Ditch Digging

Ditch Digging

Sometimes educating young people can seem like an act of futility. It’s like if someone gives you a teaspoon at the beginning of the school year and tells you, “There is a pile of dirt out back. I want you to take that spoon and dig down 20 feet. At the bottom, there is something that will help your students be successful this school year.” We know that it sounds like a difficult job, but not impossible. And we’re in this career because we believe that we can make a difference (at least, we used to, and some part of us still does). So we take our spoon, and we start to dig. The spoon breaks, but we get another one, and we dig. The sweat pours into our eyes, making it difficult to see, but we dig. It’s hot. It’s cold. There are other things that need to be done. But we dig. And we get to the bottom of the ditch – and it’s empty. And the school year is over. So we leave feeling the frustration of digging a 20 foot ditch with a spoon for no reason. And then we come back the next school year, and there’s the pile of dirt, and the spoon, and we start digging because someone told us that the ditch contains something that will make our students successful. And the end of the year comes – and the ditch is dug – and it’s empty. And some of us do that for years upon years upon years.

          We’re at that time of year when we are tired. We are in survival mode. We are praying and hoping that all of the hard work pays off, yet fearing that there will be nothing to show for it instead. If you are feeling that hopelessness, I want to encourage you to change your outlook. We spend the school year working hard to make our students successful. It is difficult work, but not insurmountable. We don’t always have the right tools for the job, but what we have will suffice. When you are at the bottom of the ditch, as we are now – don’t look into it and see the empty hole at the bottom. Look at it from the top down and see the hard work, the huge accomplishment, and have faith. The prize is not to be found at the bottom of the ditch. The prize is in the digging. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Yes- we want the STAAR scores to show our huge efforts. But I can almost guarantee that not one of you became an educator hoping in your heart of hearts that you would have amazing STAAR scores at the end of the year. I would bet that you became a teacher (or principal, or counselor, or any other staff member) out of a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. Do not discount the fact that YOU HAVE THE POWER to change and influence this generation – as well as their children and their grandchildren. We don’t do that through STAAR scores. We do that through the process of ditch-digging. You may have been that one person this year that believed in a student and therefore made him believe in himself. Something you said this year may have made a young lady stop cutting herself. Your voice may echo in the mind of a college student 6 or 7 years from now, telling him, “Don’t settle for a 70 when you’re capable of a 90!” The butterfly effect of our actions and words and teaching this year may make an untold difference in the years to come, and the odds are that we will never see it or know it. Keep digging. We’re not done yet – we have a few more feet to go.

“Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due time you will reap a harvest.”

D. Theesfield, 2014

Dog Days of School 

It’s that time of year - the “dog days” of school when the days are long, and there is more work than you could possibly get done in one lifetime. The kids and your coworkers are pushing your every button and you are in survival mode - just clinging for dear life. There are a couple of verses that I hold onto this time of year. They keep me grounded and help me remember – this too shall pass! 

Here is the first one: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

The kids are feeling spring in the air. They’re tired. You’re tired. Your second wind has come and gone. But the race isn’t over. We can see the finish line, barely. Now is when you find out what you’re made of. Now is the time to dig in and strengthen your resolve. More than ever, it is important to remember your “why”. That is what will get you across the finish line.

You’ll see the other verse at the bottom of my emails. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal”. It is just a reminder that what you do every day is so much more than the things upon which the state places importance. If you don’t believe that, ask Casie Granado about it. She’ll tell you about planting seeds. Some, you get the privilege see come to fruition in beautiful ways. Others, you just have to have faith that you did your part. Not all seeds grow at the same rate nor produce at the same time. The things you do day in and day out have the potential to impact lives for generations to come. And if that is not a reason to keep running the race, I don’t know what would be.

I had a small project I was working on earlier in the week to be ready for TELPAS testing. Magdeline Cook came in and asked me what she could do to help. I hesitated because I know she’s already so busy, but then I remembered something I learned a long time ago: don’t steal somebody else’s blessing when they offer to help you with something. So I told her what I needed and she walked away with it, a smile on her face, leaving me feeling a little lighter. She sent me an email later with a very important, very small message in it. That message was, “Together, we can“. I’ve been thinking about that over the last few days. You’ve heard me say over and over that Bonham is family. And one thing I have seen over and over is that Bonham sticks together. So right now, when we have added responsibilities given to us by the district, testing after testing, and all of the extra duties and paperwork that seems to pile up at this time of the year, remember that we are in it together. And together, we can! Let’s show our community and our students how far teamwork and resilience can take an organization. If you have an ounce to give, give it to someone who needs it. The giving will strengthen you that much more. If you are down to nothing, and someone offers to help you out, then accept it gladly and know that it will help fill your reserve so that you can then give to someone else.

And don’t forget our students are in this too. As much as the faculty and staff are Bonham family, the students are Bonham family as well. Granted, there are some who seem to act like they could care less about anything going on. I don’t believe that to be true. I believe that is a function of the climate in which they live. However, those kids aside, we have many, MANY more students who are here every day doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. They deserve to know they are not struggling alone and we believe in them. They deserve to know that you are going to fight for them and run this race with them until the very last day of school.

Maybe We DO Get Paid for Kids to Like Us!

I listened to this podcast (link below) this morning. It definitely challenged my thinking. While I’ve been guilty of saying I’m not here for kids to like me, I sure have to admit I get better results out of the ones who do! 

I think the negative connotation of getting kids to like you is that you have to bend rules or use other tactics that could border on the unethical or unprofessional. But that’s not necessary. Think about the kids who like you best. They are probably students you have joked or just chatted with. They are ones you have had fun with: playing basketball after school in the gym, dancing (or lip-syncing) during the pep rallies, making learning games in the classroom. They are students with whom you have made a connection that lets them know you see them. For me, they are the ones for whom I have taken the time to listen to their side of things. I have also gone a step further and explained the reason for whatever rule or consequence we’re dealing with. They are the ones who come to understand, while I empathize with them, I am not willing to compromise my integrity (or my job) for them. I’ve even asked some of them how they could possibly continue to have any respect for me if I bent the rules or lied for them. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that getting students to like you really isn’t all that different from getting other humans to like you – just do what your momma taught you: be yourself, don’t compromise who you are (morals, integrity, beliefs), don’t ask others to compromise who they are, and remember not everyone is going to like you, regardless of your efforts!   

I also included a link to the Rita Pierson TedTalk he refers to. Many of you have heard it, but it’s probably new to some and a great reminder to all!

Feel free to share your thoughts. With collegial conversations, we all grow!

Listen to 95:Damn right, your students should like you - Hack Learning Uncut from Hack Learning in Podcasts. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hack-learning/id1085782087?mt=2&i=1000390549631

https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

Don't Let Memes Determine Your Value

As I scroll through Facebook, I often see memes or cartoons like this one. They make me giggle a little because, I mean just look at it, it IS funny. Like - on a fist to five with a fist being 0 (not funny at all), it’s at least 3 fingers.

 But these images also worry me. Every year I see more and more jokes on social media about how much it stinks to be a teacher. And I see educators numbering in the thousands “liking” and “ROTFL”ing.

It’s important to find humor in our day-to-day lives. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where it’s either laugh or cry – and teaching can drive you to both on a daily basis! Most of us embrace the good with the bad, refocus on our purpose, and charge onward. Look y’all, there’s nothing wrong with a little levity. But I think we need to proceed with caution when we start belittling our profession in the name of humor.        

As educators, we are taught the importance and the power of the words we use with our students. If you tell a child he is incapable of learning, he will probably prove you right. But isn’t the same true of the power of thoughts? Aren’t we cautioned that if we think a child incapable of learning, he will also prove us right? Or more likely, we will prove ourselves right.

I believe the same can be true of the words and thoughts we internalize regarding the profession of education. I think there is a danger in focusing on the negative aspects of education. Just like the hypothetical student in the paragraph above, if you are told often enough how bad your job is, you will start to believe it. Likewise, if you tell yourself often enough how bad your job is, you will start to believe it. When that happens, it must then become more difficult to continually refocus and charge onward. When educators lose focus on the value of what they do, we all lose. Some stay in the classroom and make themselves and everyone else miserable. Some leave the profession altogether. Either way, the educational community has lost a valuable resource. As much of a tragedy as this is, the fallout of denigrating the art of education has much more widespread consequences. Think of the new teacher who is already struggling with understanding the butterfly effect of her touch in the classroom. Think of the parents, students, and sadly, politicians, who already think educators are a joke – little more than over-paid babysitters. 

If we, the educators of the world, do not have and show pride in our life work, why would anyone else place value upon it? For most of us, this is our calling, our passion, and our lasting contribution to society. Mark Twain said, “It is noble to teach oneself, but still nobler to teach others.” 

Perhaps if we start treating our profession with the respect and admiration it deserves, other will begin to do the same. When that happens, images like this one may cease to exist.     

Day 1

I have recently become a follower of George Couros on Twitter and had an opportunity to hear him speak to leadership in my district. I read his articles as they come to my inbox, and often find nuggets of wisdom that inspire me to be a better leader in my school. This last week I came across a great thought in one of the articles. The following is the beginning of that article:

What is the experience our students tell others about their time in school?By George on Apr 17, 2017 03:41 pm “Jeff, what does Day 2 look like?” The following is an excerpt from Jeff Bezos (CEO and founder of Amazon) and the annual letter to his shareholders: That’s a question I just got at our most recent all-hands meeting. I’ve been reminding people that it’s Day 1 for a couple of decades. I work in an Amazon building named Day 1, and when I moved buildings, I took the name with me. I spend time thinking about this topic." When I read this first part, I just started getting excited. For as long as I've been an educator, day 1 is so exciting! I love new school supplies: the smell of pencils, the promise of an empty spiral, crayons with perfect points awaiting creation. When I was a classroom teacher, I loved the anticipation of a roster of faceless names. I planned my classroom and lessons so carefully, making sure every detail was just right. And then the students arrived. I taught middle school, so the students moving up from elementary were always so precious to me. Every teacher on campus was invested in making sure the students felt comfortable and safe. We helped them with locker combinations and confusing schedules. We pointed them in the right direction when they got lost and made sure we were wearing smiling, comforting faces. The first days were filled with team building and teaching expectations. Every student had an opportunity for a fresh start at being the star of the class, and every teacher had a chance to be the teacher of the year! We all knew that open-mouthed, wide-eyed innocence wouldn't last. They would get comfortable with the size of the school, with their lockers, and with changing from teacher to teacher. They would soon start pushing boundaries and testing patience. By the time Christmas rolls around, everyone needs a break! Day 1 is long gone and everyone is just over it. After Christmas, we limp into spring break. When we return from spring break, it can sometimes seem like a challenge of which will come first: an implosion of the campus or summer break. But here is the rest of the beginning part of that article:   “Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1.” Wow! Sound familiar? And that got me thinking - what if schools could treat every day as if it were day 1? What if teachers were able to hold on to that enthusiasm and empathy? What if students showed up every day knowing they would be safe and someone would be watching out for them to get lost or stuck? Can you imagine the impact on learning? On teacher retention? The possible reverberations of the excitement and enthusiasm are endless! So, I challenge you, Dedicated Tired Teacher. And you, Amazing but Weary Administrator. And even you, Stubborn Splendid Student. I challenge you all to make every day, day 1!