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!