Warranties

A warranty is a written guarantee issued to the purchaser of an article by the manufacturer, promising to repair or replace it if necessary within a specified period of time.  That last part is the tricky part.  You see, the last part really makes you wonder about the first part.  If the product is that good (and they tell you it is), then why do they specify the warranty period as relatively short?  The shorter the warranty period, the easier it is to understand the warranty itself.  The longer the  warranty period, the more sketchy are the details as to what is covered.  I would advise not just reading the fine print, but understanding the fine print before you sign a thing.  How about the concept of the “Extended” warranty.  Extended means that you are paying for that warranty longer. A Consumer Reports survey found that 55% of car buyers who purchased an extended warranty never used it for repairs even though the median coverage was $1200 and for those who did use it spent hundreds more for the coverage than they saved in repair costs.  The better the product, the less there is a need for a warranty.

There was a push in some parts of the country during the 1990’s for high schools to give warranties on their students based on their abilities to perform well in the real world in terms of functional literacy. The premise was that schools were required to guarantee that their students could read, write, and do arithmetic.  Once hired, if those same students were found to be performing below the guaranteed level, then the schools had to provide remedial instruction.    The warranties served two purpose;; (1) To give businesses confidence in the high school grads and (2)  Instill confidence in teachers that their efforts were worthwhile.  How about you – are you ready to GUARANTEE that all of your students are ready for the next level and will put that in a written warranty that if not, you will provide the necessary remediation?  A novel concept, isn’t it?  The better the product, the less there is a need for a warranty.

Picking Apples

Shuna Holmes, Assistant Director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, wrote a blog entitled, “Women are like Apples.”  Okay, I bit (no pun intended).  Here’s what she wrote –“Women are like apples on a tree.  The best ones are at the top of the tree.  The men don’t want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt.”  Not in my case!  I climbed the tree and was blessed to get the best apple.  I found her comments pretty deep because you all know that I like that kind of  analogical and metaphorical writing because I do the same each week.  Even outside of Ms. Holmes’ meaning, there is something here about apple picking.  People go to apple orchards in the fall months to pick apples.  Did you ever see even one of those people climb the apple tree to get the best fruit?  After all, that’s where the best fruit is.  The vast majority of people are content to just pick from the lowest branches and are satisfied with so-so apples.  They stay away from the apples on the ground unless they want to smash them in a cider press for the liquid and leaving the remnants for the critters.  But the really good apples, those near the top – they’re just not worth the climb for most.

Students are much like this.  Many are just content to stay where it is comfortable and eat off the lower branches of understanding.  That’s where the easy stuff is in academic terms.  Those are the branches that hold knowledge and comprehension levels of understanding.  Not much effort needs to be exerted and what the heck, they can still eat.  Some will stand on their tip-toes and pick off the branches that hold application levels of understanding.  The fruit is a little tastier there, but nothing to write home about.  We won’t teach kids to be critical thinkers if we never get them up in the tree trying to pick from branches that hold apples of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels.  Maybe they can use a ladder, maybe they’ll have to climb. It doesn’t matter. We have to get them up in the tree.  That’s where the best apples are. 

Dallas

On July 7, 2016, a shooter ambushed and fired upon a group of police officers in Dallas, Texas.  Five of those officers were killed.  Nine others were injured.  The shooter was angry over police shootings of black men and was intent on killing white police officers.  Sad.  Ironically, the shootings came at the conclusion of a PEACEFUL organized protest against police killings of two black men.  Sad.  Emotions were running high on both sides of the issue.  For me, I have a brother who has been a police officer for 36 years and a nephew who is in his second year as a police officer. Police shootings hit home pretty quick.  Take the politics out of this tragedy and guess what – it is still a tragedy.  ALL lives matter.  Many civilians and officers were interviewed after the shootings.  One officer, a spokesmen for the Dallas police force, said something that stuck with me.  He was imploring the public to show support in tangible ways.  Here’s what he said – “We don’t feel your support most days.  Let’s not make today most days.”  Amen.

There is a teacher shortage in the United States.  Why is this?  There are many reasons why young people do not choose to make teaching their profession.  Some of these reasons are personal; other reasons are quite public.  Teachers today have to be masters of their content, a computer whiz, a counselor, an advocate, a proxy-parent, a coach, an entertainer, a facilitator, an data interpreter, an assessment writer, a course developer, a psychologist, first-aid responder, parent communicator, promise keeper, have something called “withitness” and a thousand other things.  People know teachers because essentially everyone was a student at some time in their life and had at least one teacher.  Teachers need to be honored.  Teachers need to be respected.  Teachers need to be listened to.  Teachers have a chance every day to change lives – to make a difference.  Teachers should not have to echo what the police officer in Dallas said – “We don’t feel your support most days.  Let’s not make today most days”.  Thanks for what you do.  You have my support. I have said it before a thousand times, but here it is again – the most important resource we have in education are the human resources.   Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Holes

Did you ever dig a hole in the ground?  Not a little one where you planted petunias, but a hole that had some depth.  I recall digging, by hand, the foundation for a family room addition to my childhood home in 1983. That foundation was 48 inches deep and believe me, Dad had the tape measure in full use.  Mom and Dad decided to expand the house after the kids were gone – go figure.  Anyway, the work was pretty brutal under the hot August sun working with a single spade.  Although I was only 25 at the time, my muscles ached, my back was sore, and I was sweating like Mike Tyson at a Spelling Bee.  Periodically, my brothers and I would take a break to get some water.  We were faced with a dilemma.  There is no way that we could jump out of the hole that we made.  It was four feet deep and my vertical is slightly above the thickness of a credit card.  We found out pretty quick that it is not possible to jump out of a hole.  No way.  To get out of a hole, you have two choices:  (1)  crawl out of the hole or (2) have someone pull you out.  We used both.

Do you have any students who are in the hole?  Any students who have fallen behind?  Any students who have missing assignments?  Any students who are struggling?  Of course you do.  If not, take a deeper look at the data and reassess.  Okay, they’re in the hole. Now what? You – yes you, have three choices.  You could direct them to jump out of the hole by snapping to it, bucking up and making up for their transgressions.  Ain’t gonna work.  That leaves you with two choices.  You could make them crawl out of the hole because after all, they caused the problem, right?  Before you direct them to crawl out of the hole, make sure that they know how to crawl. If they can do the work, make them crawl by assigning working lunches until their crawling is complete and they are out of the hole.   If they are truly academically challenged with the material, you can ask them to crawl until the cows come home, but they won’t get out of the hole.  That leaves you with one final choice – you can pull them out of the hole.  Work with them so that they understand the material.  Make sure that they have it before you go “all punitive” on them. Find time in Resource Period or in Enrichment Period to intervene.  Kids will continue to work their way into holes and they will be in your classes.  It’s important to respond correctly. You don’t necessarily need to understand the hole, but rather who is in it.

Time to Show Up!

I enjoyed my tenure as Head Coach of a high school track and field team.  We enjoyed a great deal of success if success is measured by championships, school records,  and state medals.  We worked from a backward approach with the end in mind.  Practices were planned from the state finals and worked back to the start of the training season in late Fall.  The ultimate goal was always prevalent.  Along the way, there were short-term goals.  Adjustments in practices were made according to the progress that the kids made.  These were the “informal” assessments.  The “formative” assessments were all of the meets before the state meet, which was the “summative” assessment.  In all of this, there were many “pep talks”, both as a group or individually.  What you learn over time is that during that last week of the “Big Test” (State Finals), there really isn’t much you can do to get the kids in better shape or increase their level of fitness.  At that point in the season, it is really all between their ears.  That’s where your best pep talk comes into play.  It’s time to show up!

Much like the training plan described above, you and  your students have done the same.  Now, we attack the final round of ISTEP.  Hopefully, you worked from a backward approach by first identifying what the essential learning was to be and then setting long-range goals.  “Practice sessions” were held throughout the year with the end goals in site.  Along the way, there were daily goals.  These goals were connected to the long-term goals.  Adjustments in the instructional plan were made dependent upon the progress of the students.  There were informal assessments multiple times and formative assessments to measure if kids were “on track”.  There were some pep talks to your students, both as a team and individually.  Parents were brought on to the team.  We have made videos, we have served them breakfast, we have done daily announcements, we have worn the t-shirt, we have created carrots.  At this point, it is all between their ears…literally.  This is where your best pep talk comes into play.  It’s time to show up!

Movies and Bladders

What is the longest movie that you have ever sat through without taking a break of any kind?  No trip to the concession stand, no potty breaks, no skipping out and rounding up.  The Godfather Part II ran for 3 hours and 20 minutes.  Ironically, the same length of time that Taylor Swift has stayed in a relationship.  The Lord of the Rings:  The Return of the King lasted 3 hours and 21 minutes.  Ben Hur was 3 hours and 32 minutes including a 9 minute chariot race.  The Ten Commandments ran for 3 hours and 40 minutes – almost as long as Moses was actually in the desert.  Gone with the Wind lasted for 3 hours and 41 minutes.  I was gone before the breeze started.  Hamlet ran for 3 hours and 42 minutes.  Cleopatra was 3 hours and 48 minutes -  four academy awards and a bottle of 5 Minute Energy Drink.  Alfred Hitchcock was a genius in the film industry.  He directed such memorable films as Psycho, The Birds, The Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo and many others.  Hitchcock’s movies typically ran under two hours because of his rule of thumb about films:  “The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.”

What the heck does a full bladder have to do with teaching?  Not much…or does it.  The point that I wish to make is that the attention span of a “tweener” is sometimes slightly longer than a gnat.  I once read that all speeches should be 18 minutes or less because the human mind begins to wander after that duration no matter who is speaking.  You will never capture all of the attention necessary from your students if they come in, park their buns, and remain sitting there for 40 minutes listening to you pontificate (Remember Charlie Brown’s teacher).  It is important to have several activities planned each day with quick and smooth transitions.  Have something for them every day as soon as they walk in the door.  Mix it up.  Get them out of their seats.  Get out of your own seat.  Get them out of the classroom.  When you are competing against fast action video games, you can’t be the Science teacher from Ferris Bueller.  Short bursts of high-yield teaching will pay big dividends.  The length of a classroom activity should be directly related to the endurance of the attention of a 11-13 year old…perhaps their bladder endurance as well.

The Butler Way

I am a proud graduate of Butler University.  Great school.  Great education.  Great relationships.  I never heard of Butler University until one week before the state Track & Field championships in 1976 when I received a note from Butler’s legendary coach, Stan Lyons, who wrote that he wanted to visit with me after the meet.  Two weeks later, he offered me a scholarship and I said yes.  I still remember the look of pride on my Dad’s face.  Four years, lots of studying, championships, the Lambda Chi house, great friendships , student teaching, outstanding commencement ceremony.  It was hard to say good-bye to Coach Lyons on that last day.  What a great man – God rest his soul.  Butler gained much notoriety in 2010 and 2011 with back to back trips to the NCAA Men’s’ Basketball Championship game with a “David vs. Goliath” story.  Over the years, Butler has developed a culture incorporating five pillars and recruiting players that have outstanding character.  Those five pillars are core values and really are biblical principles.  “The Butler Way” is Humility - go about your business in a humble way without self-exaltation, Passion – do not be lukewarm; pursue excellence, Unity – do not divide the team as the team is first, Servanthood – make those around you better, Thankfulness – learn from every circumstance, and Accountability - no excuses, no explanations.  I am proud to be associated with this school – Go Bulldogs!

There is a lot to learn from these core values and perhaps much to aspire to.  As teachers, we demonstrate humility when we really don’t care who gets the credit for outstanding results.  As teachers, we work at things with a passion as we pursue excellence in our students; however that is defined.  As teachers, we must have the demonstrative attitude that we are serving others and not the other way around.  As teachers, we must show thankfulness no matter what comes our way and understand that failures make us stronger IF we do something about it.  Finally, we have to be accountable for what happens, good or bad without excuse.  More than teaching, what a great way to live your life.  Live this way and people will notice.  They will see something different about you.  Hopefully, they’ll want to follow your example.  Guess what we’ll have then – a better school and a better society.  Who wouldn’t want that?  I am proud to be associated with this school – Go Bulldogs!

Greenhouses

It’s that time of the year – people start to get wound up about flowers, grass, and new plantings.  After a long winter, you just can’t help yourself.  It’s okay – no 12 step program is necessary.  You’ll notice more ads about trees, seeds, and plants.  You may also notice greenhouses more.  The greenhouses that you saw operating throughout the winter are really “Hothouses” because they have sufficient heat for the plants to grow. Greenhouses have been around since the 13^th century and were called botanical gardens.  You see that term being used today, but not typically with a greenhouse.  Greenhouses are structures with both the walls and roof made of a transparent material.  There is a huge size variance.  These are placed with full sun exposure. Solar radiation passes through and is absorbed by whatever is on the inside.  You know, that photosynthesis thing.  The purpose of greenhouses is plant growth. 

Schools should be greenhouses of learning growth.  But, what is it that we want our student to grow in?  The obvious answer is that we want them to grow academically.  Okay, fine.  What the heck does that mean?  Does that mean higher grades? Higher test scores?  Higher levels of understanding? Mastering the standards?  All of these are good except for the grade part because I can tell you that after 37 years in education, I have no clue what a grade actually means as there is much variance among classes and teachers.  How about student growth in these ways: (1) Growing in their  competence in the world – that is why real-life examples are so vital in the classroom. (2)  Growing in managing emotions – do we really want the middle school “drama” to be present when these kids are older?  (3)  Growing in learning to think for themselves – eventually, you have to tie your own shoes.  (4) Growing in working with others – unless they want to pull the Hermit’s card, working with others is inescapable.  (5)  Growing in their relationships – those awkward “tweener” years need to go away sometime, right? (6) Growing in a purpose – getting them ready for their careers. (7)  Growing in integrity – that “Do what is right…avoid what is wrong” theme provides a good moral compass.   And you thought we were just growing academics.

Grandpa's Stories

For Father’s Day 2016, my grandson, Jude, gave me a gift that I had to give back by design.  The gift was a book entitled, “Grandpa. His Stories. His Words”.  The idea was for me to answer the questions in the book in my own handwriting. When I finished, I gave it back to Jude for his first birthday.  He will have a record of his Grandpa’s thoughts and can pass this down to his own children and their children.  Of course, before that, he has to learn how to read!  I answered questions about my ancestry (part Scottish), what my own grandparents were like, the personalities of my parents (incredible servants), what my bedroom was like when I was a kid (shared a 10 x12” room with both brothers), what school was like, the finances of our family (we were financially strapped just like everyone else on our block), my first car (A 1969 Opel Kadet purchased for $200), who I first voted for President (Carter/Ford election), my hobbies as a kid, chores, nicknames, favorite holiday, family meals (every night at 5:31), my first job (shoveling manure for 75 cents/hr), major events in my life (there are a lot), how I met Grandma (great story if you want to hear it), memorable vacations, disappointments, people I looked up to, how the world has changed for the better, and an important lesson that my parents taught me (they taught me much through their actions).  I love our little guy.  Being a Grandpa is a wonderful experience…except for that dirty diaper replay.

Imagine if your students, current and past, wrote stories about you.  What would they write?  What would they write about your personality?  Outgoing or a stick in the mud, approachable or feared, funny or distant, fearful and a crabby pants?  What would they write about your classroom?  Inviting, well-decorated, clean or cold, Spartan, or a pig sty?  What would they write about your teaching?  Learned a lot, made learning fun, challenged me or didn’t learn squat, boring, and didn’t care?  What would they write about impactful events in your classroom?  I”ll never forget….or we never did anything except worksheets.  Whether or not your students write their thoughts down on paper is immaterial.  They are writing thoughts about you in their minds every day.  Last August, I attended my high school reunion – 40 years.  Thank God for name tags!  We talked about the present – jobs, kids, grandkids, etc., but guess what we talked about the most?  That’s right – our teachers.  Your students will talk about you at their class reunions one day.  The biggest memory that they will share is how you treated them.  Make great memories today, tomorrow, and forever.   Being a teacher is a wonderful experience…and no dirty diapers.

Fears

What are your biggest fears?  Spiders?  I know this lady, ( Let’s call her Mary), that will wait until her husband (Let’s call him Tim) comes home to kill a spider that has been in the house since 6:00 a.m.  Snakes?  Heights? – can tall people actually be fearful of themselves?  Germophobic?  Airplanes?  Reminds me of the scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas where Lucy is asking Charlie Brown what he is afraid of when he discovers that he is afraid of everything. Lucy had him prepay the five cents.  Water?  Abandonment?  Blood?  Clowns?  The number 13?  Bridges?  Bees?  Belly buttons? (Omaphalophobia).  None of you have Didaskaleinophobia – the fear of school.  I read a study of the biggest fears that people have.  Shocking results.  The number 2 fear is death and the number 1 fear is public speaking.  What?  What?  So, at a funeral, that person would rather be in the box than giving the eulogy?!  Where am I going with this?  Read on.

In school, kids are afraid of the unknown…or if their locker combination works or if their friends have the same lunch period.  No, it is fear of the unknown.  It also is a “subject-based” fear.  We have kids who absolutely hate going to P.E. class.  This is not because we have crummy teachers. We don’t.  Their hatred stems from them not being too athletic and some think that is what P.E. is all about.  It is not.  To those whom Mathematics comes easily could not imagine that anyone would be fearful of getting along well in that subject because the concepts being taught are not in their wheelhouse.  Some kids don’t like to write…because they’re not very good at it. Some kids are not very good artists and the thought of attending Art class raises their heart rate because “I stink at Art.”  Science?  I may have to touch a frog and I am afraid to death of frogs therefore I hate Science.  If your subject is not listed here, don’t worry – some kid is fearful.  Fear usually stems from a lack of confidence.  Even as adults, people do not participate in things that they aren’t very good at. The things that they are good at is because they are confident in their skills. Part of our job as educators is to instill confidence in our students.  Confidence must come before competence.  We need to take advantage of the time that we have to build confidence in our students who are lacking from it. We can never expect them to just “magically” get better at something without feeling confident in it first.   You may have to spiral back at different development levels and pitch it where they hit it.  That builds confidence in moving forward.  If you choose not to do this, then prepare for a long list of student failures.  Confidence must come before competence.  

I Wish You a Paul

I had the privilege of working with Paul Mehling during my teaching career.  As a special education team member, we were searching for a different model of the delivery system within the continuum of services.  We decided to use a “Collaborative Teaching” model for students who were identified as having learning disabilities and general education students who were having difficulty academically with traditional methodology and blend these groups into one class.  At Lake Central High School, members of our department partnered with general education teachers in the areas of English, Math, and Science.  I was given the assignment of developing the program with two Science teachers in both Principles of Chemistry and Physics as well as Biology.  Elizabeth Hasan and Paul Mehling became my co-teachers.  Paul was the Science Department Chair and a veteran teacher.  We worked hard to prepare lessons where difficult concepts could be presented through easier to understand hands-on activities. We thought outside the box; sometimes way outside the box. We developed assessments where we could use the results to determine if our plan was working.  We sought feedback from the kids.  I learned a whole lot more than teaching Punnet squares and balancing chemical equations.  I learned that the most important part of “collaborative” teaching was a “collaborative relationship” between the adults. Without that, the chance of a successful program is diminished. Paul became not only my friend; he served as one of the most important mentors in my life. He was a father figure to me. We shared personal struggles and held each other up.  We were there for each other and never let the other down in doing his part in the classroom.  Paul and I both left LC in the same year; he to retirement and me to an administrative career. I cherish those years spent with Paul in the classroom. Paul Mehling passed away on February 16, 2017.  He left behind a wife, three children, and three grandchildren.  Did he make a difference in the lives of countless kids and a certain special education teacher? Without a doubt.  Paul Mehling made a huge difference in my life.  Rest in peace, my friend. 

We have an opportunity each day to function as part of a team.  I am sure that you feel that through our “School within a school” concept with multiple academic teams dispersed throughout the building.  I am also sure that you grow close to the members of your team because you share one very important thing each day = kids.  Many days it must feel that you spend more time with your teammates than you do with your own family.  Maybe you are an LRE teacher doing all sorts of things – push-in, pull-out, resource, team-teaching and throughout your daily journey is the need to develop relationships with those teachers that you share kids with.  Maybe you are in an encore department and wonder how you can get closer to the people that share your subjects.  Take an opportunity to visit their class, share some ideas and maybe attempt to team-teach a lesson or two.  When you get closer to the end, you will begin to look back on perhaps several decades of time in a school.  Here’s what you will remember – the relationships that you formed.  Sure, you may recall a killer lesson or an activity that you swear should be patented.  Every teacher has that.  But, all along its been about relationships.  If you have built great relationships with your colleagues, keep on not only doing that , but adding to that list.  If the relationship part has been lax in your teaching life, the time has come to reach out and begin that today.  I hope that you have a Paul Mehling in your life.  I thank God that he was in mine.

Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine influenced the American Revolution greatly with the publication of his Common Sense pamphlet in 1776.  This was his call to arms for Colonial America.  He challenged the authority of the British monarchy and openly urged independence from Great Britain.  The rest is, pun intended, history.  He argued that America had lost touch with the land across the pond and that independence was eminent.  It was “common sense” to separate.  Common Sense sold approximately 500,000 copies, which was a remarkable number considering the population of the entire “country” was 2.5 million.  Paine wrote that we must earn our liberty to truly appreciate it.  We sow what we reap.  No one should be handed anything – you have to earn it.  People must raise themselves up to liberty.  Liberty is to be earned.  “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.”

As we prepare for the first round of ISTEP next week, no one could ever accuse us of taking this too lightly.  All of the preparation that was provided, the remediation, the enrichment, the lesson planning, the adjustments in instruction, the collaboration, the professional development, the professional practice,  the Marzano elements…none of those came cheaply.  Short story – we have worked hard to assure that these test scores are where we want them to be.  The videos, the announcements, the breakfasts, the t-shirts…yep, not cheap, but well though-out strategies that we call “carrots”.  So, when these scores do come out, we will value them because we worked really hard for them.  It is so much harder to give up something that you have worked so hard for.  That’s why it will be special.  It’s common sense.  We aren’t obtaining anything cheaply; thus, we won’t esteem the results lightly.

Rocky Mountain High

John Denver wrote Rocky Mountain High long before Colorado began selling marijuana legally.  There is a conspiracy theory that Denver’s “secret message” in the song was that smoking pot would take you to “places” you have never been before.  Of course, the ones contributing to that theory were enveloped in a cloud of cannabis smoke. John Denver wrote this song after seeing the beauty of life in the Rocky Mountains.  He saw this distinctly in the form of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower.  He was mesmerized by the shadows of the starlight and the meteor showers and the sight of “raining fire” in the sky.  It opened his eyes to something he didn’t know existed.  Denver was 27 years old at this time and he had just moved to Colorado.  Below is the first verse to the song. 

“He was born in the summer of his 27^th year, coming home to a place he’d never been before.

He left yesterday behind him, you might say that he was born again,

You might say he found a key for every door.”

I wonder just how many eyes we can open to something that they have never been able to do before.  I have interviewed hundreds of prospective teachers over the years and have asked them what the best part of teaching is.  The vast majority say something like this, “I love when kids get it; when the light bulb goes off.  That’s the best part.”  Is that the best part for you?  If it is, would you like to have more of those moments?  If so, realize that you must create those  “light bulb” moments.  Kids may come into their own, academically speaking, when WE CREATE the opportunity to do so.  We can take them, academically speaking, to places they have never been before.  We can get that “Rocky Mountain High” by challenging them at higher levels of understanding.  We can move them from stagnation and leave yesterday behind them by understanding where they are academically and moving them to higher levels.  We can provide awakening for them by showing them concepts that they have never seen and teach it in ways they have never been taught.  Innovating anyone?  We can show them that they “key” to opening up academic doors starts with an inspiring teacher who is excited about what they are presenting, engaging his or her students throughout lessons, and causing them to think beyond what they have already thought about.  Just like the light show that John Denver saw that night in 1972, we can turn on those “lightbulbs” that we desperately must seek.

Don't Clog the Well!

Over the past 3500 years, there have only been approximately 300 years where the world was free from war.  Think about that for a moment.  That means that there has been war for over 90% of the past 35 centuries!  How about you?  Has there been even one year where there was peace in the world during your lifetime?  Pretty sad.  Military tactics have evolved over that 3500 year span.  Modern wars are fought with much technology and whoever has the most sophisticated technology usually “wins”.  In WWI, the trench became an important part of military strategy.  Our Civil War was fought by two sides facing each other at relatively close range and the winner was whoever could reload their weapon the fastest.  I think the British blew it during our Revolution due to their insistence of wearing bright red coats.  I guess the world “camouflage”” wasn’t invented yet.  In Old Testament times, one creative military strategy did not involve weapons at all. Yes, David was slinging stones at Goliath and hand to hand combat was the standard, but if you really wanted to defeat your enemy the objective was this:  stop up the wells of your enemy by loading the well with stones.  This would cut off the water supply and people cannot survive without water.  Once the enemy became parched, they gave up.  Those that refused to give up died of thirst.

Kids carry all kinds of stones with them.  These are stones that they shouldn’t have to carry, but they do.  You may not know about these stones, but believe me, they exist.  These stones block the flow of student learning and relationship building.  Kids in this school or any other school for that matter, carry these stones that weigh them down..  These may be stones of abuse , hurt, rejection, depression, or hopelessness.  Stones may be carried that are representative of poverty, hunger, neglect or a lack of love.  Some of these kids are easy to spot.  Some hide it quite well.  What are these kids looking for?  First and foremost, they are not looking for someone to add to their burdens!  They already have enough on their plates and are often ill-equipped to handle it.  You may not be able to remove all of the stones, but you can do SOMETHING.  Prevent abuse by accepting their answers in a class discussion and watch for any signs of bullying in the hallways.  Be the one that picks them up with a compliment or a smile.  Give them hope and build their confidence.  Be perhaps the only adult that wants to build a good relationship with them.  Show them how caring adults are supposed to act.  Alert the office if these kids need help with lunch money or clothing – there are things that we can do.  These kids are not our enemy and we should never desire to clog up their wells.  Some of them have only a trickle.  Let’s be part of the plan to open up the springs. 

Dear Abby

Abigail Van Buren was the pen name of Pauline Phillips who founded an advice column in 1956. She provided answers to people’s problems until the year 2000 in newspapers throughout the country.  The Dear Abby column was known for brief, yet sincere and kind advice.  She cared about the problems of people. People wrote to her because of this reputation and they wanted a “third party” to make decisions for them in their private and social lives.  Her responses were reasoned, yet terse.  Her columns became a “must read” for a multitude of readers.  Abigail Van Buren/Pauline Phillips passed away in 2013 due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease.  She had many of her words quoted.  One quote that made me think is “There are two kinds of people in the world – those who walk into a room and say, ‘Here I am’ and those who say, ‘There you are.” That speaks volumes of how much people think of themselves and others.  Reminds me of this – “Have I not wept for those in trouble?” (Job 30:25)  She demonstrated that the mindset of valuing others more than yourself is an essential tenet. 

This is something that I was told 37 years ago – get used to being third. The kids come first.  The school/team comes second.  The teachers come third.  I consider myself to be number 88.  Why is this?  None of what we do is solely about us.  Sure, there is a paycheck and renumeration and a benefits package.  Those are the compensation for what we do, but really isn’t the result.  It is about making a difference in the lives of others.  AND there are lots of “others” around you each day!  Some of the “others” you will not like.  Some of the others have bad breath and dress pretty sloppy.  Some of the others are gangly and are growing into theirselves.  Some are socially inept.  Some are snotty. Some are gregarious. Some are awesome. Some “deserve” your time.  Some you will want to take home.  Some you will want to stay home. “They” are part of “us”.  Everyone outside of you is an “other”.  Is it “Here I am “ or “There you are”?  What would Dear Abby say?

Doors

You can find doors in most buildings.  We have hundreds of doors in our school, both exterior and interior.  You have several doors in your home. Your vehicle has doors.  Office buildings have doors.  Did you ever stop and think about the purposes of doors?  Yep, I didn’t think so.  I’ll do it for you.  The first purpose of a door is that it gives identity.  People may even identify you with the color or design of your front door to your home.  Think about that – haven’t you said softly something like this, “I never would have used that color.”  Another purpose of doors is that they give access.  When unlocked, doors provide entry in to the building.  A third purpose of doors is that they give security.  Doors help keep the things within the building safe as well as keeping the bad stuff out.  The last purpose of doors is to divide.  If you don’t have the key or the business is closed, you are simply on the outside looking in.  At that point you wonder which side of the door you should be on.

How do students see the door to your classroom?  Just beyond the door is your classroom.  How do students see your classroom?  Is it a welcoming place or is it a sterile environment where they may not feel welcome?  What is your identity as associated with your classroom?  Is  your classroom functional or an educational disaster?  How about the type of access that is provided?  Do kids have access to many resources including the greatest resource – You!  Can they move about or are they conceptually tied to their desks?  What about security?  Do you provide a safe place for them?  Not in terms of protection against fires and intruders, but a classroom where they are free to ask questions without being made to feel like a fool.  Are they safe to explore on their own and to do some individual projects?  What about division?  Is your classroom open to ALL of the students.  Better yet, are YOU open to ALL of your students?  Do they know that you care about them and really want them to succeed.  Remember that it really doesn’t matter if you like all of the kids under your direction. It does matter if you love them.  Kids need to feel somewhat like a door in your classes – they need to have their identity, they need to have access to much, they need to feel secure, and they need to know that they are on the right side of the door and not on the outside looking in.

May I Have Seconds?

Have you received a compliment for something that others perceive you have done well?  Maybe you have received a compliment because of your outfit or handbag.  Perhaps you have received a compliment on the behavior of your children or on the demonstration of athletic ability.  Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”  You may have heard things like, “You look amazing!” or “I love your shoes – are they new?” or “That color looks great on you.”  (A guy once told me that he knew something that was brown and black and would great on me – a Doberman Pincher) or “I like your new haircut” (never uttered to me).  What would you say to the cook of a great meal that you ate?  Would you say, “That was delicious.”, “That was tasty.”, “You’re a fabulous cook!” or “That was out of this world!”  After limited thought, I think the best compliment that you can give to a cook is simply this – “May I have seconds?”  There is something about asking for more of what you found so pleasing to your taste buds that it would warm the heart of any cook.  If you want more of what people have worked at and express that to them; well, how does it get better than that in terms of validation for the receiver?

Think about that in your own teaching.  Did a student ever tell you that they loved the lesson that you taught that day?  Did any of them let you know that they couldn’t wait for the next day?  Did a student ever tell you that no one ever taught me this before?  Did any of them ever express that they never understood the concept until you showed them how?  Did a student ever tell you that they hope they get you as a teacher next year or wish they could?  Do any of your students stay after class ends because they want more of what you are presenting?  How about “You made make boring stuff come alive!” Do kids actually run to your class because they don’t want to miss anything?  Do you have them so engaged that the end of the class period is just a guideline?  Do you leave them thirsty for more?  This list may not have an end. What does have an ending is the time that we get to spend with groups of kids.  They move on to the next class, to the next grade, and eventually to the next school.  We need to get students to the point of wanting to be here because of the people in the building.  We need to get them to mindset of “May I have seconds?” That’s what you want your students to express as we begin the second semester.

Types of Bread

I like bread.  Always have.  Always will.  There are about a gazillion types of bread made in the United States alone.  If bread is not eaten, it is pretty useless unless you own a penicillin manufacturing plant.  How many types of bread can you name in 30 seconds?  Just for giggles, I looked up “American Breads” and found out that there are more than white, wheat, rye, and pumpernickel.  Have you ever tried Bulkie Roll, a New England region sandwich roll?  How about Parker House Roll, which is made by flattening the center of a ball of dough with a rolling pin (Mom’s discipline utensil of choice in 1965) and then folding over the oval?  How about Pullman Loaf or Scali Bread?  Why are there so many different types of bread?  For the same reason that there are different makes and models of cars, different flavors of ice cream, different types of shoes, and different manufacturers of golf clubs – to meet the needs of all.  If breads never evolved, we would still be eating Johnny cakes.  I suspect that we will see more types of bread on the market as the tastes of people change.  Not everyone wants the white bread.

Here’s a shocker – there are many types of learners in your classroom.  Did you notice them?  There are four primary learning styles not including a well-placed rolling pin on the buttocks of a seven year old boy who chose not to clean his room (dang, that hurt).  Visual Learners prefer to see the content and love to see graphics within highly visual presentations.  Auditory Learners prefer recitations and hearing information rather than seeing it.  Reading/Writing Learners  learn best when reading and writing (hence, the name) and love to interact with the text and annotated sheets.  Kinesthetic Learners love hands-on and learn best by doing.  What type of learner are you?  I guarantee that in any of your class periods, you will have a mix of learning styles.  The question is – how do you provide for them?  It is vital to differentiate your methods and assessments. If not, you will never catch them all.  How do you do this?  Look at the root word DIFFERENTIATED. Do not do the same thing day after day after day!  Simply put,  attend to the learning needs of your students!   Let the student differences shape how you go about things – have multiple materials, offer multiple options for assignments and assessments, flexible groupings, allow the kids to help design products, let them express what they have learned in various ways, use tiered assignments, use a variety of assessments and throw the dang scantron out the window. Utilize rubrics, respond to student interests, encourage student investigation, find what makes them tick.  Differentiation is more than strategies; it is a way of thinking…maybe out of your own learning style.  Remember that you’re not teaching yourself, but others who may not learn like you to.  Not everybody wants the white bread.

You Have to Get Wet

There are several things that you can do in water.  You can dive off springboards or cliffs. You can play water polo.  You can snorkel.  You can do synchronized swimming or diving. You can bathe. You can throw in a Baby Ruth candy bar and watch the excitement. You can do water aerobics.  You can water ski unsuccessfully. You can go boating unsuccessfully.  You can canoe unsuccessfully. You can fly fish.  You can get baptized.  The list goes on and on.  The worst thing you can do in water is drown! Hence, the inclusion of “unsuccessful” activities.  That is why learning to swim is so important. If you want to be a better swimmer, you must improve your stroke, work on your kicks, and adjust your breathing.  There is one thing you have to do before you do any of these – you have to get wet!  Only through the work in the water can you get better. You can do all the land drills in the manual and all of the visualization that you want, but that will only get you so far.  Bottom line = you have to get in the water! There’s no way around it.  If you don’t know how to swim, don’t wait to learn.  Teach your kids as well. 

You don’t get to be a better teacher because it is easy.  You don’t become a better administrator because it is easy.  You don’t evolve into a great clerical staffer, nurse, para, lunch lady or custodian because it is easy.  I do believe that some have an innate disposition for teaching and I have learned that from giving a Teacher Perceiver hundreds of times. Having the right levels of “naturally occurring” mission, empathy, rapport, objectivity, and so forth does not automatically make someone a great teacher; only that they have the disposition for such.  Often, teachers get better through failure.  What?  If nothing negative ever happens in your classroom, if all of the students get straight A’s, if none of the kids have emotional issues, if all of the parents are your biggest supporters, if the copy machine is always functional, if all of your students are Pass+ on the ISTEP, if there are no interruptions, if no one needs Tiers 2 or 3 interventions, if there is no drama, if no one pukes in your classroom…then, well, you are living in a fantasy and you will never get better at teaching because you were never exposed to failure.  Teaching isn’t always clean.  To get better, you have to get in the trenches.  On those days when nothing seems to be going right, take a step back and be thankful because if you tackle why these things occurred, you will get better and be prepared for the next time they happen…and they will.  Just like in swimming, in this sea of education, you have to get wet.