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.

-----------------------------------------------

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.