Valleys over Mountaintops

There is no question that this past year (2014) has been full of its ups and downs. Its highs and lows. Its peaks and valleys. And, quite honestly... as I reflect, there have been more times where I was down than up, more lows than highs, and more moments in which I have felt like the valley was going to be a permanent residence for which I would live out the rest of my life. This is not to say that this past year has not had its share of amazing, encouraging, exciting, and wonderful moments... mountaintop moments--- it most certainly has! Do not get me wrong... I am grateful for those moments. I am humbled for any gift and opportunity that has been given to me. I am grateful to be the father of two precious children. I am honored to have a wife who loves me unconditionally. I am thankful for friends and family who support and cheer me on. I was given the amazing opportunity to serve as Principal of the Eakin School this past school year. I have a doctorate. I have presented to hundreds at conferences and grown my circle of influence. Relatively speaking, I am in good health. My Commodores won the College World Series :). I live in a GREAT city! I own a home, have two cars, live in the top percent of wealth in the world and so much more. There is absolutely so much for which to show gratitude. 

At the very same time... those moments of greatness during this past year have been overshadowed at times by the low moments, the times in which sadness smothered, darkness hovered, anxiety crept in, stress became the most noticeable character in my life, and my focus on the good things in life took a back seat to the stress and pressures in life. Quite simply... 2014 presented itself to me as my toughest year I have ever experienced. For the first time in my life, at age 35, I experienced emotional breakdowns, panic attacks, physical pain from stress, fear, and so much more. There were nights in which I awoke in the middle of the night in cold sweats of worry. There were tears. There were doubts. There has been hopelessness. 

As I have grown older, I am constantly learning the serum to these low moments is not avoiding them, but confronting them head on with honesty, transparency, courage, and a sense that I cannot do this alone... therefore I confront the valleys with other supports such as therapy, counsel, family and friends. I am also learning to embrace the struggle, to not run away, and to not resent the valleys. I enter 2015 with a realization that I need to continue to work on myself, lead myself, create balance and margin, and be grateful for each and every day, each and every season in life... even the valleys. After all... the valleys allow us to appreciate the mountain tops experiences. I invite you to join me this year while I give thanks for the valleys while looking to the top of the mountain. I want to encourage you with this excerpt from Andy Andrews work in which he elaborates on the importance of the valleys in our life:

“Everybody wants to be on the mountaintop, but if you'll remember, mountaintops are rocky and cold. There is no growth on the top of a mountain. Sure, the view is great, but what's a view for? A view just gives us a glimpse of our next destination-our next target. But to hit that target, we must come off the mountain, go through the valley, and begin to climb the next slope. It is in the valley that we slog through the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life's next peak.”  This quote by best-selling author, AndyAndrews

May you... may we all enjoy a wonderful 2015 while seeking to "summit life's next peak" on the mountaintop while giving thanks for the arduous times in the low valley where growth takes place.

A Principal's Reflection: my first week on the job

Just 10 days ago, I began a new journey. August 1st, 2014 marked the first official day as the new Principal of the Eakin School, an elementary school serving students in grades K-4 in the Metro-Nashville Public Schools district. The first 10 days has been full of the highest highs... kind, warm, and welcoming teachers and parents going out of their way to make me feel well received. It has also been full of little sleep at night paired with many hours spent with my new school community as the unique timing required me to "hit the ground running" as we have also started school this past week.

Here are three "take-aways" from my first 10 days. The three tips are pointers to anyone out there who have found themselves also in a new setting. I encourage you to put others first. Hopefully, these three notions speak to you.

1.  Get Out of the Way: I believe good leaders of organizations know how to remove themselves and allow others shine. I believe effective leaders know when something is working okay, then there is no need to mess with it. I have allowed myself to sit back and observe a wonderful community of parents and teachers keep the momentum going that was already in place well before I arrived: Everything from procedures, to norms, to processes, to systems. As the old adage goes... "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." You see, whenever there is a change in leadership of a quality organization, that leader inherits quality individuals. There is no doubt quality individuals who make up the fantastic Eakin community. I have had to allow those quality individuals to reveal themselves and shine. It has been a privilege.

2. Listen and Care: The first initiative I want to accomplish is to build trust. Anytime, we deal with organizations like schools which are built on the premise of relationships; it is vital to build trust. I have already met with multiple stakeholders of teachers, parents, students, faith-based representatives, political figures, and more. No matter how many tasks on my "to-do" list: emails to read and respond to, items to organize, boxes to unpack, and more; it is ALWAYS more important to put those tasks aside and listen to the important individuals who make up the organization.

2. Be Patient: I am a leader. I have been a leader as far back as I can remember. I have goals. I have a vision. Again, I have been this way for a long time. I guess I can blame my parents because it is simply the way I am wired... being a visionary is in my DNA. However, I am also continuously learning that when leading others, it is vitally important to allow any vision that is worth it to marinate. It is important to be strategic. It is important to take the approach of "turning the ship slowly." Especially, when leading schools which have hundreds if not thousands of human beings; it is important to turn the ship slowly. Schools are like HUGE ships. They are not like little jet skis which can be turned on a dime and cut back and forth very quickly. There is no doubt I have a vision. BUT, what is more important is conveying the vision the correct way: with patience, humility, grace, and great thought while also allowing others to have a seat at the table.

What about you? What do you think? What advice would you give to someone starting a new chapter in leadership?

The End of One Chapter and the Start of Another...

It is with an equal amount of conflict and excitement that I close one chapter of my life and begin a new one.

In June of 2006, I joined the Williamson County School District and immediately felt encouraged, empowered, and charged to create, innovate, and change learning environments for the better. I have absolutely considered it a privilege to lead, coach, teach, speak, communicate, share, collaborate, help, sweat, volunteer, laugh, cry, and learn with so many extraordinary colleagues, coaches, leaders, staff, parents, and most importantly... students. In many ways it feels like yesterday that a community in Northeast Williamson County partnered together by rolling up their sleeves to open up a brand new school, Sunset Middle School, a school that will forever have a special place in my heart. 

Then, in 2010, I was asked to assist in opening up another school in the Southern end of WCS. That year is one that I will never forget. I am forever indebted to School Principal, Paula Pulliam, for hiring me to lead with her. Her tireless efforts to serve her community is second to none. She is one of the most passionate, caring, selfless, servant-minded, driven, focused, generous, kind, BIG-hearted, human beings I have ever known. My blog post is not long enough to contain all of the positive qualities she exhibits. In short, she is amazing! I have learned so much from her leadership. I am forever grateful and in many ways consider this upcoming chapter in my life possible because of all she has invested in me. 

I want to now thank Spring Station Middle School. If you are in any way associated with #MustangNation, then I want to thank you. I appreciate your patience, partnership, collaboration, risk-taking, persistence, endurance, teamwork, passion, creativity, innovation, vision, accountability, help, assistance, etc. Simply put, you are an incredible bunch of colleagues, educators, students, parents, businesses, and overall community. We have done great things for student learning, school culture, community involvement, and positive life change and I am just so humbled to have had a front row seat. Thanks for allowing me to journey with you.  

I am now transitioning to a new chapter in my life. I greatly anticipate partnering with the Eakin Elementary School community to impact the surrounding community in positive ways. I am thankful to reunite with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. As an alum, I am proud to come back and serve my community. I will assume the role of Principal at Eakin Elementary on Friday, August 1st, and I consider it an honor and a privilege to do so. Just after I was notified that I was selected to lead the fabulous Eakin community, my mother confirmed with me that my late-father attended Eakin when he was a young boy. He was a boy who grew up in poverty near Edgehill and I am sure he would be proud to know I am now serving where he once roamed. I am so humbled to come full-circle and lead students who will one day have their own shot at coming back to contribute to the Eakin community. Go Eagles!

I am thankful for pain... here is why you should be too!

The video above is about a young lady that reminds us that "pain is one of life's greatest gifts." This case scenario challenges our preconceived notions of pain. In a world of prescription pain killers, serious stress reducers, numbing substances of all kinds, and an overall sense to rid ourselves of anything that would cause us harm; it is almost counter-intuitive to embrace the idea of pain and it's benefits.

No matter what you are going through... whether your circumstances are uncomfortable, cumbersome, hurtful, or even excruciatingly painful; there is something in that pain and discomfort for which you should be thankful.

Whether it is emotional hurt, physical pain, mental fatigue, relational and social stress, psychological discomfort; there is reason to be joyful. You see, it is all a matter of perspective. As in the video, pain is a key to living. Pain lets us know we are alive. Pain allows us to protect ourselves. It shows us when enough is enough and when to rest. It is simply human. We are living fully in our humanness when we experience hurt and pain.

Now, I am not a masochist, but I do know what it feels like to be hurt. I understand the problems of pain. I have undergone stressful situations. I have endured uncomfortable periods of my life. If I am honest, I did not like nor enjoy any of those periods. However, I can look back and see the purpose for those times and how the pain and even suffering at points allowed me to grow, learn, benefit, and ultimately LIVE!

Here is the challenge to us all: next time you are going through a tough time, a low point, a challenging circumstance, a stressful situation, or a painful period of life; think of the ways you can be thankful. How can you endure that time of your life with gratitude?

What do you say? Do you agree? Are you thankful for pain?

Threshold: Review of 2013 and Preview of 2014

Review of 2013 Goals/Achievements:

1. 2013 Goal ACHIEVED- Begin to write a book- As we turn the page on another year, I have written seven chapters. My 2014 goal is to complete the current book and start two more books.

2. 2013 Goal ACHIEVED- Double my followers on twitter @drizzinkwine (expand my influence through social media)... at the time of this post, I was at 375 followers. I am now at 787 followers as we start 2014.

3. 2013 Goal ACHIEVED- Increase my readership on this blog: "Drinkwine at School" (at the time of this post, my most read post was was read 400X). I increased my readership especially with a blog post I wrote in September of 2013 as it pertains to twitter use in schools and a "how-to" plan for soliciting the participation of school communities in the twittersphere.

4. 2013 Goal ACHIEVED- Speak at one major conference/summit/retreat this year on the topic(s) of education, leadership, technology. I was invited to speak and lead three different organizations as each was creating or revising their mission and vision statements. I had the privilege of leading those organizations through the process. I also was able to lead a 20 minute session for a Technology Un-conference back in July.

*More 2014 Goals in addition to continuing the ones above:

1. Publish an eBook
2. Begin teaching as a professor in a Higher Ed setting

The East-setting Sun...

Close your eyes for five seconds and imagine yourself in Lebanon, Kansas; a seemingly obscure Midwestern town. Lebanon is quite special. This Kansas town holds the distinction for the being the "Geographic Center of the contiguous United States." Now, imagine yourself living in Lebanon and embarking toward the Pacific Coast. Which direction would you point your car, bike, bus, plane? If you said West, then you are correct. Now, let's say you change your mind and you instead want to take off for the more populated Eastern Seaboard, home of the Atlantic Coast. What Cardinal direction would you face for that sojourn? If you said East, then you are correct once more.

Now that we have established that the Pacific Ocean is in the West and the Atlantic Ocean is in the East, here is an additional geographical question: On which Ocean does the Sun set? If you said, the Pacific, then you are incorrect.

It is all a matter of perspective.

If you are still located in the United States, then the answer to the question: "On which Ocean does the Sun set?" would be, in fact, YES! However, the answer changes depending on one's perspective. If you are located in the midsection of the Central American country of Panama, then you would experience the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean and the setting of the sun over the Atlantic. The serpentine of the Panamanian Geography makes this possible.

Now, I understand fully that this way of introducing the "East-setting Sun" is quite controversial and debatable. However, the idea is fascinating and appropriate for the conversation pertaining to the importance of perspective in leadership.

Whether you are the leader of your family, a school, a faith-based organization, a business, a band, or a team; the matter of perspective is important. Whether you work with toddlers, with adults, with teenagers, or with the elderly, it is important to remember that each and every one of us comes into every situation wearing a different lens, with a perspective, with an interpretation, with an understanding of how the world works. Matters are not always cut and dry, black and white. There are times for the color grey/gray.


What do you think? Is it good for leaders to view the world around them as "black and white?" Or, is it better for leaders to view the world around in terms of "grey/gray?"

How we got 76% of our faculty to use twitter for learning...

No matter where your paradigm is, there is no refuting the fact that technology has changed the world of education. There is no question the landscape of teaching and learning is different today than it was 20 years ago, even 10 and fives years ago. More recently the shifts seem to be exponential in nature and social in context. Specifically, social media in all its platforms have lent themselves to many frustrations and benefits among teachers, students, and parents. In some schools, the millennials, digital natives, the iGeneration who currently walk the halls of our schools have been told to put their devices away only to now be told to bring them out as adults (teachers) become more comfortable with approaches such as BYOT and BYOD. I have seen firsthand the frustrations and benefits of both approaches. Teachers can get upset over a student seemingly distracted by a device in class and therefore telling the student to hand over their mobile technology- this of course, is a cause and a reaction to frustration on the part of both parties. On the contrary, I have witnessed joy on both the part of teacher and learner when mobile technology is used to enhance the learning environment and is not only allowed, but also encouraged. As we continue to see the pendulum swing, I predict more smiles, more learning, more positive interactions among teachers and students, and more excitement.

Two years ago, the pendulum of my organization was so far to one side of the edtech argument, that we only had two professionals who used technology to their advantage in terms of professional use (a PLN). I have been privelged to experience the pendulum swing to the other side and now I have a front row seat watching educators integrate technology into every fiber of the day. Teachers incorporate student owned devices into their lessons weekly if not daily, and most of our teachers are now on twitter- the focus of this post. Today, 76% of my faculty is on twitter: and here is the formula for how we gained this amount of participation and support.

1). Modeling- it is important to me that I model best practices. It is also important to me that I cultivate trust. There is great proof that the increasing popularity of PLN's across the educational landscape has proven to be a best practice as educators who participate receive support, encouragement, resources, links, etc. In my opinion, twitter is currently the most powerful tool for this ambition. Furthermore, if I am going to encourage my teachers to do something, I must be able to do what I am asking. This garners trust. I believe the bulk of my faculty now models best practice with one another and also has the propensity to trust one another further too.

2). Training- I have been intentional in giving one-on-one trainings to many of my teachers who have expressed interest in growing more in terms of edtech. In addition, there have been a handful of faculty wide trainings in which teachers could select areas to grow. Many, not most, teachers have chosen to be trained in the area of twitter in education and the use of a PLN.

3). Patience- The phrase, "turn the ship slowly," has been a contstant reminder for me as I have been a school leader. For the past two years, I have modeled and trained teachers. I have not mandated any teacher to subscribe to twitter. I have not required it. I have not forced it down the throat of anyprofessional. I have only encouraged. I have taught, exhorted, and passionately lived out a growth mindset in the form of a PLN via twitter. This approach points back to the first step in which trust is a factor. We trust those who have our best interest in mind. We do not necesarrily trust those who place their own selfish motives in front of others. I do not seek to grow a faculty of tweeters merely for my name sake. I seek this because I have seen what it can do for professionals and I want my fantastic teachers to experience the same. It appears as though most of them are now experiencing this on a daily basis. This supports the old adage, "good things come to those who wait."