#OneWord2020-Connect Staying Connected During COVID-19

How many times have you heard: "We are living in unprecedented times"? I know I have heard that phrase too many times to count.

We are all just trying to figure things out.

How are we going to deliver schoolwork?

How are we going to ensure students stay on track?

How are we going to grade?

How do we do this work-at-home thing? (As I write this my own 3 children are causing so much noise that I may have to build me a she-shed in the backyard....I mean you can only turn the airpods up so loud).

There are more unknowns than known (every time I write or speak that phrase the song from Frozen 2 plays through my mind and in case you haven't heard it click here).

Yet we have to continue forging forward through each minute, each hour, each day.

While there is so much that is unknown this I do know: People come first. This means that my number one focus right now is making sure teachers, families and students are okay.

I am so thankful that I came across Allyson Apsey's (@AllysonApsey) blog: COVID-19 Edition of the Monday Morning Staff Check-in.

I completely agree with her thoughts here:
Leading through unmarked territory is surreal at times. Focusing on what the people around me need means that I cannot give into my emotions, yet I need to show empathy and feel with our teachers and students. It is a tricky balance, I am not going to lie. It is exhausting, but it is exactly what I signed up for when I became a principal and I am so proud to do this job. 


This has been my focus more than anything else. From nightly staff check-ins, to text messages, emails, and phone calls, staying connected to them and keeping them connected to each other has been my goal. So glad that I chose 'connected' to be my #OneWord2020 (check out my blog about choosing my OneWord).

I followed Allyson's lead and created my own Monday Morning Staff Check-In. I love sending it out on Monday morning and reading each response. Most of them share they are doing well, some are stir crazy and some want to be included in a project.


Allyson also shares a form she created to send out to families. So with the help of my assistant principal and interpreter we created our own Alto Park Family Friday Check-in. I have sent it out the past two Fridays. It has been an awesome way to reach out to our families. Right now only about 10% are responding but it has opened the door for me to reach out to them and know how they are doing. This past week I was able to connect with a mom who has recently lost 3 family members (not related to COVID). Just to be able to let her know that we were thinking about her and are here for her and her children meant so much to me.

Yes. There are still more questions than there are answers. But one thing I do know: We have to stay connected.

P.S. If you would like to create your own check-in form you are welcome to click the links and make a copy of mine.

On This Day: 1 Year Ago

I know we are all struggling with this unprecedented situation we find ourselves in. And there are so many questions and unknowns right now. But before you know it we will be past this and it will be

this time next year

Those of us on Facebook will begin to get those notifications: "On this day 1 year ago..." 

I don't always look at those posts unless they pop up in my feed or someone tags me in one. When I see them my reactions vary based on what shows up. Pictures of my kids (who are now grown) as little ones bring a rush of happy memories. Pictures of vacations taken, loved ones lost, new friendships and connections formed all captured in posts titled, "On this day: ___ year(s) ago.


Have you ever taken the time to think that the present time is determining what will be in those memory posts?

With that in mind, focus on this:

You are determining right now what will show up in your memory feed 
"On this day: 1 Year Ago." 

Will it be anxiety inducing posts?

Will it be funny memes about toilet paper or being stuck in your house with your family?

Will it be encouraging posts that you shared to help brighten the days for others?

Will it be mindfulness pictures and posts that help others stop and appreciate the beauty of our world that we so often miss in the rush of every day life? (I am thankful to my #4OCFPLN voxer group for sharing their mindfulness pictures everyday).

You are writing the stories now that will be memories this time next year.

I am looking forward to seeing the memory notifications of the times...

...I have spent with my family watching movies, walking around the neighborhood, playing badminton and putting a puzzle together.

...I have spent drawing closer to my Alto Park family. Seriously, y'all we have had some good times on...

...Zoom playing trivia,

...parading in our individual cars to honk, yell and wave at our students,

...fun Flipgrid challenges.

We are closer as a staff than ever before. #APSoars

I think now more than ever I am more aware that what we are doing is going to impact us long into the future. Maybe it is because so many demands have been lifted. Maybe it is because our normal routines have been disrupted. Whatever the reason, let's embrace it and be purposeful in what we do.

Because in no time at all we will see the decisions we make today become the memories of yesterday. 

What Would it Be Like

You know as well as I do that this world could use a lot more compassion. My good friend and mentor, @MarkWilsonGA,  helped me see that...

compassion is defined as empathy + action.

The more of this life I am privileged to walk and the more people I am honored to connect to, the more real this becomes to me.

I was recently watching a sermon by Kyle Idleman (@kyleidleman). He is the Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian church in Kentucky. He shared the following story:

He was preaching at his first church. It was a small church with only about 50 members. There was a little boy named Alan. He came to church every Sunday by himself. He lived just down the road from the church. This little boy was out of control. He was a mess. He would run around during the service hitting people. On one particular Sunday he was running around in the lobby. There were glass doors between the lobby and the sanctuary. Alan stopped running. Then in the middle of the sermon he threw a matchbox toy car. Glass shattered. Kyle marched Alan to his house with the intent of talking to his mom and dad and letting them know that Alan was not going to be able to come to church without them.

When he got to Alan's house he stopped. It wasn't really a house at all. It was a run-down, single wide trailer. No more than 500 square feet. Alan's mom stepped out and said, "What did that blankety, blank do now?" She grabbed him by the arm and marched him into the house, cussing the whole time. She started talking about how hard her life was because of "this kid."

Kyle looked around. He saw a couch with a stained pillow and blanket and knew this was where Alan must sleep. There was no dad in his life. 

Suddenly Kyle was overwhelmed by this, What would it be like to be Alan? moment. At that moment everything he thought about "this kid" changed for Kyle. He felt nothing but love for him. He was not angry anymore. 

Compassion becomes the most overwhelming feeling when we take the time to think, 

What would it be like...?

Kyle said, "I actually took the time on accident to understand a little bit of what life is like for him."

Think about that for a moment.

When was the last time you walked by someone and could tell they were in pain, but were too busy to stop and hear their story.

When was the last time you saw how someone behaved and made a judgment about their actions.

When was the last time someone shared gossip with you about another person and rather than find out the truth you instantly believed them.

When was the last time....today? this morning? yesterday? last week? right before reading this blog?

It's okay. We all do it. There are so many times I have done just that. I decided in my mind why someone made a choice or behaved in a particular way. But you know what, most of the time I am wrong. And the moment I find out the real story, I am overcome with grief and regret. It is literally like a punch in the gut. This has happened to me enough times that I am learning to stop, take my eyes off myself and think, "What would it be like" before I make a judgment.

I reached out to my Twitter PLN for some responses to
What would it be like...

• to be raised by a single mom who is so broken that she struggles to meet the emotional needs of her children? 
• if we focused on supporting kids (and each other) instead of seeking out punishments? Elizabeth Merce (@EMercedLearning)
• to know you have so many people who unconditionally care about you and your well-being that you felt it? Dustin Pearson (@DustinPearson2)
• if you had down syndrome or any diagnosis and realized your teachers and peers see you as different and already have a mindset that you can't do what others do so they don't even try to teach you or play with you? Melisa Hayes (@hayes_melisa)
• to go to school or work each day and know your teacher or boss can't stand you? Erin Kiger (@EBGtech)
• for people to always think you aren't capable? Don Sturm (@SturmDon)
• to live in a world where everyone could feel true joy and find their fullest potential? Stephanie Brown (@brownfamoffive)
• to be scared to walk around school everyday because you are bullied? Bonnie Nieves (@biologygoddess)

Kyle shared that he took the time "on accident" to find out what life was like for Alan.

What would happen if we took time on purpose to find out what life is like for others? 

Kyle says, "Take your eyes off yourself. Stop for a moment. Don't worry about what they believe. Don't worry about their politics. Don't worry that they're different."

Dear Educator...your students and parents need you to do this.
Dear Administrator...your teachers need you to do this.

The world needs us all to do this...now more than ever.

Imagine the ripple effect that would come if we each purpose to do this more often.

Remember: EMPATHY + ACTION = COMPASSION

So, stop before you act or react...
And think...

WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE? 

One Step. One Day.

What goal do you want to set? It’s January. You know, the month of New Year’s Resolutions. 

More people set goals to join the gym, start a diet, drink more water, get out of debt, commit to ______ (fill in the blank), than at any other time of the year. 

I mean, have you been to Walmart lately? The diet and exercise stuff are always put front and center this time of year. 

Have you watched commercials lately? It is one commercial after another advertising deals for weight loss, gym memberships, and even shopping (a commercial just came on for Haverty's: Is your New Year's Resolution to eat together as a family more often? Then you have to buy our new dining room table).  Insert eye roll here. 

So how many people keep the goals (aka New Year's Resolutions) they set on January 1? 

The odds are not usually in their favor. I mean, I haven't dug into the research, but I do have a pretty good window into the habits (or lack thereof) of human beings.

Why is that? Why do so many people set a goal on January 1 and then not too long after slip back into their old habits? 

Newsflash: Bad habits are hard to break. Good habits are hard to start.

When most of us set goals we think of doing it all year or all month or for a whole week. That is the quickest way to set yourself up for failure. 

Can I suggest a small shift in your thinking? 

Set your goal and then...

How about you just do it for one day? 

And then another day. 

And then another day. 

I started running when I turned 30. That was 14 years ago. August 2005. I couldn’t run from one mailbox to the next without stopping to catch my breath. Then in November 2016 I ran my first marathon. 

Do you think in August 2005 I was thinking about running a marathon? EVER? No way!

I went on to run another marathon in November 2017 and my third in November 2018. 

Then on August 21, 2018 I went for a regular run. But that day I decided to see how many days I could run in a row. It's called a #runstreak. I had become connected with Sarah Johnson (@SarahSajohnson) and a few others who had started their own #runstreak. So, I set the goal. 

And then I ran. I ran on August 21. I ran again on August 22. You get the picture. 

Today is January 3, 2020. And you guessed it, I went for a run. 

Do you think on August 21, 2018 I was thinking that I was still going to be running on January 3, 2020? No. 

It was one step, one day. Today was day 500 of my #runstreak. 

And, you know what? I learned that it is about so much more than running. It is about setting a goal. It is about taking the first step and then the second. It is about the first day and then the second day. 

One. Day. At. A. Time. 

Setting and achieving that one goal has allowed me to set and achieve so many other goals because I now know how to better set myself up for success. 

If I can do it, you can too. It doesn't take superhuman strength. It doesn't take some special ability. 

It just takes ONE. 

#OneWord2020-Connect

As I sit at my desk in the pre-dawn moments of the very first day of the new year and the new decade I ponder the past, the present and the future. That's what new years are for, right?

A blank page
A new start
365 days of wonder all wrapped neatly into 12 months

Two years ago I stopped setting New Year's Resolutions (I mean the only one I can remember setting and keeping for an extended period of time was to recycle) and started choosing a word, just one word that would carry me through the year and be my intentional focus.

I have been amazed at how each year I don't have to search a list or ask people or research at all what my #OneWord will be. Each year, since 2018, my word has found me.

My #OneWord2018 was RESOLVE. I was doing a Bible study on the book of Daniel and these words jumped off the page:

BUT DANIEL RESOLVED

I knew in that moment that my word for the year was going to be RESOLVE. In 2018 I needed to be steadfast in the decisions I made, the work I did and the battles I fought. I needed to resolve to be strong no matter what. 

My #OneWord2019 was PRESENT. And as with RESOLVE, it found me. I was at a time in my life (in the middle of my first full year as a principal) when I needed to focus on being present. When that word chose me, there was a time of grief at all the moments I had missed because I was not present. I was either too busy ruminating about mistakes in the past, too concerned with the to-do list of the present or too worried about what the future held. Even when in the moment of a conversation with a friend or family member I would find myself pondering what I was going to say and not give them the gift of my full attention. Do you know how much you miss when you are not present in each moment? 

After having a full year with the word RESOLVE and not focusing on it as much as I should, I knew I needed to do a better job with PRESENT. So I put screensavers on my phone and my Apple watch to remind me. I created a Pinterest board with all kinds of quotes on being present. A good friend and colleague surprised me with this amazing bracelet and I wore it almost every single day to be that constant reminder: "Suzie, be present in THIS moment."

As 2019 came to a close I was surprised at how easily my #OneWord2020 came to me; it basically landed in my lap. 

CONNECT

This word came to be me not only through books I was reading but in just doing every day life, in being observant, in watching how others connect or don't connect.

I just finished reading #KidsTheseDays by @JodyCarrington. She says so much about connection and the dangerous repercussions we are facing due to the tidal wave of disconnection.

"We are wired for connection." 

Dr. Jody Carrington

Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and a complete disconnection from others is causing so many problems in our society today. It's not the guns. It's not even the technology. It's not the busyness. It's the disconnection. Connecting can and will heal so much. Connecting can and will change the path others are on, like one raindrop falling into another one. The two become one and the path they travel becomes so different than their original path.

This will be my focus 2020. I want to purposefully connect or reconnect with people. I want to be purposeful to help others connect or reconnect.

I hope you will join me on my journey. I hope to document my growth through blogs and tweets. This will help hold me accountable.

One final word: I am so thankful for the connections I have made this year through Twitter and Voxer. Being a part of #4OCFPLN has completely changed the trajectory of my journey.

Connect.
Reconnect.
Let's go!

Overwhelmed, Tired, and Anxious

I don't know about you, but I have been hearing (and saying) these words a lot lately. It goes like this, you pass a colleague in the hall and ask: "How are you doing?"

Sometimes we are honest when someone asks us that question, but more often than not we say:

"I am okay."

"I am fine."

"I am good."

Sometimes we really are "Okay, Fine, and Good." But sometimes we are not. And it is what we do when we are, "Not okay, not fine, and not good," that determines the ultimate impact on our lives and the lives of those closest to us. 

First, the way we feel is real. Did you catch that? Feelings are real. Emotions are a part of who we are. 

The word "emotion" is the Latin word "emovere" and it means, "to move."

So, reflect for just a moment on where your emotions are moving you? Are they moving you in a positive direction or a negative one?

Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, He left us a great example of what to do when we are not feeling "Okay. Fine. Good."

In Matthew 26 we read of the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He tells His disciples exactly how He is feeling; "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

I am going to stop right there because what I really want to communicate is that Jesus reached out to His closest friends. He told them how he felt.

The lesson for all of us? I know so many are feeling overwhelmed, tired, and anxious right now. Allow those emotions to drive you in the direction of reaching out to your closest friends. Reach out to someone.

On another note...I think we all could do a better job of noticing when those closest to us are overwhelmed, tired and anxious. Reach out to them even if they are not reaching out to you. A hug, a smile, a card all go a long way. 

Present- My #OneWord2019

Has it really been an entire year since I last pondered what my #OneWord2018 would be? I remember this time last year searching for my #OneWord2018 by being aware and open to anything and everything around me. I am a voracious reader as anyone who knows me is well aware of so as I read I intentionally sought out what God would have me focus on. At the time I was reading through the book of Daniel and I stumbled across the following verse:

But Daniel resolved...

That was it. I had found my #OneWord2018. How did I do on resolving? On a scale of 1 to 10 I would have to give myself a 6. Why a 6? Well, I didn't intentionally focus on resolving each and every day. I didn't set goals for what I resolved to do. This year will be different. I am spending more time reflecting and setting goals as I go into 2019. I purpose to make things happen instead of letting things happen. 

Here we are just hours away from a brand new year and I find myself going through the same process to find my #OneWord2019. Again I went through the same process by opening myself up to anything and everything around me. Once again it was in reading that I came across a pattern of phrases that brought me to my #OneWord2019. 

I read a blog by @MarkWilsonGA entitled 10 Questions for Mid-Year Leadership Reflection . One phrase fired across my synapses: 

"Keep your mind where your feet are." 

I have also been reading and digesting #ReclaimingOurCalling by Brad Gustafson (@GustafsonBrad). In his chapter entitled Autopilot he lists 6 strategies for getting our brains out of autopilot. Number 6: Be Fully Present coincided with what I read in @MarkWilsonGa blog. 

I began to think that maybe I had found my #OneWord2019, but I wanted to make sure. So, I spent the next several days testing my ability to be present in each moment and what I discovered was astonishing. 

Being fully present is really difficult. 

Whether I am in the car, doing laundry, cleaning house, watching TV, or my favorite thing to do, running, I found that being fully present took a lot of intentional focus and energy. My mind really struggles to be in the moment. 

But as this shirt I stumbled on at Old Navy, it is truly Mind Over Matter. I can learn to be #present in each and every moment. 

Brad says, "No matter the size of the moment, it's important to be in it. Be fully present. Make it a habit to be mindful of where you are and whom you're with." (Reclaiming Our Calling). 

That's it. My word. PRESENT. Here's to a fabulous 2019. 

The Story of One

It is sometimes surprising where you read information that confirms and supports your beliefs and ultimately your actions. Recently I have been listening to the book The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. In it he shares the following research:

In 2006 researcher Paul Slovic at the University of Oregon and colleagues Deborah Small of the Wharton School and George Lowenstein of Carnegie Mellon University performed a simple behavioral experiment. A test group of ordinary people was divided into three subgroups. The first read the story and saw a photo of a poor, starving seven-year-old African girl name Rokia. The second group was given a statistical portrait of seventeen million Africans in four countries who were desperately hungry because of crop failures and food shortages. They were told about yet another four million who were homeless. In other words, group two read about hunger and suffering on a massive scale. The third group was given the story about the little girl Rokia but was also given the statistical information given to group two. Finally participants in all three groups were asked to donate money to relive the suffering. Amazingly, the group that heard only Rokia's story gave the most money. The group that was given the statistics about twenty-one million suffering people gave the least, and the group that received both pieces of information was only slightly more generous than the statistics-only group. The story of one child was more compelling than the suffering of millions.

The story of ONE child... 

Now I don't want to take away from what Stearns was communicating here because what he shares is so important when it comes to helping others in our world. But I couldn't help but relate it to what we do in education. 

As educators we are constantly looking at data. We love our numbers. In Georgia the ultimate number looked at is CCRPI (College and Career Readiness Performance Index). I won't go into great detail about what that number means (most states have some method of grading their schools), but basically it is a grade that comes about by looking at end of year test scores and other factors. So, it is a number that evolves from other numbers. This number is used to label and group students, schools, and school systems. Somewhere in all of those numbers is the story of ONE child. 

Do you see the disturbing significance of the research shared above and how it connects to our current reality? Ever since NCLB more and more focus has been placed on test scores, grading schools and labeling schools and students. Because of this we have taken our focus off the very purpose we went into education to begin with, which is to improve the lives of children. 

Brad Gustafson, is a voice shouting in the wilderness that it is time to reclaim our calling. What he says in his book Reclaiming Our Calling completely lines up with the research I presented above. He says, "If you're anything like me, you're growing weary of watching assessment data used primarily to label and group learners." Yes! I agree, Brad. It's just like those people who were given only the statistics of suffering people. By being given the statistics about suffering people in Africa they inadvertently dehumanized the very people that needed their help the most. Stearns said, "If we are able to objectify whole classes of people so that we don't think of them as persons equal with us, the unthinkable becomes possible."

Our students deserve more. They are more than a number. I daresay it is time to shift our mindsets from numbers to individual students. I know that seems a little scary because in essence we are going against the flow, but it is time. It is time to look at Johnny and David and Beth and Lisa and Luke. Who are they? What do they need? How can we help them grow? This change will not happen overnight but if we will just take small steps we will begin to see the benefits. 

One small step we have taken at the school where I am a principal is using our PLC time to discuss individual students. We have "data cards" for every student in our building. These data cards have their picture along with their data. We can't ignore the data and the fact that we are held accountable, we just have to keep our priorities in the right place. This one small action is yielding a lot of dividends in how we view our students and the plans we make for each one of them. 

It is time to know and value ...the story of ONE child.

Going All In: Conquering Our Fears of Unknown

Going All In: Conquering our Fears of the Unknown

A couple of weeks ago my niece and nephew came to visit from Newnan. They wanted to swim in our pool one last time before we officially sold our house and moved out. They swim like fish because they have always been around pools. However, they have never jumped off the diving board into the deep end. In fact, they have never swum in the deep end at all.

Uncle Andy is notorious for challenging kids to do things that are outside of their comfort zone. So, he challenged them to jump off the diving board. Needless to say, they were scared and kept saying they couldn’t do it. Uncle Andy kept begging them to (and eventually promised them Sweet Frog if they would do it).

Emmalyn was the first to try. She stood on the diving board for an extended period of time. She would walk to the edge of the diving board and then back up. She did this several times. Then all of a sudden she mustered up every ounce of courage and....

...she jumped. She went ALL IN. Because of her courage Ethan (her twin) gained the courage to jump in himself.

What happened next was amazing. They just wanted to jump in over and over and over. Their fears was gone. They weren't even thinking about the initial bribery of Sweet Frog that was used to get them to jump in the first time. They realized that their fear was unfounded, that jumping ALL IN could be fun and it was not unknown to them anymore.

It just took ONE time. And even though Ethan was scared to begin with, when he saw his sister jump in, her COURAGE motivated him to be BRAVE.

Lesson from this: At Alto Park Elementary School we are going ALL IN for our students this year. We are not going to do the same 'ol same 'ol things we have done in the past. We are not going to stay in the shallow end because it is comfortable. Why? Because our students (each and every ONE of them) deserve more. Some of us are going to be asked to do things that we have never done before in order to reach that ONE student. Some of us are going to be innovative and think outside the box. You may be scared to step out and do something new, but just do it.
JUMP OFF!   GO ALL IN!

I can't bribe you with Sweet Frog, but I can promise you that if you go ALL IN the reward will be well worth the effort and better than Sweet Frog any day (nothing against frozen yogurt). 

And if you see one of your colleagues scared to try something new, then you lend them your courage. Your courage motivates someone else and someone else's courage motivates you. 

...let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good work. Hebrews 10:24

I Needed a Champion

Rita Pierson is best known for her TED talk in which she says, "Every child needs a champion." Let me repeat that:

Every child needs a champion. 

I am currently reading Culturize by Jimmy Casas (@casas_jimmy). In his book Jimmy echoes Rita Pierson's words in his Core Principle #1: Champion for Students.

As I was reading, the following quote jumped off the page and became so real to me:

When I read it I instantly thought of Mrs. Dunn. She taught the Teacher Academy class my senior year of high school. This was the first year this class was offered. We had to go through an interview process to determine if we would be selected. I must go ahead and tell you that I believe in providence. I was selected for this class because God knew I needed a champion my senior year in high school.

Senior year of high school was a difficult year. Without going into personal details I will say that before the year was half way over I was considered to be an emancipated minor (someone under the age of 18 who is no longer considered to be under the control of their parents; they take responsibility for their own care).

Enter my champion, Mrs. Dunn. Now if you were to ask Mrs. Dunn today if she considered herself to be a champion, she would humbly say that she was doing what she felt was right for her students...that she was just doing her job.

To this scared 17 year-old, she was doing so much more than that. Her encouragement and support were integral in keeping me in school and on the right path at a time when I was lost and alone and could have easily slipped off the radar.

This past May I was in the TJ Maxx dressing room while my daughter was trying on clothes. An idea fired across my synapses as I was reflecting on the upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week I was about to celebrate with my new staff: I need to tell Mrs. Dunn that what she did for me 25 years ago truly mattered.

I pulled out my phone and searched for her on Facebook. Once I found her I sent her this message in Messenger:

I hit send. And I waited. Then finally I saw those three dots...you know the ones I am talking about...the ones that tell you the person has seen your message and is responding. 

What I got back brought tears to my eyes and confirmed that I did a grand thing by sending my message. 

When I didn't believe in me, she did. She was right. If someone had told me in high school that I would be a principal one day I would have laughed. Me, a principal? No way! She saw something in me that I didn't see in myself and pushed me through to the finish line. 

Educators, hear me out...

What we say and do for our students has a lasting impact. The words you speak over them and the belief you have in them may just be the thing they need to keep them from slipping into darkness. Yes, we have that kind of power. Every single day that you walk into your school please know that you have the power to be a child's champion. And...

Every child needs a champion. 

Better Than Carrots or Sticks: A Slow Twitter Chat Bookstudy

I am an Assistant Principal at an elementary school which means one of my many responsibilities is discipline. After 6 years of pretty much following the same procedure (discipline referral leads to consequence such as time out, detention, ISS (In School Suspension) or OSS (Out of School Suspension), I began to feel an unrest and knew that we could not continue to do what we have always done because we would continue to get what we always got. What we have gotten every year is an increasing number of ISS and OSS days. Neither of which options were making an impact in the lives of our students as most of them were going on to the middle and high school receiving the same consequences because there was no behavior change. I am not satisfied with the status quo.

Then one morning while at Starbucks I participated in the #LeadLAP twitter chat when the words "Restorative Practices/Discipline" caught my eye and caused many thoughts to start firing through my synapses.

What is Restorative Practices?

The restorative approach to discipline incorporates principles of the SWPBIS approach to focus on prevention through relationship building by drawing on the collective strengths of the community to help individuals in trouble regain their footing in a nurturing environment with consistent classroom practices and high expectations. Most of all, restorative practices draw their strength from communication tools: adults use language that builds agency and identity and facilitate class discussion in a way that encourages affiliation and resolves problems. Restorative practices represent a positive step forward in helping all students learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness (Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management, Smith, Fisher, Frey). 

As I have decided to take the plunge this year I would like to learn from other experts around the world. Twitter is an amazing place in which to do this. So, I am going to facilitate a bookstudy on Better Than Carrots and Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management, by Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey. You can pick up your copy at amazon.com.

I will post the discussion questions on Twitter using the usual Q1, Q2, Q3 format. Participants will respond to the questions using the A1, A2, A3 format. I will post one question per day, Monday-Friday. This will hopefully give you plenty of time to read and thoughtfully respond to the questions as well as to others' posts. (Thanks to Mr. Hills' blog for providing me with a format).

I have created a hashtag for our bookstudy. Please use it when discussing anything related to the book.

#btcsbookstudy

Here is the schedule:
October 2-6, 2017 Chapter 1
October 9-13 Chapter 2
October 16-20 Chapter 3
October 23-27 Chapter 4
October 30-November 3 Chapter 5
November 6-10 Chapter 6
November 13-17 Wrap up discussions

I am just beginning to learn about Restorative Practices and how it can impact the students in my building. I am hopeful that if we can begin implementing some of the practices we can teach our students to "learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness."

Our Debt to the this Generation

What am I doing to make a difference?

I am troubled by all the violence in the world. It is weighing heavy on my heart.

I am sure you have heard about the recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia (unless you live under a rock). Charlottesville is not an isolated incident; it is one of many that we have witnessed just this year alone. It almost seems that you can't turn on the news without hearing about violence occurring somewhere in our nation. I have found myself wanting to boycott the news, not watch it anymore, as if that is the solution to the problems our nation is facing. While that is sometimes what I feel like doing I know it will not solve anything.

What will? How do we begin to move away from all of this violence? Is it even possible anymore or has it gone too far? Can one person make a difference?

YES! One person can make a difference. As educators we can make a tremendous difference in the lives of the students we are charged with educating.

There are so many things we can do to impact the lives of children, no matter their age. Two ideas to embrace:
1. As adults we must cultivate a growth mindset. We have to stop saying, "This is how it was done in my day and it worked for me." In case you haven't noticed this generation is different, we can't make them who we were. Be open to who they are.

2. It is our job to serve this generation. We all came into this world owing everything to everybody. When we die we should leave this world in such a way that they are indebted to us. A.W. Tozer said: "You cannot serve the last generation, because it is gone. In addition, you can only indirectly serve the next generation, but you can serve this present generation."

Embracing these two ideas (among others) can create a synergy that can be the catalyst to the change needed to grow a generation of kids ready to make a positive difference in the world.

I want to make a difference. I want to serve this generation.

I am an Assistant Principal at an elementary school which means one of my many responsibilities is discipline. After 6 years of pretty much following the same procedure (discipline referral leads to consequence such as time out, detention, ISS (In School Suspension) or OSS (Out of School Suspension), I began to feel an unrest and knew that we could not continue to do what we have always done because we would continue to get what we always got. What we have gotten every year is an increasing number of ISS and OSS days. Neither of which options were making an impact in the lives of our students as most of them were going on to the middle and high school receiving the same consequences because there was no behavior change. I am not satisfied with the status quo.

Then one morning while at Starbucks I participated in the #LeadLAP twitter chat when the words "Restorative Practices/Discipline" caught my eye and caused many thoughts to start firing through my synapses.

What is Restorative Practices?

The restorative approach to discipline incorporates principles of the SWPBIS approach to focus on prevention through relationship building by drawing on the collective strengths of the community to help individuals in trouble regain their footing in a nurturing environment with consistent classroom practices and high expectations. Most of all, restorative practices draw their strength from communication tools: adults use language that builds agency and identity and facilitate class discussion in a way that encourages affiliation and resolves problems. Restorative practices represent a positive step forward in helping all students learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness (Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management, Smith, Fisher, Frey). 

I am just beginning to learn about Restorative Practices and how it can impact the students in my building. I am hopeful that if we can begin implementing some of the practices we can teach our students to "learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness."

Is it grasping at straws to think this could help this generation handle conflict in a peaceful way so that we have fewer incidences like what happened in Charlottesville, Va? Don't we owe it to this generation to try?

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.