What does a firefighter and a teacher have in common?

I recently had the opportunity to visit four local Fire Departments where I live. These visits were meant to encourage the firemen and women who courageously serve our community each and every week. I mean, the last time I checked choosing a profession in which you knowingly run into burning buildings is the epitome of courage! These visits were just a small token of our appreciation. Some friends of mine and I went with gifts of baked goods to express our gratitude. Overwhelmingly, the four visits were accepted with open arms as each department welcomed me and my friends inside to chat, show us around their station, and just talk. The conversations we had that night were blanketed with this sense of stress. At any time the firefighters could get "the call." In fact, two of the four visits did not last but a mere five minutes max due to being interrupted because of an emergency. At the conclusion of the night, as I reflected, I could not help but also notice the other sense that blanketed these men and women. It was a sense that I feel from educators, sadly, all too often. It was a sense of being under appreciated. The final station visited on this night was one in which the station's Captain extended his hospitality to us in such a way, you thought he may have been a concierge at a five star hotel in his former life. He was positive, thankful, hospitable, welcoming, kind, mannerly, calm, and gracious. At one point in our conversation he made a comment that resonated with me in such a way that I felt compelled to share it with anyone who would listen. At first, it seems as if it is just a plain ole comment. But, if one listens closely, it is much deeper than just the 10 words that comprise the statement. "It feels good to know that people are behind you." Shhh... Listen close... If you do, you will hear someone who wakes up each and every morning to give his life for others, to work specifically for his local community, to serve, to sacrifice, to teach, to help, face adversity, to deal with people, to lead others, to rescue, to give hope, and to give his life away if need be. Our firefighters do this for average salaries, for little praise and recognition, enduring too many challenges with the government, and being stretched beyond the resources they can provide and the little resources they are given in order to do the job they are charged with doing. Just like the firefighters who lay their life on the line, I want to thank all educators for all you do: giving YOUR lives for others, working specifically for your local communities, serving, sacrificing, teaching, helping, facing adversity, dealing with people, leading others, rescuing, giving hope, and giving YOUR lives away if need be. I applaud you, am behind you, and encourage you to stay the course! I am with you. #edudream

Is the illiterate growing?

Prediction: the more the educational institution in America focuses on standardized test scores, the more America's illiterate will increase in today's 21st century way of doing things. Futurist, Alvin Tofler, has been credited with the following quote... "The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who cannot read and write, but rather those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Wow! Do we really see the impact of this quote? If this quote is accurate, then we MUST change the way we educate our young people in America. I, for one, believe the aforementioned statement is more than accurate given we are in the midst, and have been enthralled for about 10 years now, of a revolution the world has never experienced before with regard to technology, learning, information and its abundance, education and its increasing irrelevance to students in the United States, and the overwhelming and sweeping changes that have come with how we commmunicate with one another through social networking and social media. We must wake up! It is no longer about test scores, how well one can read, or how well one can even write. Now, do not get me wrong. I do believe one must be able to be a communicator. I also believe one must be a voracious learner. But, communicating is no longer limited to writing. Learning is no longer limited to how well one can read and comprehend a selected passage. I believe our students who display creativity (see Daniel Pink @danpink), motivation (see Philip Schlechty), ingenuity in working with others (see Michael Wesch, @mwesch), an incredible focus and passion for their work (see  Mihály Csíkszentmihályi and his "Flow Theory of Psychology"), and pursue personal growth through learning (see Carol Dweck's "Growth Mindset") are the ones who will reap the benefits of prosperity in the 21st century. Moreover, I believe the educators who also exhibit these traits of learning, unlearning, and relearning are the educators who are relevant to the needs of students. If you are an educator and you find it hard to implement this change in focus, I implore you to start with one simple step: rethink your values. Do you value test scores or do you value authentic and relevant growth in your students? If you value authentic and relevant growth in students, then no longer pay any attention to test scores which students do not value, but instead look at ways to encourage students to learn, unlearn and relearn through the vast amount of resources this information-age has offered you.

School Leaders: who do you listen to?

Recently, I read a blog from Pete Wilson (@pwilson), a speaker, author, and blogger (www.withoutwax.tv). It was his January 24, 2012 post entitled, "Voices in my Head." I thought it was very comparable to what school leaders go through each and every day. Therefore, I have catered the blog to fit what we, educators, face and to inspire us all to be secure with our own professional and personal convictions as we lead ourselves and others. Like everyone else I go through seasons where I doubt myself and my effectiveness. When you lead others in a public setting you constantly have people in your ear saying things like… I wish you made decisions more like this… I wish you treated students like this…. I wish you led like…. I wish you dealt with parents more like... I wish you interacted like this… I wish you disciplined students like this… It’s easy to start to doubt and wonder if you should be more this or that. I, all too often, will see school leaders like Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal) and think "if only I was as tech savvy." Or, I may see school leaders in my own School District of Williamson County (www.wcs.edu) and think... "Wow! They sure have their act together. They are seem to be so like by their faculty, parents, students and overall community. How do they do it?" I say all of this not to invoke some kind of sympathy. I’m just letting you know what goes on in my head because I bet these things go on in your head as well. I bet these voices get really loud in you from time to time. While I won’t argue that lack of character has brought down more good leaders than just about anything, I would say insecurity runs a very close second. Insecurity can torment the most gifted of leaders. It will make you… doubt instead of trust criticize instead of praise assume the worst instead of the best talk instead of listen micromanage instead of empower control instead of release In the end it will erode your effectiveness and leave you useless and powerless. Your worst nightmare will become a reality as you look around to discover that, no longer, is anyone following you. Be yourself. Live your giftedness. Listen to the only voice that really matters and tell those other voices to shut up. What does your insecurity look like when it raises its ugly head?

Create to Relate!

What are you doing to relate to your students? Are we, as educators, in touch with our students? Do we know what kind of music they listen to? What food they like to eat? What video games they like to play? What sports they enjoy? What are their hobbies? What is going on with their family? How was their weekend? Their night last night? Their struggles? Their joys?  A friend of mine, Chris Tidwell, has been a substitute teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District (twitter: @mrtidwell ). He has served as a guest teacher at any school where he has been needed: anything from the upper class to the lower class demographic. He has answered the call to help out a teacher who needed a day away for whatever reason. One day, he received a notification that he was needed in the lower income neighborhood of Compton. The thing is, Chris would admit that he does not have any reason, really, to receive the respect from the students at Compton. I mean, really? Why should any student from the low income area of Compton (primarily Hispanic or African American) be attracted to a white, Southern, male from the middle class? This is precisely what I respect about my friend, Chris, and so many other individuals who try hard to relate to others no matter what. Even if it means being creative! On the drive to the Compton school, Chris made a decision, knowing all too well he needed something to grab the attention of the students who would probably view him as an alien, a stranger in a  foreign land. Chris found a way to reach these students. He was creative in finding this way... He decided to use a British accent. Yes, that is right, a British accent. He used this accent all day long and, yes it was tiring. However, the pay off was worth it as he had the students in the palm of his hands. The students loved it! Gang bangers, drug users, drug dealers, students aspiring to get out of their current state of poverty, potential future stories of inspiration all needed an adult who would do whatever it takes to grab their attention even if just for a day. Chris did this and I believe these students not only liked it, they loved it! Think about it, think about the people in your life who are creative in terms of how they relate to you and then continue to relate to you. Maybe it is a gift they give you because they learned you like that certain something, or they buy you just the right drink from Starbucks because they know you like it. They are trying to relate to you. All of our students need this too. They need adults in their lives who will be creative with their attempts to relate to them. Perhaps, it is using a crazy accent, perhaps it is just asking them questions about their life, whatever it is... Go for it. Take the risk to relate to your students on a daily basis. They will not only like it, I believe they will love it! So, again I ask the following questions: What are you doing to relate to your students? Are you in touch with your students? Do you know what kind of music they listen to? What food they like to eat? What video games they like to play? What sports they enjoy? What are their hobbies? What is going on with their family? How was their weekend? Their night last night? Their struggles? Their joys? Maybe you could even ask them with a silly little accent! 

Public educators: it is time to make a decision!

I recently purchased a new pack of gum by Mentos. It is called "UP2U" and it allows the consumer to choose between seven fruity pieces of gum or seven minty pieces of gum depending on your mood or need. When I curiously opened the pack to reach for the choice that would satisfy my current hankering, I noticed a quote from Napoleon Bonaparte in the interior of the pack of chewy goodness: "Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide." Why is it that a company specializing in freshening the breath of humans has figured out what our public schools so desperately need? I believe it is because they see the power that choice has among people, among customers. Unfortunately, our schools are scared to offer choice all too often for fear of losing control. In education, our customers are our students and parents. One of the best things we can do for our customers, our students, is to allow them to choose in every aspect possible. After all, choice; the power to choose is what sustains us as a human race. One has to look no further than the greatest governments who allow the people to choose their leaders. Or, look at the successful enterprises such as Starbucks which allow the people to choose their desired products just the way they like 'em (I can get my caffeinated tasty beverage any way I like... Mmmmmmm!). Look at our entertainment industry: American Idol, perhaps the most successful television series of the first decade of the 21st century allows viewers the ability to interact and choose their favorite singer.  We, as public educators, need to tap into the power of choice more frequently if we want to sustain best practices in teaching and learning. When students are allowed to choose, they are more apt to authentically engage (Schlechty) in the learning experience. When students are given license to decide what and how they want to study, than they can reach rigor more appropriately... After all, who decides what is difficult for you? That is right, you do. Students know better what is rigorous and difficult and what is not. All of this brings us back to Bonaparte's insight, "Nothing is more difficult (rigorous), and therefore more precious (memorable), than to be able to decide." As a school leader, I am encouraged to continue to fight for students and teachers as they decide each and every day what is important in the realm of teaching and learning. This is my decision, what is yours?

Will we have students in the future?

I recently came across an article detailing how we will live and work in the future. And, for some, how we are currently  living and working.  The subtitle of this article, and really what this movement is about is "The Future of Living where you Work and Working where you Live." The fascinating notion in this article is not the fact that it suggests 'America is changing how it works.' I believe most people in America know this. However, the fascination for me as an educator and a school leader, lies in the details suggesting that the direction we are headed as an American society and culture is that of living and working at home. Here is where all stakeholders in public education come in... WE HAVE TO WAKE UP! We must no longer continue to teach antiquated methods of the 20th century, but rather we must adapt to the 21st century... And adapt NOW! I have spoken to about a half dozen former students of mine in the last six months who have decided, to finish up their high school diploma online. And, these students live in the most successful school district (and most affluent) in the State of TN. The kicker is these are average to above average students... Not drop outs. Moreover, when I ask them if this is a change to homeschooling, they quickly say, "no! I am just going to get my education on my own, because I can." One said to me, "it is much better than __________ High School." That last comment hurt. I have had this conversation with a parent present during three of these conversations and the parents completely support it. If parents are working from home more and more, than this trend can only increase. One has to look no further than Dan Brown's "Open Letter to Educators" to see why this is REALLY happening and if our schools do not become more relevant NOW, we will continue to lose students.  What do you think? What are your thoughts? Here is the article... http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679317/livework-the-future-of-living-where-you-work-and-working-where-you-live

"Hey you, Teacher in front of the room!"

"Hey you, Teacher in front of the room!" I want to use my mobile technology. Why can't I use it? I am allowed to use it every other moment of the day outside of school. Of course, I know you are afraid to let me use it. All adults seem afraid to let me use it. Are you afraid I will abuse it? Are you afraid I will not use it appropriately? You know what: you are probably correct. I will more than likely not use it for the right reasons and purposes. But, then again, I have never been taught how to use my smartphone, my tablet, my laptop for school purposes... for learning purposes. Will you teach me? My parents will not teach me because they do not understand it. All my other teachers, principals, and people in charge of my school district will not teach me because they are afraid they will lose control. They have not told me that... But, I think this has to be the case. Otherwise, they would allow me to communicate with you in a 21st century way. Why wouldnt they? Don't they want me and you to communicate? I have heard that I should learn how to work well with others... communicate with others. Would not my mobile technology help with this? I think it would. But, hey... I get it. So many other students have "proven" they cannot handle this. I know my classmates text during class... just look at them when their hands are in their hoodie pockets. It is actually not that hard. I need you to know, however, that I do not think anyone is wanting to escape the work or ONLY socialize with friends during school. It is just that we are told to not use these valuable tools and I am really not sure why. I don't see why not if my parents are able to use these devices. I think I even see you and my other teachers use them. All I want is for you to teach me your expectations. After all, that is what I need... To be taught. I was taught how to use my calculator APPROPRIATELY (to not spell words upside down with numbers... How immature). I was taught how to use my scissors (I should not run with them... I know, I know). I was even taught that I should use my paper for taking notes, writing, drawing, etc. (it is not to be folded into paper airplanes and thrown at you). I guess, I am just hoping for a shot. Please, teach me. I heard my future boss really wants me to be able to use my mobile devices to be productive, communicate with her, and also communicate with my colleagues and clients. Please, help!