It's a Journey Part 2: The First Idea to Put in Our Mind-case

IT'S A JOURNEY

In this journey the first idea that we need to pack in our mind-case is the idea that ALL really does mean ALL.



Go to dictionary.com if you wonder what the definition of "all" really is and this is what you will find:

So, now that you have a firm understanding of what ALL means take just a moment to check your mission statement. Go ahead...leave this blog for just a moment (just make sure you come back) and check your mission statement. I will wait...

So, did you see words in your mission statement like:

ALL       EVERY     COMPLETE      ENTIRE

I am not saying that we should take these words out, but that we need to align our actions with the words we put in our mission statements. According to Mike Mattos, our mission statement is our "northstar." He shares the following ideas about our mission statement: 

• states our organizations fundamental purpose
• guides our decisions and actions
• provides a path, framework, and context for which strategies are formulated
• illustrates what the organization wants to do for the world. 

So, look at your mission statement again and imagine having a conversation with other educators in your organization about the specific words they chose to be a part of the statement. Imagine asking them this question: 

Chances are you will hear some variation of the following answer: 

"YES, BUT...

Have you heard any of these answers? Have you expressed any of these answers? I know I have at some point in time. If so, let me suggest that the first idea that must go into your mind-case is that "all means all." We have to stop making excuses. If all really means all, then we have to do whatever it takes to ensure that ALL students learn at high levels. This will undoubtedly be a paradigm shift for many of us. But remember that the ideas we allow into our mind-case have the potential to change our attitudes which will cause us to behave and react in a certain way. 

Believing that ALL means ALL will allow us to see our students as they can be, not as they are now.

Mike Mattos shared in his keynote at the PLC Work Institute in Atlanta, "If we collectively commit to each other and publicly profess that our mission is to ensure that all students learn at high levels, then don't we have an obligation to align our actions to this outcome?" I don't know of any true educator who would not answer that question with a resounding, "YES!" 

This work is not going to be easy; but nothing worth doing well is easy. It is going to take a mindset change and when the work gets too hard, remember your why. My good friend Teri Pendley stressed the importance of knowing your "why" in her blog, "My First Blog Post-Why?"

Remember, becoming a PLC is a journey, not a destination. Let's make sure we are packing the right ideas into our mind-case, roll up our sleeves and get ready for a wild ride. Our students deserve it. 

(Click here to read It's a Journey Part 1: Our Mind-Case) 

It is a Journey Part 1: Our Mind-Case

IT IS A JOURNEY

I had the privilege of attending the PLC at Work Institute in Atlanta, Georgia this week. Before attending this conference I thought I had a good idea of what a Professional Learning Community was; however, while some of what I knew was confirmed, much of what I learned was new information.

The biggest AHA* I had throughout the 2 1/2 days is that implementing a PLC is a journey, not a destination. What is the difference? Well, a destination has an end point in mind. You know where you are going, and you know when you have arrived. There is a definite beginning and ending. A journey is not the same.

Dictionary.com defines journey as: "passage or progress from one stage to another." If we are to have PLCs that work, we have to envision our work as journey. We will always be progressing from one stage to another. We will never "arrive."

So, understanding that we are on a journey and not just setting out for a destination, let's be intentional about the ideas and concepts we allow to become a part of our mindset. This is essential if we are going to successfully implement a PLC in the way it is truly intended to be implemented. The ideas we give credence to will be the ideas that shape our understanding and change our thinking. So, just as we are thoughtful about what we pack in our suitcase when going on a journey, we need to be thoughtful and intentional about the ideas we pack into our "mind-case**."

Definition of "mind-case": the place in our brains where we allow ideas/information to enter that has the potential to change our attitudes which will cause us to react and behave in a certain way.

I am devoting the next several blogs to the concepts and ideas I have learned from the experts*** on what a true PLC looks like. Once we begin truly believing what a PLC is and what it takes to create and sustain it, our minds will change and student learning will mean more than ANYTHING else we do.

*I am paraphrasing my definition of AHA from Kyle Idelman. It is a 3-step process and all 3 steps are necessary. There is an Awakening to a new truth or idea. Then there is Honesty in which you evaluate what you already know with the new information you are learning. Finally, there is Action in which you DO something with the new information. 

**Mind-case is a term that I came up with when writing this blog. When I typed the term into dictionary.com to see if it had a definition all that came up was, "Did you mean 'nut-case'," so i think it is safe to take credit for this term. 

***The ideas presented in this blog are an attempt to synthesize what I am packing into my "mind-case" from what I am learning from great minds, such as the DuFours, Tim Brown, Mike Mattos, and others.