Keeping Track of the Stuff That Matters

Last week on a dreary, chilly May day our middle school track team (of which I am the assistant coach) was scheduled to compete in our last meet of the season. To make matters slightly worse the meet was to take place at a school approximately 25 minutes away and it was the decision of the host school as to whether or not the meet would take place. As the afternoon wore on it became apparent that the meet would take place as scheduled. I must admit that upon boarding the bus, I was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of spending the next 90 minutes in the chilly, rainy weather.  Then something unusual happened, I checked the radar and noticed that the town where the meet would take place was not currently receiving rain. (In fact little did I know but it would not rain there, other than some late mist,over the course of the entire meet.) Subsequently my disposition turned sunny and I began to look forward to the competition.

After arriving, I had more good fortune when I found out that my high school Cross Country Coach was officiating the meet. I had not seen him in the past couple of seasons and it was good to see him in good health. We shared a quick embrace and some brief conversation but the moment was nevertheless special. Whenever I am lucky enough to spend some time with him I am often reminded of the influence that his teachings and spirit have had on my career as a coach and educator.  Over the course of my career I have had the opportunity to coach against him and later after he retired I was lucky to have him officiate our meets. I am grateful for the opportunities that we have shared over the years to renew our relationship and I cherish the brief conversations that have taken place between us.

 I think I can understand the pride that he feels when he considers the success of his former students as confident professionals. Currently in my 20th year as an educator, I can account for at least fifteen former students that are teaching and coaching today. In fact I coached against one of my former student/athletes this year and was able to observe the confident and classy nature in which he conducted himself.  I was excited to share that story that day with my coach and he said with a smile " look at that, it comes around."  Being able to continue a relationship with my coach as a professional over the years has always been special and I am indeed fortunate that it has continued to evolve. I  am looking forward to continuing the same type of professional relationships with my former student athletes.

As we began our last meet I couldn't help but think back to the start of our season and the discussion that I had with my throwers about our goals. We set two fundamental ones; have fun and continue to improve. We talked about how in our sport every competitive effort was recorded and  it would be easy to measure their growth. They would all seek to consistently improve upon their personal bests and that is how ultimately we would measure their success.

As I looked back I was reminded of the smiles that accompanied everyone's personal best as the season progressed.  A fist pump and a smile, often followed, when they learned that they had recorded a personal best performance.  My athletes had shown up every day, they had listented, they applied what they had they learned and yes they improved. Moreover I believe from the smiles, the enthusiasm and the laughter that they had fun along the way. 

As the Shot Put and Discus competitions unflolded throughout that final afternoon I was inspired by the performances of my athletes as they continued to reach new heights. One reached a distance in the Discus that no one ever has while I have been coaching, while several others were still fist pumping and smiling while exclaiming " yes", "personal best."  

We were at the end of  our season and we were still going beyond where we went before. The looks on their faces,  and the smile in their hearts that day is something I will not soon forget.  

While the last meet of the season initially had been one I was dreading, it turned out to be a day that I will not soon forget. It became a day to renew a long time relationship and it was a day to celebrate new personal records. Moving forward it is important for me to remember that even on the dreariest of days, keeping a positive attitude is a must; if not I just might not be able to keep "track" of the stuff that matters.

A Is For Appreciation

" I teach because I'm still inspired by a great teacher that I had when I was a kid. So I get that what we do every single day truly matters." Author Unknown


Over the course of the past few weeks and throughout this week parent volunteers have been working hard to deliver messages of appreciation for teachers throughout our nation. They have worked with vendors to purchase materials, prepared meals or simply stood in front of a group of educators and delivered a heartfelt message of appreciation.  I want to start off this post by taking a minute to thank them for all that they have done and all that they will do to make this a special and memorable week for teachers.

Long before I ever decided to answer the call to become an educator there were teachers and coaches who influenced my life. Their passion, enthusiasm, humor, compassion or the level that they engaged me, impacted my ability to learn. While there were ones that I treasured, there were ones that I would prefer to forget as well. Nevertheless, whether they had a positive impact or a negative one I learned from all of them. They all have influenced the culture that I have created as either a teacher or a coach. I am fortunate to have learned from such a diverse group of individuals and appreciate each of their contributions to my life as an educator.

Twenty five years ago I began a lifetime of work that would involve experiences with thousands of students, summer campers and athletes from the ages of three through twenty one. The memories could fill up volumes of scrapbooks based on my interactions with them over the years. The relationships that I have developed with them in the various capacities continues to positively impact me both professionally and personally. I am grateful for the opportunity to build and maintain these relationships.  I appreciate their hard work,  desire,  curiosity,  passion,  humor and the uniqueness of each and everyone of them.  They continue to define my purpose.

In 1996 we opened the doors to Pond Road Middle School and since that day I have had the honor to work with outstanding educators who are passionately committed to making a difference in the lives of their students. They are innovative, creative, nurturing, dedicated and willing to go the extra mile to help their students learn. I appreciate having the opportunity to learn from them. Their influence has had a tremendous influence on my growth as an educator and a person.

My grade level team of sixth grade teachers, amazes me each and every day.  Watching them collaborate to improve their content area instruction or interact with their students makes them very special.  I continue to witness innovative lesson planning and genuine concern for the success of our students in all facets of their lives.  They continue to give of themselves to contribute to the success of our team as well. They execute various professional responsibilities at a high level that consistently exceeds expectations.  I appreciate their vision and work ethic and am fortunate to be included among them as their teammate. My relationship with each of them is unique and continues to contribute a great deal to the evolution of my role as an educator.

Throughout  the past two years  I have made a commitment to transform my instructional practice.  The transformations have included the building of a Professional Learning Network, the creation of  an educational blog, attending national educational conferences and providing professional development experiences. My building administrators and those at our central office have been extremely supportive of my efforts. I am grateful for their support and appreciate the steps they have taken to help me elevate my practice.

A driving force in my daily routine within the past two years has been my Professional Learning Network which literally extends around the world. Our conversations in small and large groups, the resources and professional development opportunities that you continue to bring to light, the inspiration and validation that you continue to provide, make a major difference in my attitude and the manner in which I approach my craft. My most sincerest thank you for your support. There are not enough words available to properly express my appreciation for the relationships that we have built.

My family continues to be the rock from which I draw the most strength. My wife being a school counselor allows us to have a strong empathetic bond. Our daily conversations really help ease some of  the daily stressors that otherwise I would experience alone. She has read and edited every blog post and has supported me 100 percent throughout my professional transformation. When the entire family arrives at an athletic event that I am coaching or something of an academic nature it always provides an immense source of comfort. The lengths that my family goes to in  order to provide support is something of which I have great appreciation and gratitude.

"It takes a village to raise a child." My wife and I are grateful to the educators that have influenced the growth and development of our children since they entered pre-school many years ago. Undoubtedly they have shaped their thinking and played a significant role in the people that they continue to evolve into. We appreciate the commitment and the sacrifices that they continue to make in this challenging but rewarding profession.

This week will focus on the recognition and appreciation for what we do as teachers.  It means a great deal that people go to great lengths to convey just how much they value what we do. In turn I thought that it would be equally as important for me to take this time to make note all of the things that I appreciate.  These influences are not only appreciated but are vital to my success on a personal and professional level.

In the Driver's Seat

Over sixteen years ago I buckled my son into his car seat and as he looked out the rear window, his mother and I brought him home from the hospital. Eventually as he got older we would reverse the seat so that he could see through the front windshield. As the years continued to roll by, the car seat was eventually replaced by a booster seat and then the booster seat would give way to the seat belt.  My son however was still safely encumbered in the back seat. With each adjustment, his perspective as a passenger would change. He would see the world as it passed by a little bit differently. Then one day after we had entered " the teenage years" I heard the word,  "shotgun" and my son climbed in beside me inches away in the passengers seat. Indeed his perspective of the world in motion had changed once again.  Even though he had now taken residence in the front seat, his role in the automobile outside of potential navigator remained a passive one. Over the years while his perspective changed with each adjustment, mine never had.  The car was the one place where the roles were clearly defined and there was never any reason to challenge the status quo.
But then it happened ....

We received the triumphant news that my son had passed his written drivers test. Behind the wheel instruction, to be provided by his school, would begin in just a short while. Off to a local parking lot we went to practice.  When we arrived, I parked the car and both of us exited the vehicle. We would re-enter with my son occupying the drivers seat and me occupying the passenger seat. For the first time since that maiden voyage home from the hospital both of our perspectives were about to be altered. He was not only changing the location of his seat but now was assuming the control of the vehicle. I was not only changing my seat but I was giving up control. The status quo was changing.

 A rite of passage was transpiring right in front of my eyes that was empowering my son to take his first steps toward achieving his independence. He would not only control the direction of the vehicle that day but was moving closer to independently controlling the direction of his life. Symbolically and literally he was starting to choose his path and navigate it.  For a while longer I can ride along and provide guidance and support but in a very short time he will fly solo, accepting the keys  and with it a lifetime of responsibility and privilege.

Within a few short months my son will take his rightful place in the "drivers seat" and that is the way it should be. We empower our children little by little to become more and more independent throughout the course of  their lives. In the classroom and in the real world we encourage them to take control over their education and their lives. We celebrate their success and we provide a safety net when they fail. The day eventually arrives however when we need to take that leap of faith and confidently allow our children to assume control of their own lives.  Soon my son will face decisions that will need to be made that will effect his future and they will begin to come fast and furious, What college to attend? What major to choose? What jobs to apply for?  He will have the full support of his family but ultimately they will be his decisions to make.  The road ahead will provide its share of challenges, but from the "drivers seat" he will be more than capable of navigating them.

Resilience: The Key to Clearing the Hurdles in Life

" The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but  rising every time we fall."
   ~ Nelson Mandela~


Recently there was a viewing of the game known as the " The Miracle on Ice" to celebrate an epic and historic event that took place thirty-five years ago in Lake Placid, New York. This event featured a group of spirited college athletes from various schools throughout the United States defeating the Soviet Union in a Medal Round Olympic hockey game at the 1980 Winter Olympics.  This improbable upset remains today the pinnacle of amateur sports accomplishments in the United States.  The Soviets were widely regarded as the best hockey team in the world, bar none.  Just a week prior, the Soviets had beaten this same team of amateurs by a lopsided score of 10-3.  Our boys were clearly outmatched.  How does one begin to explain the amazing turn of events? How did this collection of college athletes beat the best team in the world on a stage that had been previously dominated by the Soviets?  The answer ..... Resilience.  This spirit that lives deep within the human soul. A spirit which allows us to overcome even the most insurmountable of obstacles.

Collectively they found something within them that allowed them to put the previous outcome aside and move forward. They found a reason to believe that the impossible was possible. They found a reason to believe that they could achieve something that everyone outside of their team believed impossible. In the games leading up to the game with the Soviets and then with the subsequent winning of the gold medal game, this team would teach us lessons of resilience that those of us fortunate to bear witness would not soon forget.

Throughout the course of our lives we are forced to confront situations as children and then adults that are adverse or uncomfortable.  Perhaps we struggle in the classroom, or the athletic arena or perhaps our personal life provides its own set of challenges.  We seek guidance and support from mentors. We seek their assistance and together we identify potential solutions. Furthermore we assess the situations that create the adversity, utilize resources that are available and eventually move forward. Our resilience makes this possible. Success and failure are temporary conditions. Our resilience must be part of our permanent condition or adaptation becomes impossible.

Our responsibility as adult learners is to use our own experiences with resilience and mentor our children as they attempt to come to terms with their own struggles or even failures.

As educators it is incumbent upon us to reinforce with our students the idea that assessments are performance measurements. They are a means of assisting us in how to best approach our instructional planning in order to provide the optimum learning experiences for them. They will result in success at times and result in productive struggles at others.  Ultimately they will always reveal something about student learning.  Assessment outcomes will never define the learner as a success or failure. If we can successfully impart this line of thinking upon our students, then we can create resilience within them. Then perhaps they will be willing to take risks, and confront challenges entusiastically, while possessing a forward thinking mindset regardless of potential outcomes.  If we can help our students to develop resilience than they can eventually help develop it within others, thus creating a community of resilient learners.

Teaching our children to assess adversity is the first step in helping them achieve resilience. Once they complete their assessment then they can proceed to gather resources, human or otherwise. After gathering and utilizing the resources in an effective fashion then the hope is that they can move forward toward solutions and eventually beyond the adversity. Once resilience is achieved initially, hopefully they can continue to use a formula that allows them to consistently overcome the challenges that confront them. One thing is for sure, life will provide the hurdles, clearing them requires resilience.

" A Tale of Two Centuries"

In a few short years every student in our schools will be from the 21st century, and no teacher will be. The entire student body and the entire teacher force will be from different centuries.
 ~Lester Laminack

Since reading this quote on my Twitter feed recently I have taken pause to consider its implications. You see, as a sixth grade teacher , all of my current students were born after the year 2000 and this has been my reality for the past three years.  Moving forward it will continue to be the case until I eventually retire within the next fifteen years. As I continue  to digest the implications of this reality, I am sure that it is not as dire as the quote suggests.

Here are some additional realities:

My colleagues and I are products of the 20th century educational system.  Our passion and commitment as professionals has helped to produce many passionate educators who lead our classrooms today.

 The passion that we have for teaching and for our students today was and continues to be fueled by the influences of many outstanding 20th century educators.

The great teachers have always understood the value of engagement and empowerment, these concepts are not unique to the eras in which students learn or teachers teach.

The 20th century teacher was also the 20th century learner and as time marched forward, the 20th century teacher became the 21st century teacher and learner. 

As educators and as humans, we must continue to learn and adapt, if we are to survive in our careers or in life.

In an effort to gain an additional perspective I wrote the quote on the board and sought the opinions of my students regarding its implications. Their responses were varied.

 Some felt that it made no difference at all because a 20th century background could provide additional perspectives for the 21 century student in terms of approaches and strategies.

 Some believed that it was "no big deal" as long as the educator used 21st century methods and technology to meet their students "where they were".

 A few did in fact believe that teachers should be replaced if they were not willing to teach 21st century students with a 21st century mindset. As always their honest feedback provided valuable insight as I continued to work through the implications of this issue.

This is what I believe moving forward regarding the implications of 20th century teachers teaching, 21st century learners.

 The quality of education is the key to the growth of any individual or the advancement of any society. 

The manner in which we educate our children has always and will always evolve as a result of a multitude of political, technological, cultural and economic influences.

We must continue to understand how our children learn and prepare ourselves to meet them where they are.  This is imperative to their success.

As long as we are willing to evolve and adapt, in order to meet the needs of each individual learner, then ultimately it makes no difference when the educator was born or educated. 

 The educator that continues to develop their instructional practices with their students front and center, will thrive in any century and so will their students.

Celebrating Authenticity and Affirmation

Since creating the "Power of Inspiration" a little over thirteen months ago, I have had the opportunity to submit posts on topics that reveal both my interests and passions.  Each submission has given me the opportunity to reflect on my craft and renew my enthusiasm for writing. While I have enjoyed writing each piece, the posts that I enjoy writing the most, focus on my students and the authentic learning experiences we have collectively shared. The following  post, inspired by the efforts of my students, traces the evolution of our second marking period Technology project.

The Launch

Prior to leaving for an extensive winter break my students concluded an exhaustive unit on the "early humans". Awaiting them upon their return would be a long term project that would give them the opportunity to create a product model relevant to the study of the "early humans". This product model would be constructed with the mindset that it was capable of assisting the "early humans" in their daily lives. Within a few days they would need to develop an idea and present it to me and my co-teachers for our approval. After reviewing the assignment handout and answering questions, the class concluded for the day. Their enthusiasm  for this project as usual did not disappoint. As students got up to leave for the day, a handful were already stopping me and passionately sharing their early ideas.  As the day continued more would stop by and share their ideas as well. Over the course of the week I would have many conversations  about the visions that my students were having for their projects. I couldn't wait until Friday.

The Challenge

The following day I challenged my students to take advantage of this opportunity to do something great. I told them they had full creative control and virtually no limits on what they could accomplish. I then told them that not only was this an opportunity to potentially achieve individual greatness but that each one of them was quite capable of doing something great.  I visually referred to a project from a previous year that they all agreed was outstanding and reminded them that the student responsible for its creation, shared common circumstances with them. I then left them with the challenge to go beyond ordinary and strive for greatness.

New Ideas

Over the course of the week I would have many conversations about the early visions that my students were having for this project. When Friday finally arrived we were able to finalize and approve most of the ideas but there were still students that were working through the process that required guidance and support. This year's ideas included; portable fire pits, baby carriers, first aid kits, poison detectors, security systems and a host full of other authentic and useful ideas. The next three weeks would be exciting for sure as we would all witness these innovative ideas blossom into finished products.

Sketches

One of my favorite days of the project experience was when I had the opportunity to review their sketches. It was exciting to gain an early glimpse at their designs as they continued to develop their ideas.  I was also afforded the opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions that may help them move forward as they prepared to enter the construction phase of the project.  As this phase came to a conclusion I was confident in the direction that my students were heading and eagerly awaited the arrival of the finished products.

Presentations and Affirmations

The day of the grand unveiling of the projects brought with it a great deal of excitement. Both the  students and teachers eagerly awaited the beginning of the presentations. Collectively this batch of models/inventions was of the best that we have witnessed in years. The craftsmanship reflected ideas that were very well designed and executed. A three week journey which commenced with the project launch was now one step closer to conclusion.  This day and the few days that followed thoughout were special for many reasons. 

All of the students began revealing their products to one another in short oral presentations. We learned of the genesis of their ideas, the purpose and function of their products and essentially the process in which the product was constructed. We learned of research that had been completed, trials that had been endured and ultimately of  the success that had been achieved. Following the presentations the students asked very thoughtful questions of the presenters which required very thoughtful answers.  This was an impressive element of the presentations as the students were showing genuine interest in each others efforts. 

This year we all were treated to an unexpected bonus feature. As some presentations concluded, the students were offering complimentary affirmations to the presenter instead of asking questions. One student commented to another about  their idea being " very creative", or another commented on how the finished product indicated that they spent a "great deal of time" working on it.  These affirmations were unprompted and unsolicited but  indeed provided a special quality as some of the presentations concluded.

Reflection

After the final oral presentation had concluded our journey was all but complete.  There was one final step that I was looking forward to taking with my students in order to bring closure to this project. As has been tradition following the final presentation students were required to participate in a reflection activity. This activity explored their thoughts on the positive qualities of the project experience, ways that it could be improved and finally what they had learned throughout the entire process. This as always was one of my favorite legs of the journey because it gave the students an opportunity to add an honest voice to the process. Once again as in past years they provided me with valuable feedback and have helped me to reaffirm the enduring value of the project.  Their feedback will also help me to make adjustments and strengthen the assignment for future classes.

 Some of the positive feedback this year included the following; "it was fun and I enjoyed the opportunity to be creative", " we could make our own choices and there were not many rules" and "it gave me a chance to bond with my mother or father".

Some of the improvements that were suggested included "share more models", "model an oral presentation" and "give more specific guidelines regarding the journal." 

The went on to tell me that they learned how to manage their time better, that homework can be fun and that they learned more about the problems and needs of the early humans.  

As the reflection activity came to a close, I was proud to be able to add the voice of my students to this project once again.  They appreciated the opportunity to add constructive and honest feedback as well.

Final Thoughts

When given the opportunity to create and work without constraints my students will embrace it.

My students like challenges and love the feeling that accompanies achievement.

 Authentic learning is the best way to learn because it allows my students to immerse themselves into their learning  environment. 

 When my students demonstrate that they value the hard work of their peers,  it strengthens the culture in our learning community.

  We need to continue to ask our students if the learning experiences that we provide have value. Their feed back will always be honest because they have the most to gain if they are engaged.  This project, like others  authentic in nature, empowered my students to become active learners. The more engaging the activity the more meaningful their learning will become.  The voices of our students need to be the ones that we hear the loudest and we need to pay attention to them. If not, we risk losing their interest and this is not a result that we can afford.  We must continue to celebrate the success of the authentic learner and affirm the value of their commitment and effort whenever possible.

One Life to Live... and Learn.

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."~ John Wooden

 Each fall, my good friend Ken Boardman an associate professor at Rider University, passionately emphasizes to his pre-service teachers this pearl of  wisdom; " the world is your classroom". Undoubtedly this has always been true in a conventional sense. Today's news will always be fodder for tomorrow's class discussion. However, with our current ability to become connected students and educators this idea has taken on new meaning. On a global scale, today's teachers and learners have unprecedented access to information and knowledge due to the availability of electronic resources, the internet and social media. Human and electronic resources are literally at our fingertips, for our convenience.  The opportunity to learn has never been more immediate nor has our ability to transfer knowledge to others.

Thirteen months ago I unwittingly embarked upon a journey to improve as an educator.  I began to explore the possibilities of using Twitter to develop a Professional Learning Network. Within the first month I began to establish personal connections with likeminded educators that shared my passion for making a positive impact on the lives of today's youth. Through hashtag conversations, tweets and blog posts, personal and professional relationships were being formed, renewed and strengthened. Authentic learning experiences were taking place as wisdom was being mutually shared. Eventually opportunities were created that allowed me to meet my PLN face to face at regional and national conferences.  Our connections were being strengthened as we shared our convictions for education.  Connections were being made at the local, national and global level and I was feeling empowered to strengthen my instructional practices as well as create engaging learning experiences for my students.  Learning was now occurring autonomously and at my convenience.  Resources focused on current educational pedagogy were consistently made available and were essentially limitless. I was living out of my comfort zone and I was growing. Furthermore, my students were reaping the benefits because my learning experiences translated to improvements in  the classroom..

Last week I was engaged in a weekly #Tlap conversation about the ABC's of learning and at the end of the conversation there was a challenge question in which we were asked by the moderator, Shelley Burgess to include a response using the UN prefix. Essenntially this was a contest to generate the most favorities and or retweets per individual response.  My response was Unforgettable, and that I never want my students to forget why they love learning. It was a response that met with many retweets and favorites. Also it resulted in my winning of  the contest and receiving and autographed copy of the new book P is for Pirate which is written by Dave and Shelley Burgess.  One of the favorites came from my friend and valued PLN member Barry Saide who reminded me that "nor should we" as educators ever forget why we love learning. His sentiment  reminded me how much my love for learning has been rejuvenated since I became a connected educator.  The places that learning will take us is amazing if we are willing to make ourselves available to new ideas. While the "world remains our classroom" as connected educators the current and future possibliliities for learning will remain limitless if we continue to embrace new and innovative ways to do so.  My only regret is that I only have " one life to live and learn."