Is Your Bus Full?

My first experience on a school bus came in 1963 as a kindergartner. I was a “p.m.” student and my first afternoon resulted in getting my hand slapped by the teacher for taking one more than the undisclosed number of cookies during snack time.  Nice greeting. Heck, I don’t even like cookies.  If I knew any cuss words back then, I probably would have used them.  Mom instructed me to get on the same bus as my older sister when we were released for the day.  A bus number would have been helpful information. The teacher actually walking us to the bus would also have been beneficial. Heck, all I knew was that schools buses were yellow.   Regardless, I walked up the steps of the first yellow bus that I came to and asked the driver if my sister was on the bus.  He replied, “Sure kid, just get in a seat.” He had all of the comfort of  burlap underwear. The bus left and I still did not see my sister in any of the seats.  About 30 minutes later, I was the only kid left on the bus and had no idea where I was in relation to our house.  Eventually, the driver let me off about a half mile from our house when I noticed a landmark. I walked the distance to our house in a relatively new subdivision. Mom was not a happy camper. Boy, did my sister get it good…right after I got it good. Not surprisingly, the next day I knew the bus number, the teacher made sure we all were headed in the right direction, and I stopped eating cookies.  I did have a hard time sitting though due to inflammation of a tanned hide.  School buses are designed to carry a large number of kids.  Take a look at the next bus you see. Is it full to capacity or are there many empty seats? 

Imagine, if you will, the you have your own “personal success stories bus”. Think about all of the kids you have taught this year and the success stories you share with them.  A standard school bus has seating for 66 students.  Do you have 66 kids that you can honestly say were positively affected by your teaching?  Are there 66 kids in whose lives you have made a difference?  Are there 66 kids with whom you formed a tremendous relationship?  Are there 66 kids who made tremendous gains academically under your tutelage?  Are there 66 kids that grew as a person because of the example you set for them?  Are there 66 kids whose lives are better because you are in it?  Are there 66 kids who would list you as one of the best teachers they ever had?  Are there 66 kids who now have some direction because of your genuine care for them?  Are there 66 kids who would crawl over broken glass for you because they know that you would do that for them?  Are there 66 kids who look up to you as a role model?  Are there 66 kids that can say that your class was the best?  Are there 66 kids who you talked with every single day and asked them about their life?  Are there 66 kids that you phoned home about to tell their parents of the great job they were doing? Are there 66 kids who will forever be etched in your memory?   Start naming them. How many did you get to? In this business, you want your bus to be full every single year. You don’t want empty seats. Is your bus full?

Service Advice

When you have a problem with your car engine, you seek the advice of your optometrist.  When you have issues with your plumbing, you seek assistance from the mail carrier. When you have a toothache, you visit the baker.  When you have halitosis, you visit the psychiatrist. When you have issues with your car, you take it to the barber.  When you have the flu, you communicate with the traffic cop.  If you need legal assistance, you see the taxi driver. When you need help with your income tax return, you seek help from the roofer. If you need surgery, you schedule an operation with the carpenter. When you need help with your golf swing, you get lessons from the seamstress.   When you need to pour concrete, you seek out the nearest maker of fine chocolates.  When you cannot see straight, you go to the proctologist. Hmm, that last one may make sense.  Obviously, there is nothing logical about any of these.  Why?  In these examples, people are looking at the wrong source for assistance…kind of like asking me for advice on hair care.

It is important to seek advice from the right people. When teachers need assistance, where do they turn?  A wise man seeks the counsel of many…if they are qualified to give that counsel.  Never put yourself on an island.  Seek assistance when needed as there is no penalty for asking. In fact, it is encouraged.  We have so many talented people here to point you in the right direction.  Start with your teammates. They share the same kids. Try your department  colleagues. They share the same subject. Work with your grade level common subject area teachers. They share the same curriculum. Ask your Principal – he honestly cares about your growth as an educator.  As the school year approaches our final weeks, I am sure that you have reflected on the many lessons that you have taught and the many relationships that you have formed; both with students and staff.   You may be thinking, “How can I do that better?”  “How do I want the next school year to begin?” “What do I need to leave in and what do I need to leave out?” Toward the very end, pose these types of questions to your students. Ask them what lessons were most meaningful and which ones just didn’t move them. Warning on seeking advice – be prepared to hear some things that you did not expect to hear. Seek advice of the appropriate people.  They will give you the most meaningful advice.

Finish Strong!

What would you think about the home contractor who built a nice foundation, but from that point up, his work is pretty shoddy?  How about the marathon runner who sprints the first 285 yards and then walks the final 26 miles?  How about a baker whose products have an inviting aroma, but taste like they were half-baked?  How about the auto mechanic who changes your oil filter, but neglects to refill the engine oil?  How about the actress who does an excellent job in Act I, but never memorized her lines for the remainder of the play?  What would you think of the hostess who served undercooked food at a dinner party? How about the concrete crew who poured the cement for your new driveway, but failed to smooth it?  How about the tire center that only put 24 PSI of air in your tires instead of the standard 32? The fast food drive-thru that only gave you three- quarters of your order? The shoe store that gave you only one and three-quarters of shoes in the box?  The lawn crew who left 25% of your yard uncut?  In all of these, you are looking for someone to finish the job.

Now that the ISTEP is completed, many would think that the gig is essentially over.  Wrong!  There is still a job to finish!  Do this for the kids.  Do this for your colleagues.  Yes, it is understandable that there are some issues with having the state tests, the ones that are supposed to measure the academic achievement and academic progress of a student at a particular grade level over a school year in time is given in two parts – one 5 weeks before the end of the school year and one 12 weeks before we close up shop.   Now that the results are not expected back until sometime in the Fall, why not let us teach what needs to be taught until the end?  Let’s not go to the flaws of having two versions of the exam and two ways to take it and then compare the results as though everyone had the same playing field. Then, of course, the state insists on comparing growth on two different sets of standards rather than using this year as a base measure.  To say that some folks are disgruntled would be an understatement.  I have listened to and read opinions from colleagues around the state, parents, teachers, students, and the general public.  We have no control over these concerns and that is not what this message is about.  What we have now is an opportunity. Yes, we have an opportunity to make a difference.  Let’s face it – this may be the final chances that you will get to formally teach those kids that have been in your class since August. There is still a great deal more to teach our students this school year.  Think about those long-term goals that we are striving for in all subjects.  Think ahead of what these kids really need to successfully begin the next grade level.  Think about what they haven’t been taught yet in more than the academic sense.  Each grade level has some exciting events left.  Those are fairly large culminating projects that the kids have been working on for quite some time. It sends the wrong message to have “count down” calendars posted. The kids know how many days are left. We don’t need to advertise this.  We all need to finish strong with our best effort.  We need to finish the job.