Duck (wears wooden shoes), and the Havanna Duck (huge Castro supporter).  Behind our house is a pond where a Mallard liked to hang out this past summer.  I enjoyed watching him glide so effortlessly across the water. I mean he was as smooth as a baby’s butt. No visible strain. No worry lines. Not a care in the world.  However, underneath the water, his little webbed feet were pumping furiously to move him along.  You would never know this from the looks of him on the surface.  He never showed the strain or the effort. He was calm and cool above the surface.

How about you?    How do you look above the water line?  Are you calm, cool, and collected?  Are you consistent on a day to day basis in your approach?  Are you on an even keel and just appear to be gliding across the water?  If not, you are not alone!  Many people lose their “above the water” cool appearance every once in a while.  If it is more than once in a while, then perhaps it is time to choose another profession.  The important thing is to get back to providing the example that you wanted to set all along.  That doesn’t mean that you will not be paddling as hard as ever under the water. The furious paddling never stops….if you are doing it right.  You give an informal or formative assessment, analyze the data, and then paddle furiously to make the adjustments in lessons so that your students can reach their destination.  Some days are better than others.  Some downright stink.  My advice –keep paddling or get out of the water.

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The Browns play this Sunday against the Houston Texans on the shores of Lake Erie.  We need to win to stay in first place!  Yikes, I never wrote that before!

The Pursuit of Happiness

The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776.  Notably, this document was written AFTER the Revolutionary War began.  In fact, the Declaration was read by George Washington to his troops on July 9, 1776…long after the fireworks and elephant ears.  If you have never read this document, take the time to do so.  The second paragraph contains verbiage about our “Unalienable Rights” and “among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  Notice what this last line states as well as what it does not state. You have a right to life.  You have a right to liberty.  What you DO NOT have is a right to be happy. How’s that?  You do not have a right to be happy;  you only have the right to pursue happiness.  So what makes you happy? Pursue it, because no one else is going to pursue it for you.  Sure, other people can do things for you that make you happy, but ultimately, it comes down to your own pursuit of this state of mind.  Unalienable rights cannot be denied, transferred, nor taken away. Thus, your desired level of happiness is yours to pursue. 

The classroom is no different when it comes to happiness.  Happiness does not come with the job, it isn’t in the contract, nor do they teach it in “teacher school”.  While people can get in a great deal of trouble preventing anyone from having liberty and life, there is absolutely no penalty for someone who does not make us happy.  Happiness is an individual thing.  So, how do you find it in the classroom? You don’t find it – you create it. You make it happen.You pursue it. How – by making the environment a happy place. From Angela Maiers’s 12 Things Kids Want From Their Teachers, 12 things were identified that will make the kids happier.  If the kids are happier, the teacher is happier.  Here are the 12 things (I love affirmation of prior preaching) = Greet your students each day,  Smile at your students, Give students your attention, Help your students have a vision for the future, Give your students challenging work, Get to know each student by asking them questions about themselves, Let your students have time to process and reflect, Hold your students accountable to higher standards, Make an effort to notice your students’ progress, Allow your students to ask questions, Engage your students in each lesson, and finally, Trust your students and believe that they can do it!  Not rocket science folks…but it will take a pursuit.  

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The Browns play TONIGHT against the Cincinnati Bengals in round one of “The Battle of Ohio”.  Either way, a team with orange helmets will win…hoping that team is the one without a logo.

Halloween Costumes

Halloween costumes are a big business in the United States. In fact, Halloween is second only to Christmas in consumer spending, which puts it ahead of Easter, Independence Day, and Cleveland Browns attire.  Did you dress up for “Trick or Treat” as a kid? Still dressing up?  What was your favorite costume? At our Halloween Bash last Friday night, we had kids dress up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, football players, Moses, Ninja Turtles, Elvis, a M & M, scarecrows,  a headless horseman, a ketchup bottle, Pocahontas, a mustard bottle, a mailbox, and many more creative costumes.  Our youngest daughter dressed as a box of popcorn complete with popped kernels in elementary school – great memory. I took our kids trick or treating until grade 6 (the standard maximum allowable age per the Larry Vassar rules).  The wearing of costumes goes all the way back to Celtic festivals where people recited verses in exchange for food; hence “Trick or Treat?”  The trick part came along when those making their rounds created mischief if they were not welcomed at a house. Costumes are worn to avoid being recognized as your identity is hidden.  Here’s the paradox:  costumes are designed to hide who you really are while at the same time, you are wanting everyone to know who you really are. 

Kids are especially good at determining just who is behind the masks and the makeup. They are more perceptive than we sometimes give them credit for.  They can identify real identity pretty fast.  That is important to realize as a teacher.  Not to be sappy or be a “poster quoter”, but kids really don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care.  Recently, I went to an all-day seminar featuring Dr. Robert Marzano(that Dr. Marzano) as the sole presenter. He talked for hours about the elements contained in the iObservation tool and the research behind each.  Then, he paused and said this:  “None of these strategies, methods, or measures mean anything unless the teacher works to develop a goodrelationship with his or her students.” Affirmation feels good. That’s straight from the guru, folks. Genuine, honest concern must be demonstrated,not just spoken.  Just like your desire to see the “real” student, kids want to see you as “real” as well.  Get to know your students. Find their interests and bring those in as classroom examples. Let them talk about their interests.  Listen to them.  Respond accordingly. This is money in the bank. Smile at them. Compliment them on their attire or their performance or the way they asked questions in class or the neatness of their work or whatever else you can cite.  Protect their self-esteem.  Kids just want to fit in and blasting them in front of their peers just widens the gap and sometimes you simply cannot recover.  Your classroom will become a happier place for everyone; including you.

P.S.  The great thinker who instructed teachers “Do not smile until Christmas” was probably chronically constipated.

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The Browns play on Sunday vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  I hope they leave Cleveland saying, “Arrrr, that hurt!”

Be Innovative or Die!

The state motto of New Hampshire is “Live Free or Die”.  You may  have seen this on license plates or state flags.  Ever wonder where this slogan came from?  No. Too bad, I’m going to tell you anyway.  This quote is from a toast by General John Stark, a famous soldier from the Revolutionary War.  He said this in 1809 when, due to illness, he could not attend a reunion of those who fought in the Battle of Bennington. Militiamen from New Hampshire fought in this battle; hence the New Hampshire connection. This battle took place in upstate New York just west of Bennington, Vermont.  General Stark sent this toast to the attendees:  “Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils.”  Pretty strong words; especially if you have no certainty of what happens after your death.  As you may recall from your history lessons, the Revolutionary War pitted the great Army of King George against the “Minutemen” comprised of colonists that were not trained soldiers, but had tremendous aim and a great backwoods savvy. The colonists fought hard and boldly for the one thing that King George was not willing to let them have – their freedom.  The British army was multiple times larger, had more sophisticated weaponry, and had much financial backing. They also wore bright red coats (Lobsterbacks), which made them easy targets. Duh.  They underestimated the willpower that the Colonists had in fighting for that one thing that the King would not give them. We all know how this “David vs. Goliath” war ended. 

In today’s education, our motto could very well be "Be innovative or Die”.  It’s more than just competing against the technology devices that kids have in their hands and this “Microwave Society” that wants it not just now, but prior to now.  Businesses need to compete in the global market, not just the local market. Schools fit this category. We are responding with personalized learning for all students; not just those on an individualized education plan. If you cannot compete, then company death ensues. Look at Kodak, Monkey Wards, and countless Mom and Pop retail stores as examples of this business interment.  We have to be able to make things relevant for kids in ways that perhaps were not relevant five years ago; may be even five days ago. As Bob Dylan crooned, “The Times They are ‘a Changing”.  Being innovative doesn’t just happen – we have to work at it.  Have a vision – see it through and never let logistics get in the way.  Start to wonder “What if…”  Continue with “How do I make this work.”  Get outside of the box.  Then take dead aim at the goal.  If not, enjoy that bright red coat which makes you an easy target.

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The Browns play this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie against the Oakland Raaaaiders.  We need this “W” as the is the annual “Big Jack Tailgate”…plus we lost to the worst team in the NFL last week…geez, what does that say about us?

What Kind of Sailor are You?

“The sea was angry that day.”  This is a line from Ernest Hemingway’s classic, The Old Man and the Sea. It is also a quote of George Costanza from an episode of Seinfeld.  The severity of sea storms have two things that contribute to its severity – the force of the wind and the state of the water.  A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.  There are ways that skillful sailors navigate through raging seas.  Interesting enough, one of those strategies is to move to deeper water.  This is because nearer to shore there are stronger currents, shoals, and other underwater water obstructions that make sailing treacherous.  Skillful sailors also chart their course of travel and know where the tough spots are.  A third strategy for mariners in difficult weather is toshorten their sails as this helps to balance the vessel.  A balanced boat will not have excessive windward (upwind) or leeward (downwind) in high winds.  Lastly, skillful mariners prepare the crew to combat whatever comes their way and do not ignore the need to practice safety precautions and tough seas.  If only Gilligan and the Skipper would have done some of these things, perhaps they wouldn’t have become shipwrecked with a “Professor” who could build a two-wave radio out of a coconut shell, but couldn’t fix a hole in the boat. Don’t get that reference?  Ask your parents…or grandparents.

Teaching can sometimes be akin to sailing through raging seas.  This comes in many forms from increased demands on what to teach, increased accountability, changing academic standards,  student absences, less than ideal classroom temperatures, school funding, school grades,  lack of parental involvement and so forth. Guess what?  You cannot control any of these!  It is important that you focus on what you can control.  As we sail through the school year, it is vital to focus on increasing critical thinking by taking your students to deeper waters of understanding – analysis, synthesis, and evaluation on the SS Bloom’s.  Move away from the shore!  We chart our course by intently surveying the ISTEP blueprints provided the state.  Ignoring those blueprints will not lessen the waves; it will only make them stronger.  Also, shorten your sails by decreasing the interval between formative and informal assessments so that your instruction will be informed.  Ignoring the data from these assessments will not cause the winds to cease; it will only make them stronger.  Thirdly, balance your sails by differentiating your instruction and by giving assessments in multiple forms.  Failure to do this will not result in a smooth sea,; it will cause a student shipwreck.  Finally, prepare for teaching by using what you are being taught during professional development opportunities.  Ignoring these strategies will not make you a more skillful classroom mariner; you may end up spending an eternity with Mr. and Mrs. Howell. 

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The Browns travel to Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday to take on the Jaguars.  Okay, this is a game that, on paper, we should win.  Then again, paper never actually won a game.

Armed Guards

Did you notice where armed guards are placed?  Armed guards are assigned to the President (ask the Secret Service has that has been working lately).  Armed guards are assigned to Brinks’ trucks. Armed guards are posted at many banks.  Armed guards cruise the mall.  Armed guards are posted in some schools.  Armed guards are posted at jewelry stores.  Armed guards are posted at hundreds of concert venues.  Ironically, armed guards are often posted at gun shops.  Armed guards are posted at wedding reception banquet halls.  Armed guards are posted at museums.  Armed guards are posted at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (breath-taking, by the way). Armed guards are posted around Ft. Knox. Now, notice where they are not posted.  Armed guards are not posted at manure piles nor at garbage dumps.  Why is that?  Simple, because there is nothing valuable to protect…unless you like to hoard natural fertilizer and well, I’m not going there.

Although we do not have armed guards at our school there is a great deal to protect on the inside of our building.  When I was student teaching in 1979 at an inner-city school in Indianapolis, there was a squad of armed police officers in our building.  Oddly enough, that did not make me feel more safe, but it did increase the size of my pupils (not a synonym for students in this case). While the obvious message here is that we are the protectors of our students in a physical sense, we are also their protectors in another way. We are “armed” in different ways that protect the education of our kids. Generally speaking, parents want two things from their child’s school – safety for their children and a good education.  We have safeguards in place for the former from emergency lanyards to visitors badges to emergency protocols to locked doors to “Wet Floor” signs.  What about the latter of these two desires?  Are we guarding the provision of a good education?  Are we doing everything we can to provide for the unique needs of each student?  Are we going the extra mile?  Are we staying free of providing excuses?  Are we using the data that comes in to plan future remedial or enrichment lessons?  Arewe partnering with their parents to help in the common goal of their child being successful?  Are we doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong? Are we providing useful feedback to the kids?  Are we providing a safe place for them to land?  We have to be guardians of the valuable 930+ students in our care. We are not the landfill.  We have to be armed as if we are protecting Ft. Knox. Actually, we are protecting something far more valuable.

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Here we go…round II…Browns vs The Pukesburgh Squealers…I mean, Pittsburgh Steelers…this time on the shores of Lake Erie.  Losing would cause Mary to hide all of the sharp knives…not a good mix with Plavix…

D-Day

D-Day happened over 70 years ago on June 6, 1944. D-Day is a military term that essentially means the day in which an operation or attack is set to be initiated. As you may recall from your history lessons, D-Day was one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. If you have ever watched, Saving Private Ryan, then you caught a Hollywood version of this battle.  Our troops landed on Normandy Beach, the western shore of Germany’s hold on Europe.  The plan was to liberate France and eventually the Jews that were imprisoned by Satan incarnate. There was a plan and that plan had a purpose. The leader of the 3^rd Battalion, 506^th Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division was Lt. Col. Robert Wolverton.  Before they stormed the beach, Wolverton led his men in prayer.  This was a mission that needed to be completed. They understood that without this surge, it would only be a matter of time before the battle was on our land. Each step of the battle was planned toward the purpose.  However, those plans often needed to be changed based on what was happening.  He told his men that they would talk about this mission when they returned to the states. He never had that conversation. Wolverton died shortly after landing.  In Wolverton’s prayer to his troops, he said this, “We have done our best for what we believed was right.”  I hope to be remembered that way.

“D-Day” essentially happens for us every single day in the field of education. Why?  Because each day is an opportunity. Each day is the day where teachers should be initiating an operation.  Operation?  That’s what I wrote. While we may consider our summative assessments and, of course, the ISTEP to be our “D-Day, the reality is that each day should the day when an attack is initiated.  Every lesson should be purposeful and educational. Every lesson plan should be well constructed and educational. Every activity should have a purpose tied to a goal.  If not, throw that activity out!  Each assessmentmust be aligned with desired outcomes.  Each day of instruction must be aligned to assessments.  Each day is an opportunity. That’s all it is – an opportunity. What you do with it can reap huge benefits or can bring disaster.  Properly planned operations and execution thereof from a teacher will produce student achievement and student growth. However, know that even the best laid plans often need to be changed based on what is happening  Lack of proper planning and execution will bring things “low and to the left.” Each day is another opportunity to do your best for what you believe is right.  Make the most of every opportunity.

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The Browns play on Sunday against the Titans from the great state of Tennessee.  Here’s hoping that they are in a “Volunteering” mood with their goal line.

Still the One

This weekend, Mary and I have a belated anniversary celebration of our first date. Yep, we celebrate that event as well as our engagement anniversary and our wedding anniversary. I believe that it is important to celebrate those special moments; especially when I get to do that with this pretty girl that turned my head and stole my heart 38 years ago. We will celebrate these dates as long as I can read a calendar. We are going to see a reunion of three bands- Orleans, Ambrosia, and Firefall. Never heard of them?  Ask your parents.  Firefall was the first concert that I took Mary to as they were the opening act for The Doobie Brothers at the old Chicago stadium (currently the United Center). Never heard of them either?  You kids.  Orleans had a huge hit in the 1970’s with Still the One.  This is a great song to remind your wife that even after several decades that she is still the one who makes your heart thump.  She does.  Always has and always will.  Still the one who makes me laugh…still the one who’s my better half…we’re still having fun…you’re still the one.  What a blessing I have.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?  I am confident that it wasn’t the lure of a high salary. Hopefully, it wasn’t for three reasons – June, July and August!  If you had to list the ONE reason why you decided to invest so much of your time and money into getting that teaching license, what would you say?  If you had to break it down to a single reason , what would it be?  Perhaps you loved your subject matter and wanted to pass this love along to kids.  Maybe it was because one of your own teachers inspired you and you aspired to be that person.  It could have been a sincere desire to make a difference.  All good things. My point is this – continue to celebrate that ONE reason why you do what you do.  Remind yourself daily that that reason is still the one.  When we all romanticized about being a teacher – admit it, you did; what were you thinking about?  Hopefully, it is still the one.

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I guarantee that the Browns will not lose this weekend…book it…accepting all wagers.

Check Engine Lights

As vehicles gain more and more technology, there is a corresponding increase in the number of “check engine lights”.  These indicators are a way for our vehicles to communicate with us. These are also called “idiot lights”. Surprisingly, they are only called that by men who know their way around the engine. Thus, I have never used that term.  You see, I am the guy on the side of the road with the hood up simply for the dramatic effect. But I digress.  There are ABS brake warning lights,  low tire pressure lights, service engine soon lights, battery charge warning lights, check coolant lights, oil pressure lights, air bag lights, and other indicators.  Don’t you just hate it when they glow?  Especially the one that is simply an exclamation point…guess that is the punctuation light.  I read about one man who was tired of seeing the warning lights so he simply put black electrical tape over them (see idiot lights). Ignoring the warning signals does not make the problem go away.  Sooner or later, you have to respond.

There are many “Warning Lights” used in education.  We use progress monitoring assessments such as Acuity and Star to measure student growth.  We use daily informal assessments by using exit slips and confidence scales.  We use formative assessment data gained from homework assignments and quizzes. These are ways that our students communicate with us on how they are doing academically. Ignoring the data is exactly like putting electrical tape over the warning lights in your vehicle.  You cannot ignore them…well, you can, but that wouldn’t be prudent. We are assessing all the time when we teach.  Notice the operative term in each case that I listed = USE.  You have to use the data gained to make informed decisions about your instruction.You have to plan your instruction based on where the kids are compared to where you want them to be in the end.  Simply giving these assessments and then doing nothing with the results is akin to the guy putting black electrical tape over his dashboard lights.  You cannot ignore the data you have – you have to use it to be an even more effective teacher. Sooner or later, you have to respond as in “Response to Instruction”.  With due diligence, you cansee that light that reads “Great Teaching”.

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The Browns play against the Baltimore Ratbirds, I mean, Ravens this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie.  Rice is unavailable at the concession stands…

Ice Cream Flavors

We are past Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer and the meteorological start of Fall.  The time to close up the swimming pool for the year, put the white pants back in the closet, and get that last taste of “Summer” ice cream. The most popular flavor of ice cream is…wait for it…vanilla.  Vanilla?  Is that an indictment on society that we choose a rather bland, non-descript, boring flavor to be our most popular?  When I was a kid, you had three choices of ice cream – “Yummy” brand ice cream which Mom bought at the grocery store for 55 cents per half gallon.  The name did not match the taste.  Then there was “King Kastle” in Hammond that sold  novel square- shaped ice cream. That wasn’t in the family budget. (see “Yummy” brand)  The old standby was Dairy Queen (yes these were around in the 1960’s) that served one flavor – vanilla…unless you wanted it dipped in chocolate or with “Crunch Coat”.  A Baskin Robbins opened in our town when I was in high school.  Lord, there were 31 flavors to choose from!  These were revolutionary choices from this era and included Banana Nut Fudge, Cherry Macaroon, and Peppermint Fudge Ribbon.  Yes, they had vanilla, but who is the heck is choosing that with many other exciting flavors to indulge in. Vanilla sold as well as Dodge vehicles in Japan.  Choices, choices, choices…

If kids were ice cream flavors, I bet that few of them would just be plain vanilla….just a few. Most kids this age are multi-flavored in their personalities, behaviors, level of maturity, and of course, academically.  Unlike Baskin Robins, we don’t get to choose what “flavors” make up the students we receive. It would be great to have all of them by of one dimension, of one personality, of one rule abiding citizenship, etc…or would it?  So what do you do about that? Thanks for asking.  This is where the relationship building comes in.  You, as a teacher, have to find out what makes your kids tick.  What are their interests in school? What are their interests outside of school?  How can I tie this topic into their areas of interests? Guess what, kids don’t always want “vanilla” in their education either.   Get creative – get outside of the box?  You know, inside of the box isn’t always pretty – just ask a cat.  Students today want a whole lot more than daily offering of “Vanilla” education. They want exciting stuff!  They want to see the relevance.  They want to see the tie-in.  They want to see that their teacher offers more choices such as tiered projects or alternative assessments. They want to learn, but they also want to have some fun doing it. They want those vanilla worksheets to be put back in the freezer.  Make it a point in your classroom to serve up some interesting flavors.  This is what differentiating instruction is – more than one flavor.  If you do it right, they will keep coming back for additional scoops.

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The Browns host  the New Orleans Saints this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie.  I hope that the Saints don’t coming marching in!  Could be ugly…

Walls

I am certainly no construction expert, but I do know that there are basically two kinds of walls. One is a weight bearing wall; designed to bear the weight of your home, businesses, and yes, this school building. You simply cannot do without bearing walls.  How can you spot a bearing wall?  Look for the windows – those walls hold up your roof.  Bottom line of bearing walls = to be a bearing wall, it must be connected somehow to the foundation.  Interior walls can be moved and the structure will still stand. However, it that wall is a little “boxy”, then it is a load-bearing wall as well and probably supports some main beam above it.. Be careful.  These walls are created dependent upon which design is chosen.  Side note = who designated that big wall in China as the “Great” wall. Really, what is being compared against?  Back to reality. Interior walls can also have doors, such as the ones that lead to bedrooms, closets, and Jim Morrison.  Key words = connection, creating, and doors.

Your “bearing” walls in teaching would be the connection that you make to the foundational concepts.  These can be referred to as your long-term goals.  Each lesson that you teach needs to be purposeful.  If that purpose is not connected to the foundation of goals, then it will not hold up the higher levels of understanding that you should be desiring to teach.  Your “interior” walls are the ways that you uniquely create in your classroom.  Take a good look at your Acuity data – it may be time to move some interior walls!  This is akin to something I had said many times = here are the long-term goals; how you get there is what makes a teacher a teacher.  So the design of your lessons should be that creates the best plan for your students to reach the highest levels.  If that design is not working, change the structure of the walls!  Lastly, your “doors” would be the way out of a out of your plan and a chance to move to another plan.  If the path you are leading is not getting results, close that door and find another to go through. Building walls is not always negative. In fact, in this vein, they can be quite positive as your hopes for these kids will not crumble.  Connect, create, and keep the door open…unless you need to close it.

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Here we go…the Browns open up against our dreaded nemesis = the Pukesburgh Steelers. I do recall  that the Steelers built a new training facility across the street from the Pennsylvania  State Prison allowing their players an easier walk to work. 

The Sun Doesn't Rise All Morning

When the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, like most American households, the Vassar family viewed this event on their 20 inch black and white Zenith.  All of the girls in the audience had floating hearts around their heads  when the lads from Liverpool began to play “She Loves You.”  I distinctly recall Dad chastising their long hair, although it barely touched their ears.  The crowd was crazy.  Girls had one Beatle that was their favorite. Paul was the easy choice among girls because, well, he was the “cute one.” John ranked second, because, his bangs were just “dreamy”. He was kicked off the love island when he announced that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. Ringo was not popular with the ladies due to his large nasal protuberance and limited drumming skills. My favorite Beatle was George Harrison, “The Quiet Beatle”.  George was a tremendous lead guitar player and songwriter. He had several top hits including Here Comes the Sun and Something. His All Things Must Pass album was a big seller. I still have the vinyl…and the cassette…and the 8 track.  In the song, All Things Must Pass, George extols that nothing lasts forever and reminds us that “The sun doesn’t rise all morning.”  That line inspired me to write this message.

The sun doesn’t rise all morning. What does that mean to us?  We only have 180 days to get every student ready for the next level.  Take away the first day and the last and you are in the 170’s – if you use them all wisely.  That is the overall view.  Let’s drill that down to your classroom. What happens at the start of each of the classes that YOU are teaching?  Is the sun rising or sinking?  At “sunrise” in your classroom, is the sun shining brightly or is it gloomy and overcast.  Your initial hook, bell ringer, or anticipatory set will set the stage for a bright beginning to your lesson.  Is the sunlight still burning brightly throughout your lesson or are the expressions on the faces of the kids showing that the sun is setting?  Keep your kids engaged throughout your lessons.  That, I believe, is the secret to a whole bunch of things – first and foremost, engaged students are students that are learning. Engaged students are students that are not getting into trouble because they are engaged in the lesson.  What teacher wouldn’t want either of these?  Yes, we only have now much less than 180 days of possible “sunshine” in your classrooms.  What are you doing with that opportunity?  The sun eventually will set. Make the most of each lesson- make it purposeful and intentional. With each passing day, we get close to running out of time.  The sun doesn’t rise all morning.

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The Browns play TONIGHT against Da Bears on the shores of Lake Erie.  Expected viewing audience in the teens…

Puzzles

Earlier this week, I placed you in academic teams and departments with the task of putting a jigsaw puzzle together.  There are many more types of puzzles – tour puzzles, construction puzzles, stick puzzles, tiling puzzles, disentanglement puzzles, folding puzzles, lock puzzles, combination puzzles, and mechanical puzzles.  The world record for solving a Rubik’s Cube is 9.03 seconds…one-handed.  I just peel the stickers off. A woman from the UK completed a 250 piece jigsaw puzzle in 14 minutes and 58 seconds….by herself. You may recall that your time limit collectively was 9 minutes, thus, a pretty impressive solo feat.  I enjoy crossword puzzles. The first collection of crossword puzzles was published in 1924 coinciding with my high school graduation.   The largest word search puzzle ever consisted of just over 5,500 words.  Side note = the effect size on learning for this activity is about the same as lounging in a hammock.  Thus, scrap that activity from your plans.

The purpose of our activity was to use team work to solve the puzzle before you.  That is the way this school year will go – it will be solving one puzzle after another. That was evident today, starting with the downpour at drop-off time and getting kids in the right classes. Globally, you will have to solve for when to meet with parents, the adjustment of a new schedule, and changes in personnel. Each student will be a puzzle as well. What to leave in, what to leave out. What makes this kid tick?  How do I make this material relevant for this kid?  How do I reach those Tier II kids while still challenging the kids who are knocking it out of the park?  How do I get him to learn what I want him to learn?  How do I get her to understand what I want her to understand?  These are all real questions for you to answer.  These are real puzzles for you to solve.  If you cannot solve it yourself, seek the guidance of a team member or another colleague.  Why not every kid is a corner piece, our teaching has to be the cornerstone of what we do in putting the puzzle together.

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The Browns host the St. Louis Rams this Saturday on the shores of Lake Erie.  Ironically, at one time, the major league baseball team in St. Louis was named the Browns.

Endless Chains

Many think that Henry Ford invented the automobile.  Wrong. That distinction goes to Karl Benz in 1886. Yes, “that” Benz.  He called it a “Motorwagon” and replaced the horse and carriage.  Of course, the horse and carriage still exists, but largely to provide romantic rides in big cities for a cost that requires installment payments…plus, you are seated downwind of the south side of the horse. Ever see the “Rusty” episode on Seinfeld?   Henry Ford introduced his “model T” in 1908 and for a reasonable cost. Suddenly, cars were much more af”ford”able for the typical American citizen because they were built more efficiently. By the way, the price was $950.00.  Ford was able to reduce his costs by creating an assembly line of workers (paid $5/day) and assigning repetitive tasks to his crews. The process took 84 steps.  In 1914, Ford took this vision much further with the “Endless Chain”, a device that pulled the chassis of the automobile along at a rate of six feet per minute. This increased productivity immensely and  he passed the savings on to the customers as the price of a Model T dropped to $280.00.  This design concept of an endless chain paid dividends for all involved.

In a very short while, your current students will be passed to the next grade level. A third will be leaving our school; possibly forever.  Last year at this time, there were 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th graders you did not know.  Over the last 180 day span, you have come to know them quite well.  Think about this – as we pass our students on to another teacher and another team, how is the endless chain working?  Kids get on this assembly line way back in pre-K and have a culminating event called commencement after successfully completing their high school requirements.  Each year, new concepts are taught to students and deeper levels of understanding are required.  The simple A-B-C’s become a grand research paper complete with citations. 2+3 becomes a story problem that requires a great many steps.  Simply recognizing a type of animal becomes a dissection study of its anatomy and physiology. Naming the fifty states becomes…well, we’re still working on that.  Playing with a parachute in P.E. becomes measuring your heart rate and designing fitness activities to last a lifetime. The list goes on and on and I have not even mentioned emotional maturity and interpersonal relationships. If you are a 6^th grade teacher, your kids just completed 36 feet of the endless chain trip.  7^th grade  is 42 feet and 8^th grade is 48.The chain really doesn’t end at 72 feet, but that’s the length we have them for.  Congratulations on making a difference in lives and keeping the chain moving. This design pays dividends for all involved.

Sticks and Stones

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”  Heard that one before?  It’s a bunch of horse hockey. It’s a lot of mule muffins and cow pies. When I hear that quote, I am reminded that I forgot to fertilize my yard.  Names do hurt. Don’t dismiss that.  Sometimes they hurt worse than sticks or stones.  If you were ever called a negative name in your life; perhaps especially during your middle school years, you understand just how deeply words cut you. I watched a news clip of a recent study on obesity in the United States.  In case you have been hiding out in a news-deprived cave, you understand that obesity is a fairly large (no pun intended) problem in our country.  Mississippi leads the nation in the percentage of obese adults. In 2013, Indiana ranked eighth.  The point of the study was the psychological damage done with words declaring that someone is plump.  In this, a ten year old girl who is told by only ONE adult that she is fat, will be more than 4 times likely to be obese at age 19.  Not the prophetic message we want to convey.

What do you speak into your students? What we say to our students and how we say it is one of our most powerful teaching tools. As a teacher, you cannot teach a lesson, welcome students into your classroom, or settle an issue without using words.  The Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, a well-respected organization in education, lists three ways that positive language shapes learners. (1) Affecting students’ sense of identity, (2) Helping students understand how they work and (3) Influencing our relationships with students. It is that last one that I want to emphasize.  Do you want good relationships with your students?  Your choice of words and the tone of those words can go a long way in establishing that relationship.  Your students need to trust you.  You do this beginning with your words and then by demonstrating it with your actions.  Kind words produce good results toward this.  Demeaning words produce negative results.  Kind actions produce good results. Demeaning actions produce poor results.  Great teachers work hard at developing rapport with their students.  Ineffective teachers make no attempt at this vital ingredient.  Speak positives in to the lives of your students and you will have a much better chance of those same kids producing at higher levels.  If the only attention they get from you is negative attention, then don’t expect much to change.  It’s a conscious choice.

Songs on the Radio

Let me set the scene…you are sitting in your vehicle at a red light…great song comes on the radio…feet start tapping…you play the imaginary drum set on the dashboard…perhaps the air guitar comes out…you begin to sing…louder…louder yet…then it happens…you look out of the corner of your eye and notice that the person in the vehicle next to you is enjoying the show you are putting on…he applauds…you turn shades of red never seen before and pray that the light turns green in the next millisecond. Don’t tell me this has never happened.  How many songs do you know by heart?  I bet it is in the hundreds…or thousands.  How did you ever learn all of those lyrics?  It’s simple – you played them over and over and over again.  Probably drove your parents or someone else nuts.  You learned the words through repetition. You played that song over and over and over again.   I recall wearing out not one, but two LP copies of “Frampton Comes Alive” plus one 8-track. Don’t know what those are – ask your parents.  Side question and required answer = what is your favorite song?  See you at the stop light.

Teaching involves a lot of repetition. We just don’t teach content once and forget about it. We cover concepts in multiple ways with multiple applications and with multiple connections.  We tell them what we are going to tell them. Then we tell them. Finally, we tell them what we told them.  Kids don’t just learn their multiplication facts by shifting through flash cards one time.  They work those cards so thin that resale is not a possibility. We teach advanced skills, but not without repeating the foundational work.  We teach muscle memory in Physical Education by repetitively doing the same motions. We spiral up and we spiral down.  We may bust out an old Saxon Math lesson. We return to the roots to emphasize them again.  We review before we move on. We move on and sometimes find that we should have reviewed.  We hammer home the critical information by emphasizing it, by giving it value, and by showing the kids its relevance in their lives.  We make a difference and that must be a repetitive skill.

Farmers Market

A saw an ad in the paper the other day advertising for merchants to rent space for the weekly Farmers Market this summer.  Have you ever been to a farmers market? No, not the farmers market advertised on television that is akin to e-harmony or match.com. My God, what is next?  What I am referring to are the summer and early fall weekend markets where local growers display their crops to sell to those of us without prosperous gardens or vast fields.  It is really inviting to see all of the ripe tomatoes, peppers, squash, apples, peaches,  sweet corn, pumpkins, and other assorted fruits and vegetables.  I wonder just what a Farmers Market looks like in Colorado or Washington?... those gardens would have “weeds”. Anyway, farmers typically do not make deals because they are already selling their goods at rock-bottom prices.  So how do you get a good deal at a Farmers Market.  Simple. Be a consistent customer.  You see, the farmer understands that he or she is cultivating more than just crops. They are also cultivating relationships that keep customers coming back weekend after weekend.  Side note:  our oldest daughter was asked out by a local a few years back. She asked him what he did for a living and he replied, “I’m a farmer.” Amanda replied, “Do you mean like E-I-E-I-O ?”  Witty girl…just like the Old Man.

In your “Farmer’s Market” called your classroom, remember that you too are selling.  While you are not selling potatoes and green beans, you are selling concepts.  You are selling knowledge. You are selling comprehension. You are selling application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.  Hopefully, the former sales are “Bloom”ing! (how’s that for wit).  Day after day, you present what you have to offer.  Are your customers consistently buying?  If so, keep on doing that and tell others just how you are making it happen.  If your students are not buying, perhaps it is because of an ineffective relationship or their perception of an ineffective relationship.  The good news is that either of these can be repaired…in time. Perhaps the tie-ins to real life just aren’t relevant for many.  That too is repairable…you just need to find out more information about your students and what makes them tick. Give them reasons for choosing to shop and buy in your market.  Create the farmstand that everyone flocks to.

Who Sets the Table?

There are certain things that you just don’t do.  You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. You don’t spit into the wind. More importantly, you do not answer incorrectly when your wife asks what you think of her outfit.  Here’s another thing you don’t do – let  little kids set the dinner table when fine china is involved. My wife and I were given my Great Grandmother’s china service several years ago. This is china from the World War I era.  We take them out only on special occasions  such as family holiday dinners. Throughout the years, a simple meal has not made contact with the china.  These are not your everyday run-of-the-mill plates.  They are beautiful and quite breakable.  This china is not brought out for spaghetti night or hamburger helper. No, when this china adorns our dinner table, the crystal glasses also are used.  When our kids were little, we enjoyed family dinner time many nights per week. Most of those dinners were consumed on everyday plates with everyday glasses with everyday silverwear.  We had no problem letting the kids set the table. However, when the china was to be used, the kids were not invited to prepare the table.  This took skilled hands. This job should not be given to just anyone. 

You set the table in your classrooms. Why? Glad you asked. It is because what is in your care is too valuable to leave to just anyone. This is “Teacher Appreciation Week.”  Not everyone should be setting the table.  What I mean by that statement is that not everyone is cut out to teach kids.  Kids are like that fine china in our pie safe.  Not everyone should be setting them on the table.  As I taught about in February, the quality of the relationship with your students is the cornerstone of effective management within the classroom. Students need to know that they can count on their teachers and that you have a personal stake in their success.  It doesn’t matter how you feel; it matters what you do and how kids interpret your actions!  Remind yourself to engage in these behaviors each day:  meet your students at the door, smile at them…really, it’s okay to do that, use appropriate banter with them, provide guidance both academically and behaviorally, be clear about the goals, be clear about the expectations, and be consistent in applying consequences.  No, not everyone should set the dinner table that we call teaching. That job is reserved only to those who can handle the breakables with care. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

If at First You Don't Succeed

Thomas Edison, in my opinion, is the greatest inventor of all time.  He had 1093 patents. 1093. 1093. He invented the quadruplex telegraph, the carbon microphone, the movie camera, the mimeograph machine (had one in my classroom), and the phonograph to name just a few. He also was the inventor of the incandescent light bulb (now outlawed for purchase by the government). Edison experimented with over 1000 filament samples for his light bulb before he found that tungsten provided just the right amount of resistance necessary to keep  the wire glowing. He was asked this question by a reporter – “How did it feel to fail 1000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.” Edison was a “glass half full” guy without fail. He believed in what he could do and imagined the things that others may have thought were out of reach.  A quote of Edison that is appropriate for all is this – “If we did all of the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” 

Thomas Edison provided a shining example of “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”  Your students will be taking the second round of ISTEP next week. Perhaps the first round of the test back in March did not go exactly the way a student or their teacher had planned.  So, would it be best just to chuck the second round out the window because all is lost?  Weak-minded people would do so.  We can provide that spark that says to our kids that here is yet another opportunity to show what you have learned.  A chance to demonstrate how you can apply your learning to set of problems.  A chance to show everyone what your teacher taught them. As I have previously written, traditional luck is just an Irish theme. Real luck is when preparation meets opportunity.  Here is yet another opportunity that you should make the most of.  I challenge you to challenge your students now by inspiring them to put forth their best effort on this second round; no matter how the first round went.  Tell them that if they did all of the things they were capable of doing, they would literally astound themselves.  Prepare to be astounded.

Past a 30x30 Mentality

The typical classroom in the United States is 900 square feet. A 30’ x 30’ space. Your classroom may be larger than this, such as in the case of a Physical Education teacher. Your room may be smaller such as the case of a special education teacher working in small groups in a side room. I spent my teaching career in the area of special education. At my last school, where I spent 15 years, I never had a classroom of my own. I traversed the hallways among a student body of over 3000 students with my little supply of paper, pens, pencils. protractors, aides, books, and data in tow. I recall teaching several self-contained classes for students identified as having learning disabilities, mild mental handicaps, autism, and emotional handicaps (yes, all in the same class) in the back room of the school wood shop. Some rooms are carpeted, some are tile. Some are well-ventilated, some have stagnant air where the rafts of perfume overdosed adolescents hang. You take ownership of your classroom. It is your space to provide guidance and direction to those under your tutelage for 180 days a year. 

That 30 x 30 space is not where your success will be measured. Sure, that is where you worked hard to meet levels of student achievement and student growth. This is the place where you have taught the curriculum. This is where you have life lessons that are not in the curriculum.  You receive a teacher effectiveness rating where student achievement and student growth must significantly inform that evaluation. That’s the temporary part.  Your true effectiveness will not come as a formal measurement. It will come years down the road. You see, education is really what you have left when you have lost all of your notes.  That kid that you read about in the newspaper that has done something positive had something to do with you. That kid who gained admission into the college of their choice had something to do with you. That young man or young woman who did outstanding things for their community had something to do with you. Those that you taught who later are passing along those lessons learned from you had everything to do with you.  So, look around your classroom as you read this and look at that 30 x 30 space. Then realize that your influence goes far beyond those walls.