Yesterday there was an issue at school that required my attention.  I debated in my head about how I should deal with this particular situation.  I knew that I could just let it go without much fuss and it wouldn’t be a big deal (at least not in the short term) or I could dig in and make it a point of focus immediately.  I decided to pursue the more aggressive route, which meant I’d have more involvement in the short term.  However, it was my hope that by taking care of it right away and not just brushing it off as “boys will be boys” that I would be able to bring a close to this ongoing conflict.  In the end everything worked out beautifully and I was reminded that a little effort up front can save a lot of time and energy down the road.

I thought a lot about this idea over night and again this morning…how often is this true in our life?  How many times could we put in a little now to gain a lot later in the future?  Retirement accounts?  Relationships?  Education…what about in our classrooms?  With our students?  With their parents?

I met with an 8th grade student the other day about his math performance and we looked at his Power School record for homework…crickets, zeros, nada.  He admitted that he’d given up, it was too hard, he said.  Fair enough, he was discouraged and frustrated because he didn’t get it, while a lot of his classmates did…so why bother?  Then I asked him what this school would look like if I did that with my job and every kid who was slacking off in Middle School – what if I just gave up on every kid (him included) who “was difficult”?  He laughed, he understood my point.

This 8th grader could’ve really saved himself a lot of hassle if he would’ve put in some effort early on and buckled down, other than keep digging a hole that was impossible to get out of in the end.  He sees this now (I hope!) and knows that as he moves on to his next school that there are going to be some difficult times and tough challenges.  All of us know that there is no reason for this student to have gotten in this hole in the first place, all it would’ve taken was some extra effort in the beginning and he would’ve been on a much better trajectory.

What are those things that you could’ve put a little more effort into at the beginning of the school year to see payoffs now?  Perhaps it’s a classroom management thing that would’ve saved you the constant stress and hassle of a disruptive student.  Maybe it’s a little time invested in building positive relationships with a particularly challenging student or class.  None of us are perfect and we all have things that could’ve gone better.  I had a huge realization the other day that will leave me with regrets about an opportunity I missed this year BUT I know now how I will approach a situation like that in the future.  The year is coming to a close but I know that none of us are retiring yet…we can always think about how we can improve our practice for the future 🙂

Enjoy the weekend!!

Sitting in the Lipgloss audience last night I was overcome with how absolutely amazing our school community has become.  It started with the thought of how impressive our students were on stage, how talented they were as dancers and choreographers.  Then I started thinking about the specific kids in the performance.  With more than 120 kids to think about, it’s not a surprise that their stories are all different.  However, whether they’re a student that’s been here since Kindergarden or a student that arrived in April…everyone has their place at SCIS.  We are a warm and welcoming community, easy to transition into and (as we’re about to see in a few weeks) hard to leave.

On top of the fact that we’re such a welcoming community we’ve also created an environment where kids are comfortable taking risks.  There were students on stage last night who would’ve NEVER been on that stage if we weren’t such an open and understanding community.  There were kids who have a hard time finding success academically but were nothing short of masterful in their dance performance.  What an amazing opportunity for them to feel the sweet taste of success!  And don’t even get me started on how stinking cute those Lower School students were, it was so neat to see them dancing side by side with Middle and High School students.

None of this would’ve been possible without the amazing guidance and leadership of our three dance teachers (all of whom are new to SCIS this year!)  The time and effort they put into this show was incredible and it certainly all paid off last night and (break a leg) tonight!!  As I thought about how these three new teachers put on this amazing show I couldn’t help but think of how awesome our community had to be in order for something like this to be even remotely possible.  Without the support and understanding of our community a show like this can’t happen, even with amazing teachers such as we have here at SCIS.  This is all in addition to what our Drama teachers (both new this year as well!) have already done with their brilliant performances…how can one school be so awesome?!?!

Lipgloss and the Arts department is just one (very public) example of the wonderful things happening at this school.  We’ve got new and veteran teachers working side by side each and every day to help our students (no matter who they are) be successful in the classroom and beyond!  The community we’ve established at SCIS is all of these things and more…and it all happens everywhere, not just on stage!!

Whenever I give a tour to new families I tell them that “the kids are the best part of our school!” However, that’s only part of the truth.  The reality is that behind those students stand an absolutely amazing support network, comprised most importantly of their teachers.  So for every kid standing on that stage last night taking a bow you should all be taking a few bows of your own for all of the hard work that you do each and every day to make this place as awesome as it is for our kids.

What a wild week, it always seems that the short weeks are the craziest!!  We’ve got a great one coming up next week and I couldn’t be more excited for the adventure!

China trips gives our kids a great opportunity to try some new things, push their comfort zones, and learn outside the classroom.  For me it is a great chance to learn more about our students as well as consider all the wonderful growth happening within our students.  After having John Francis visit yesterday I am inspired to LISTEN more over the course of this next week.  I don’t think I’ll manage to stay quiet for an entire hour, let alone a whole day, but I’m going to certainly make an effort to shut up and listen!!

One of the best parts of our China Trips experience is the opportunity to step back and be a fly on the wall.  The Insight leaders can do their thing and we can just be there.  I know how hard I’m going to have to work to shut my mouth and just listen but that’s my goal.  The guides and counselors from Insight are there to lead and I want to let them do that, no matter how bad I want to jump in and take over.  Sometimes things have to run their course and that might mean stepping back and watching instead of butting in and speaking up.  My goal is to practice listening and try to learn something.  I figure, at the very least I’ll learn how to step back and listen 🙂

John Francis said, “How can we be teaching if we aren’t learning?”  I know that when we evaluated our character strengths back in November that a lot of us found out that we fit the “Learner” profile (not to our surprise!)  My question this week is, “What are you learning and how are you learning it?”  Take some time this weekend to think about what you’re going to learn next week…what are your goals for the coming China Trip week?

Wherever you’re off to (or not) find something to focus on this week and learn!!  Enjoy your trips and take lots of pictures for the kids 🙂

As the weather turns and the days become more beautiful it gets hard to be trapped inside all day!  We all feel it and there is no doubt that the kids feel it too!!  I call it the “Tom Petty Blues” – ‘I feel summer creepin’ in…’

Last week I challenged you to take a risk in the classroom, try something new and exciting.  My intention was to push you to improve your educational practice but after speaking to many of you this week I realize that I may have stumbled upon something else that’s really important at this time of year…

Trying something new and pushing yourself to be a better educator will help you on these beautiful days; it will help you to remain engaged when it is so easy to drift off to the beach, the lake, or the golf course.  We’re all aware of how the kids are ready for summer and, being honest with ourselves – we’re ready too 🙂  However, we know in our hearts that the school year is far from over.  There are still major topics to be taught, important skills to learn, and myriad opportunities for our students to have great experiences.

Hearing the stories of the risks that some of you are taking in your classes is tremendously inspiring!  Teaching a lesson in a new way, experimenting with different learning games, reconfiguring class groupings, trying out 20-Time, creating a ‘flipped lesson’, and “talking at the class less” are just some of the risks being taken in our Middle School.   It doesn’t have to be earth shattering or something that will rewrite the history books but trying something that is new-to-you could have a huge benefit for not only your students but for you as well!!

So, are you ready to take a risk and step out of your comfort zone in the name of helping to keep summer at bay for just a few weeks longer?!?  Give it a shot…whatever your motivation!

With only about seven weeks of instruction left your time with these kids is going to fly by!  You’ve established great relationships with your students and built positive learning communities in your classrooms.  As we hit the home stretch there is surely a lot of important content yet to be covered before the end of the year.  All of that adds up to the perfect opportunity for you to try some new things and take some risks with your instruction.

Often times teachers want to try new ideas and test things out at the beginning of the year but find it challenging because they haven’t yet established classroom culture, relationships, or the trust needed to feel comfortable taking a risk.  However, at this point the year there is no doubt in my mind that you have all built a culture that would allow for you to take a chance and see how something new plays out.

Most of you have participated in some great professional development opportunities so far this year (some of you even have masters class this weekend).  I have no doubt that you’ve come across some ideas that have made you consider trying something new in your classroom.  What better time than now to give something a try, revamp it and try again?!?  That way, you can come into the new school year with a fresh new feeling of excitement and confidence knowing that your new strategies will work well!

It’s spring, the trees are budding, the flowers are blooming and it’s time for something fresh in your classroom.  Go ahead and take a risk, try something new, and don’t be afraid.  You’ve got the confidence and support of your colleagues, your students, and the rest of the community behind you!!