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…
