March Madness

It’s March Madness”, the time when college basketball tournament games will be on every channel except Lifetime.  Actually, there are FOUR tournaments running concurrently with the National College Athletic Association.  A grand total of 148 teams will be competing. This is a change from past practice.  The NCAA tourney is the “Big Dance.”  The NIT Tourney is the line to get in the dance.  The CBI tourney is wondering if there is a dance.  The CIT is equivalent to being the tallest midget at the circus.  The NCAA tourney is the only one in which you can earn the title of “National Champions.”  ALL of the teams in the tournaments were selected by a committee based on a body of work throughout the season and the strength of schedule that they played.  However, if you do not have enough wins, then your chances of making it to the “Big Dance” is equal to my hair growing back.  In any case, this is a new season for these teams.  Your seeding doesn’t make you the champions; you have to earn that by winning multiple games in the tournament.  One loss and you’re out.  The only way to earn a national championship is to keep on dancing.  It’s a new season for these teams; another chance to demonstrate what they can do.

Education is changing.  Funding, budgets, evaluations, buildings, blended learning, the list goes on and on.  There are changes from past practices on the horizon.  Understand that much of this is from the state of Indiana.  Often, I am the messenger of this information with the intent of educating folks. One of those is teacher evaluations.  I spoke about this in a limited amount of time at our recent Lunch & Learn.  Like the NCAA tournaments, there will be four categories of teacher ratings.  However, these should not be compared to the analogies in the first paragraph. Not to be Captain Obvious, but there is a lot at stake at various levels of thought.  Unlike the NCAA tournaments, everyone will be there.  Student achievement and student growth must “significantly inform” the evaluation.  To compare from above, these data points will be like the wins achieved. This is a gateway to getting to the top.  Your body of work (classroom strategies, instructional methods, etc.) helps to make the “W’s” possible.  In the NCAA, there are many procedures, rules and behaviors to follow as well; which in our world may be called professionalism.  A range of things from promoting a positive environment and school development to exchanging ideas and strategies.  It’s a new season in education.  As the good book says, “Be prepared in and out of season.” Although it may be difficult to do so at times, look at this as an opportunity.  This is another opportunity to demonstrate what you can do.  It’s another opportunity to show that you make a difference.  Make the most of every opportunity.