Are You Dialed In?

To be “dialed in” – what does that mean?  “Dialed in” is slang and means to be very proficient at a given activity.  Perhaps you are dialed in at playing the piano, dialed in as a tremendous cook, dialed in as a financial whiz, dialed in as a skilled nurse…oh, wait, I was describing some skills of my wife.  In drilling for oil, workers determine that a pump is “Dialed in” when the gauges recognize an optimal setting.  That’s where you get your “Gushers”and someone like Jed Clampett makes a bunch of money.  You can be “Dialed In” to a radio station…blasting it…singing like no one is watching and imagining yourself on stage in front of thousands…then the static comes because the frequency isn’t just right.  People can be “Dialed In” to whatever floats their boat from a hobby to studying to solving the problems of the world.  “Dialed In” is an adjective = exhibiting total concentration on AND mastery of the task at hand.  Side note – if adverbs modify verbs, shouldn’t adjectives modify “jectives”?  Just thinking.  “Dialed In” is to be tuned in, to be aware of what is going on, to be perfectly tuned, to optimize the opportunity and to be well-coordinated.

For two months, you have listened to daily announcements from your “93.5 Dialed In Team”.  You have seen numerous signs around the building with “Are You Dialed In?” prominently displayed.  You have heard all of the banter. We have set a school goal. Your have set team goals. The kids, with your help, have set individual goals.  Now is the time!  You have exposed kids to the frequency of skill sets and topics to be tested.  We are trying to provide the optimal environment for them in which to test.  We have encouraged the kids. We have talked with the kids. We have made videos.  We have made deals (I have a long list of kids at lunch who will be smashing my pretty face with pies when we reach our goals).  You have taught the kids.  You have challenged them. You have retaught. You have remediated them. You have enriched them.  Now is the time!  Is it time for EVERYONE TO BE DIALED IN!  We all have to be of one accord and I’m not referencing a Honda.  Our promotion has to be the same. We have worked far too hard to see anything go by the wayside because we were not dialed in.  Here we go – encourage, encourage, encourage!  Be dialed in and assure that your students are.  Let’s hit a gusher!