Beach time!

So much to do!  So much to get done!  Gotta hurry!  Gotta go, go, GO!

This sounds like pretty much everyone I know for the next few days!  Traveling, last minute presents, and let's not forget the thirteen trips to the grocery store to get the sliced almonds for the green been casserole and the marshmallows for the sweet potatoes!  Then for those of us with kids, the morning of December 25th is all about surprise and smiles and laughter!

Then we get to some point after the craziness, and we get to slow down.  That point where we stop hurrying to get ready for the holiday and we actually relax.  

I wonder if there is a way to make things slow down over the next few days instead?  Can I slow down and soak in the next few days and relax, even though the trips to the store will still be necessary?  So many people, myself included, typically need a few days off after the vacation, to recover from the vacation. 

In the summers, I call this relaxing period, "Beach time."  After several days on the beach, with nothing to do but enjoy the minutes with my toes in the sand.  Things slow down and there is not much urgency at all.  I relax.  That doesn't mean that I sit in a chair under my EZ-Up the whole time.  For me, I am catching sea critters and fishing with my boys.  We play in the waves and play games on the beach.  I read a few pages and chat with friends.  I take a thousand pictures.  I am actually quite busy on the beach!  But it is the most relaxing busy that I know.  Beach time.

Is there a way to get myself on beach time for the next few days?  I am gonna try it out!

I go to Work!

In 1989, Kool Mo Dee released, "I go to Work."  Great song!  For years and years, I never said this phrase.  I always said, "I'm going to school."  Until quite recently, pretty much my entire life has been at school.  Whether I was the student or the teacher or the administrator or the consultant, I was always going to school.  I loved saying that!  I am proud of my profession and I am proud of my service to children and teachers.

Over the last six months, my career path has taken me into an office setting.  I still care passionately about high-quality education and I came here to see if I could serve our students from this vantage point.  Luckily, I can!  Upon my arrival, I knew that my learning curve would be HUGE!  Six months later, it is still steep.  I am still learning more than anyone in the building.  I still ask questions all day long. I am still the lead learner!

Yet, over the last six months, I have said, "I'm going to work."  Perhaps...since I am still learning so much, I should still say, "I am going to school!"

Where did those words come from?

Last night, during the Teach Like a Pirate twitter chat (Mondays 8pm to 9pm CST, search the hashtag #tlap), I replied to one of the questions with a statement that I have been thinking about all day.  The question was, "How do you empower your students and colleagues with shared leadership?"

I responded with, "Don't be a school leader that doles out permission.  Be a school leader that clears paths for innovation."

Wow!  I am quite sure I channeled someone much wiser than me to get those words out.  I can't stop thinking about the realities of fully bringing this ideal to life.  So many times, folks have great ideas so they go to their supervisor for permission.  How do we move to a place where people grant themselves permission based on a few questions:

1. Is this best for students?
2. Does this idea move us towards achieving our vision or our goals?
3. Will any of the other excellent facets of our campus suffer because of this?

With the right answers to these questions, permission would not be needed!  Instead, wouldn't it be excellent if the school leaders could respond with:

1. I can't wait to see how it goes!
2. What paths can I clear for you?
3. How can I support your leadership?

Finally, can this be done in a classroom full of students?  With excellent design, I think it can!

Seven Days, Seven Scary Things!

On December 1st, I wrote about my plan to do one thing each day that scares me.  Well, I have gone through seven days in December and done seven things that scared me and I just noticed something.  Not one of those scary things included a parachute, a Youtube video, or local law enforcement!

All seven things did include some kind of conversation.  Not a single one was confrontational or even a disagreement.  It made me wonder, what kinds of things can make it hard to chat?

It may be tough to fully listen.  I have always told students, "Try to listen with your eyes, your ears, and your heart."  Listening with all three can be a challenge!  Empathic listening, from Habit Five, is something I believe in.  It is also not always easy!

It may be tough to be honest.  As we all know, honesty is the best policy...unless it isn't.  If we are ever out in public and I ask you if my clothes match, please just say, "Yes!"  If I ask you before I leave my house, be honest.

I think the toughest challenge may be to stay true to your beliefs.  When people disagree, conversations can be tough, especially if there are several correct thoughts, or answers, or beliefs.  Sometimes, we whitewash what we say to be sure that we don't offend each other.  Sometimes, we defend out beliefs so strongly, we dishonor a differing opinion.  Can you stay true to your beliefs while honoring someone who thinks differently?

I am sure there is much more to this entire concept than I have written here.  I should re-read Fierce Conversations, by Susan Scott.

As I forge on through December with my plan to do one thing each day that scares me, I'll be watching my conversations to see if I can learn more about why they can be scary.  I'll also continue to steer clear from local law enforcement!

Who said that?

I like quotes!  They typically convey an important message in a few short words.  They are poetic.  Twitter and Instagram seem to be filling up with more and more famous (or not so famous) quotes.  So many, that I don't dare try to read them all.  Too many to soak in!

Yesterday, I was talking to a group of dedicated educators and I think I rattled off four or five quotes in the course of an hour.  They were definitely some of my favorites but now I wonder if listening to me was like walking down the greeting card aisle??? Did they hear what I believed in or were my words going in one ear and out the other, like reading through all those greeting cards?

Is your table round?

Have you ever organized a meeting and sat around a table with a bunch of folks to brainstorm?  Perhaps you were looking for a solution to a problem or an improvement to a process.  Maybe you were designing something new?  Regardless of the purpose, once the design has been created, tasks must get done!

Who will do each task?  A well-rounded table typically sees each task fall to the person who happens to show strength, expertise, or passion for it.  The schedule-driven person may create the timeline and manage the process.  The talented writer may take care of the communication.  The artsy folks may lead the creative process.  People typically fall into the roles for which they are best suited.  This is one of the advantages of a well-rounded table.

This leads to the question, "Is your table round?"  In other words, is your team made up of folks who may not necessarily agree on things, but certainly bring individual strengths to the table?  Sometimes, we end up inviting people to the table who think like we do.  There are definitely advantages to this.  Easier conversations and quicker answers would most surely happen.  But does it give you the best end to your assignment?

Dr. Stephen Covey says, "If two people have the same opinion, one of them is unnecessary."  The point is that if your table is surrounded by people who think like you do, the team may not reach the greatest levels of success.  It takes courage to invite folks who think differently than you to the table but it just may lead you to something far better than you could have imagined!

Next time you invite folks to your table, make sure it is round!

The To-Do List

One of the best school counselors I have ever known, was the master of the To-Do list.  She wrote down everything she needed to do and everything she wanted to do.  She got things done!  Her method of organizing herself each day was quite scientific.  She wrote her tasks in pen and crossed them off with a Sharpie.  It always made us giggle when she would walk back into her office, write something down that she had just finished, then immediately drew one, straight line through it with her Sharpie!  She would say, "I didn't have THAT on my list but I gotta write it down!"

Her list included the important things:  counseling kids and teachers, working with parents, teaching guidance lessons, helping a teacher, planning for school improvements, etc.  Her list also included regular tasks such as:  cut-out shapes for lessons, make copies for meetings, and order supplies for Red Ribbon Week.  She used her list to get the important things done and the rest of it too!

Dr. Steven Covey says we need schedule our priorities.  If it is truly important and vision-focused, it is worth prioritizing!  Ensuring that the important things were accomplished increases effectiveness.

I tried to use her method for myself, as I was always trying to find ways to increase my own efficiency.  After a few days, my list looked like a mess!  This method didn't work for me.  I modified and adjusted in an attempt to make it work. A few more days, and it still didn't work!  I asked her how she was able to keep it going so well and how she didn't let the little things get in the way of the big rocks.

She told me that no matter what order her tasks were written, she knew she needed to take care of the people on her list first.  (The people were highlighter yellow!)  If someone was counting on her, it got done first.  She did the little things along the way.  She also told me that her list was her way of celebrating all that she did for the people that were counting on her!  In other words, her list helped her effectively take care of her relationships because without them, nothing else mattered.

At that point, I changed my perspective.  For me, I focused on the people that were counting on me, rather than creating a written record of all that I did each day.  What a difference!  Thanks, Lorie!  You helped me improve!

31 Scary Days!

My first glance at my Twitter feed this morning reminded me that today is December 1st and we have 31 days left in the year.  I saw numerous tweets and a few blogs about making these last 31 days count, trying new things, being a better friend, listening more and talking less, practicing generosity, and so on.  All good things to remember during the holiday season!

I also saw my little note to myself that has been stuck to my desk for almost two years.  It reads, "Do something every day that scares you!"

I'm sure that I saw this on Twitter and wrote it down.  It is an interesting thought!  I don't think it necessarily means that you need to perform death-defying stunts each day.  It probably should not include attempts to get to work in record time, breaking every traffic law on the way.  But, can I do some thing each day that scares me just a bit?

For the next 31 days, I'm going to record my, "...something that scares me..." each day.  I hope to publish this list to my blog soon afterwards.  Today, I had a conversation with a friend about his health.  He mentioned that he needs to lose about 80 pounds.  I took a deep breath, and bravely told him that I was worried about his health too.  I told him that every day he waits to turn his health around will make his turn-around tougher to accomplish.  I looked him in the eye and honestly told him that he needs to prioritize his health.

I think he was surprised to hear me say it. I was a little surprised too, but what I told him was the truth.  Usually, we want our friends to tell us what we want to hear.  Sometimes, we want our friends to tell us what we need to hear.  It can be quite difficult to know the difference.

I also told him that I believed he could do it and that I would do some push-ups with him every day if he wanted me too!

Thirty days to go!  Join me!  Record yours for 30 days!

A Happy and Brave Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Turkey Day and I am thankful for so many things in my life!  This is not about that.  This is about the courage I need to exhibit for the next few days.  I will need to muster up a great deal of bravery to not eat every blooming bite of deliciousness that I see!  Yummy food makes me happy, but feeling like an overstuffed couch pillow does not!

Seriously, how can I happily pass up twice-baked mashed potatoes with cream cheese, cheddar, and bacon?  How do I not sample all six varieties of pie?  In our house, we constantly ask, "What time is it?"  We do so because the answer is always, "Pie:30!" and Pie:30 happens 29 times per day!

Wish me luck, friends!  I do intend to be quite full, but hopefully not to the point of a Monty Python style feeding explosion!  Or, just like last year, I'll overdo it for the 40th year in a row and vow to learn from this year's indulgence.  I guess I'll try to fail forward yet again.  When will I learn!

Successing Forward, Part 2

Dr. Jeffrey Rubin says that people learn more from their failures than their successes.  Does that mean that the smartest folks around you have failed the most?  I remember a middle-school string of logic that made me laugh as an 8th grader:

The more you know, the more you forget,
the more you forget, the less you know,
The less you know, the dumber you are,
So don't learn anything, it makes you dumber!

As an educator and a parent, I want kids to have a growth mindset and feel as though they can learn anything they want to learn!  Last week, my son was asked to write a six-lined poem.  Each line needed to be a metaphor and the poem needed to rhyme.  I'm not sure what the learning target was, but I liked the fact that he had to really work with words to complete the assignment.  He had to come up with six rhyming metaphors which meant that he had to write, erase, rhyme, erase, write, erase, and so on.  It took trial and error.  He had to get it wrong a bunch of times before he got it right!

Each line he wrote held some words that stayed and other that failed.  Each line originally had flaws then got better with revision.  He persevered through the unsuccessful words and didn't let the discouragement of failure slow him down.  He failed his way to success!  But really, he successed his way to success.  The words that needed revisions along the way were not failures, they were simply words that didn't work well!

Successing Forward!

"Fail forward" is today's buzzword for taking measured risks and learning from the experience.  Don't be afraid to try something new!  Failure is the first step towards success!  Twitter is full of good quotes about failing forward.  I've retweeted a few of them because I actually believe in them!  I think that educators are experts at failing forward.  We constantly try new things, modify, adjust, and try again.  We are action researchers all day long!

As folks around me fail forward, I have noticed something that struck me in a very positive way.  There is actually a lot less failure than those words describe.  For the most part, I really see folks "Successing forward!"  I see educators trying new things and making them work!  Sure, they may be a little raw during the first attempt, but success happens.  Of  course, the real measure of success comes by measuring what you are trying to improve.  Did the students learn more?  Was it deeper?  Were they more engaged?  Was the learning activity more authentic?

Success is gauged by the purpose of your new efforts and how well your efforts made improvements.  So really, I think I have seen more "successing forward" than failing forward!

Failing forward really just means that we should take a scientific risk that our new efforts will lead to improvement.  I love being a part of this profession where we are constantly seeking to do better than we did before!

What changed your mind?

"You can't think your way into right actions, but you can act your way into right thinking."

According to Google, Bill Wilson gets credit for this quote but I have heard the premise many times before.  What is easier to change at first, your mind or your behavior?  In a classroom full of kids, I think we would all agree that you set the expectations for certain behaviors and the benefits of those behaviors cause kids to believe in them!

I always think about James, a great kid I taught in fifth grade.  He hated the idea of "hands on" math.  He thought that little blocks were for little kids, not fifth graders.  He wanted to learn how to do fractions and decimals on paper.  I wanted him to deeply understand how three fifths and 60% were the same.  Anytime he needed guidance with his learning, I didn't hesitate to pull some kind of blocks out of my Home Depot tool belt.  (Yes.  I wore one!)

At first, he would reluctantly work with me.  He experienced success even though his attitude said it was wrong.  After a short time, I saw him grabbing his own set of blocks to work things out.  Victory!  As his teacher, I changed his behaviors which eventually changed his mind.

More than not, if you need to change your attitude, change your behaviors first.  Your mind will follow!

Work out time!

Last night, I was chatting with my boys on the way home from soccer practice.  I told them that I had skipped my exercise routine for over two weeks and that I needed to jump back in.  I tore my ACL and had reconstructive surgery in the spring.  There were complications so my recovery took longer than expected and I spent a lot of time not exercising!  About three months ago, I started doing push-ups, pull-ups, and walking, which was just about all I was capable of doing with my new ACL.

When I woke up this morning, I thought to myself, "Today is a great day for a walk and some push-ups!"  A great day to get in a work-out!  Then I wondered, "Why don't people plan for mental work-outs?"

A lot of people will buy gym memberships and spend hours upon hours working out their bods.  Do those same folks actually plan for mental exercise?  Does anyone?  I know that simply jumping into a good book is great for the brain.  Games like chess and puzzles also give the noggin a workout.  Engaging in a thoughtful and meaningful argument also makes you think.  Even a good dose of meditation is great for your head!  These things happen for a lot of people quite often.  But I still wonder, "Are there folks out there who plan for a mental workout?  Do they record their mental exercises on a little pad a paper like folks at the gym?"

Time to work out.

Just a Setback

How do you deal with a setback?  What happens when success is right around the corner, then an unforeseen barrier is thrown in the way?  It could be the weather, a grumpy teammate, or a new rule.  How do you handle it?  How long do you let the setback stay in your way?

Regardless of the size of the barrier, it is perfectly OK to feel the natural disappointment or frustration.  Let it soak in, but do not let it swallow you!  As soon as you are able, remind yourself of your goal, assess your new situation, make a new plan of action, then forge on!  Remember, the best dances are two steps forward and one step back!

Serious Business!

The Texas State Capitol was abuzz with activity a few days ago.  There were scouts setting up tables for something fun.  A huge group of folks in light blue shirts were on the steps listening to somber music and holding up signs for their cause.  Tourists posed for photos and pointed at everything.  A Segway tour hummed around the sidewalks and throngs of school children played in  the grass.  All the while, the folks working in and around the capitol went about their daily business.

I stopped and watched for a few minutes.  I watched the adults act like adults and the kids act like kids.  It reminded me of my first foray into middle school.  An 8th grade teacher told me that I acted too elementary.  I kinda thought that the place could use a little more elementary!

Watching the activity all around me, I looked for similarities between the kids playing and the blue shirt rally.  Kids were running to and fro, gathering in small groups, chasing each other.  Some were sitting and laughing, others were inspecting the trees and dirt.  A few peered through the fence and waved at passing cars.  Some hung by their teachers and others laid in the grass and looked at the sky.  It was serious business!

The rally also shared a common cause.  They wanted amnesty for some perceived injustice.  They all faced the steps of the building and shook their signs.  They stood together and clapped together.  They hurrah-ed together and cheered simultaneously.  There were also little groups doing their own thing.  Organizing tables and pamphlets.  Setting out water and snacks.  Pointing up and down sidewalks and making decisions about where to do what.  It was serious business!

Brave and Happy Change

Every single day, educators are faced with new:  new students, new initiatives, new lessons, new challenges, new teams, new tests, new interventions, new crises, and etc.  New means change and change is not easy.  It takes courage to embrace change.

Interestingly, change is easier when you want it or like it, or deeply understand that you need it.  Change is tougher when it is someone else's idea.

The difficulties of change also hinge upon one's familiarity with the factors involved.  For example, when I rededicated myself to an exercise routine following my knee surgery, it was easy to walk, do push-ups, and do pull-ups. Any attempt at a new exercise routine would have been tough at first, but my understanding of these three activities helped.  If I had tried to get my workout with something completely unfamiliar, like karate or ballet, the learning curve would have been much steeper and my early successes would have been fewer.  It would have been tougher to embrace the new.  However, my friends would have most certainly been entertained if I had tried ballet!

New happens frequently in education.  Improvements happen every day!  Teachers are scientists in an ever-changing lab.  Teachers tweak variables all the time, looking for a better outcome.  Teachers also throw out the old a start anew quite regularly when a better way is believed in or wanted.  The change that causes the most talk is the one that is "forced."

Whether from the state government, the superintendent, or the principal, when something new is chosen for the teacher rather than by the teacher, it is accepted with varying degrees of acceptance.

When this happens, what level of brave and happy do you choose?  How do you enter this pool?  Do you jump into the deep end and splash around or do you tiptoe into the water as slowly as possible?  Do you own the pieces that are within your circle of control or do you focus on the variables that you have no control of?  To be brave and happy, don't let your unfamiliarity with change determine your success.  Let your brave and happy attitude determine your success!

Plan for a little smile

Have you ever found yourself without a smile and realized that it has been several hours since you wore one?  Perhaps you were intensely involved in a planning for tomorrow.  Perhaps you couldn't get your mind off of yesterday.  Perhaps you were completely wrapped up in a lengthy to-do list and didn't write down, "Stop and Smile," anywhere!

I say, plan for that smile!  Find something that only takes a few minutes, but it can get your brain back on the happy track!  I have recently tried my hand at a little iPhone photography.  I try to capture an artistic pic that I can be proud of.  I may not always get the shot, but the effort makes me smile.  This is my simple method to take a few minutes for myself just to play around and plan for my smile!

Here is yesterday's "just for fun" picture.  There is no meaning to the bottom of the mushroom, other than the fact that it made me smile!

Saying No

Trying new things, innovating and creating better systems and improved practices takes courage.  It is not easy to head into something new and different.  Sometimes, though, it actually takes the most courage to simply say, "No."

Perhaps the time is not right, or the circumstances need more consideration.  Perhaps the new plan isn't quite ready or the people just aren't prepared for it.  Sometimes, "No" is the most courageous response!

But really, I strongly prefer, "Not yet!"

The Door

Do you teach with your door open or closed?

Some teachers keep their door open all the time.  Some keep it closed all the time.  And for some, it depends on the learning activity in the classroom.  I've seen great teachers in all three categories.  I started asking folks if the opened/closed door was a choice or not.  The reasons I heard were pretty common and not unexpected:

• It's just a habit to close every door I walk through;
• The hallway is usually too loud;
• I leave it open so it doesn't slam 300 times a day with every bathroom trip;
• My class pours out into the halls for flexible learning settings, and;
• I can't teach when it is open.  I'm scared people will judge my teaching.

 Years ago, I feared teachers with closed doors.  I wondered what they were hiding.  Were they keeping the greatest lessons to themselves or hiding a horrible classroom?  Now, I know that some teachers may simply be hiding their lack of self-confidence.  Even some of the best teachers, magic in front of children, lack a bit of confidence in front of another adult.

Teachers are almost always their own worst critic!  We love to praise the great things we see in other classrooms.  We also love to find the faults in most of our own lessons and we brush off any praise that others may give us.  I would like to challenge you to see things through a different lens.  Before critiquing the learning in your classroom for things you want to improve, find the greatness in your own designs for learning.  Pat yourself on the back for what worked well.  Celebrate your expertise and share it with others so that they may improve by watching you and hearing from you!

Whether your door is open or closed, I challenge you to share the great things you do with each other! Bravely share your expertise!