A Book Worth Reading - What Made Maddy Run

Educators across the country have known for years that the social emotional well being of their students is a critical component of knowing their learners. The importance of understanding a students background, their life story, and what events have shaped their journey to date are essential to the progress we make in our classrooms each day.

Even with all of this knowledge and the desire to shield our children and our students from the cruel realities of society, students are more fragile than ever before. Self-harm, anxiety and depression continue to be a topic of teachers and administrators to not only start a school year, but also is a weekly point of conversation with counselors, social workers and most importantly, parents. Anxiety is real. It's impact is life-changing.

Now, connect this to your own personal story and your own struggles as an adult growing up and taking on your role to teach. And/or, for those of you that may have your own children, how has your parenting evolved into something that you most likely didn't recall as how your own parents raised you? Times are changing. Children are living in world that many adults are not familiar with. The days of "ignoring it" are gone. We must take action.

Last year about this time I was handed a book from a colleague that was authored by Kate Fagan. It was a read that I was not familiar with but one that I was encouraged to dive into. Especially having two high school seniors beginning their journey of their next chapter of their lives. The decision of college, athletics at the next level and more were on my horizon, and theirs, and it was coming quickly.

The book, What Made Maddy Run, is an unbelievably challenging book to read. Not because of the level of vocabulary or the fine print, yet due to the hard truths of young adults and the struggles they face with depression, anxiety and the fear of failure. What was equally as powerful (and painful) was that I was reading this through the lens of an educator and as a parent. And, as hard as it was to read, I could not put it down. I was drawn in. I was learning. My own response, reaction and support would soon grow.

The statistics state that too many times over the story of Maddy is a common one across campuses. While Maddy had an amazing family, supportive friends and she excelled in the classroom, there was a side of her that was never fully understood. Or worse, never heard. Part of that was due to her control. Part of that was due to the adults not necessarily recognizing the signs. And, on top of all of those previously mentioned favorable life factors, she was an amazing athlete. Maddy was a "picture perfect" image of a young adult who had the world in front of her and dreams that couldn't be stopped.

And then it did. Abruptly and suddenly and to her family and friends, shockingly.

Where are you in your understanding of social emotional learning in your space? If you are anything like me, you are still learning and growing and searching for resources to make you that much more responsive to our students needs. With that in mind, I would encourage you to pick up this book and give it a read. It won't be easy. It gets uncomfortable. It is painful. Yet it is also a look into the life of a young person who seems to have it all but the truth was far from the reality. You will be better for having read it. And, you will be better prepared to support your students and your children along the way.

We must continue to get a deeper understanding of the social emotional state of the young people coming to their classroom door each day. It is essential. Understanding their hope, their sense of belonging and even their grit, should now be a part of our daily work. While Maddy on the surface may have had many of these attributes, we discovered in the end she was lacking many. It was the layers that were not peeled back that could have revealed a different ending to her story.

So, continue to explore and continue to learn. Connect with others and keep the conversation going of social emotional learning in schools. Continue to locate the vast resources that exist. Especially from within your district and from your colleagues. 

Same articles of interest on social emotional learning are:

The Future of Eduction depends on Social Emotional Learning: Here's Why From EdSurge

No Place for Social Emotional Learning in Schools. Are You Sure? By Peter DeWitt

How "Kindness Contagion" improves lives, especially now. From The Washington Post

7 Blogging Tips for Educators

Blogging for many is a reflective process to their work. It is a concise way to dissect what we do and truly engage our minds into what we have accomplished. For some, blogging is their life's work and their passion. For many educators it is a means to improve our craft.

Over the course of the last two years I have been asked countless times by my peers about my journey with writing. Often times I find myself searching for a reply that supports the path I have been on and also speaks to where I am heading with this art of writing and sharing.

When it comes to blogging I find myself talking about the "why" and the "who" in which I share. Each time, I am clear in that I began this journey for my own gain. However, as I have continued to write and receive feedback, I have also learned that my work, like yours, impacts others.

As you think about your journey into blogging and beyond, consider these 7 Blogging Tips for Educators. And, as always, your comments are encouraged and appreciated.

1. Have purpose. Know why you are writing and what message it is that you are trying to convey. Many bloggers write for reflection while others write to share ideas. Either is fine and both are encouraged. Be clear in your purpose for writing and begin to create your blogging identity. As you define who you are your readers will grow and learn as well.

2. Provide content for growth. Many times we share what has happened in our day and week in the world in which we work. While that is a great for our own personal gain, if we are blogging and sharing, ensure that your blog has points for the reader to take away. Blogging should not only grow you as a learner but also grow your reader. The content is invaluable. Take your life experiences and convey that in your posts. Help others grow through sharing of your own moments.

3. Promote your blog, and yourself. There is a direct correlation between those that blog and those that use twitter and other platforms of social media. If you are blogging, you need to put your fear of "sharing" aside and make sure that your blog is reaching outside of the four walls in which you are writing. You will be amazed at the number of readers you will impact by promoting the work you are doing. Many educators I first met via Twitter are also using Facebook, Voxer and Pinterest to share their passion of writing. Reach all of your audiences by using a variety of platforms. 

4. Grow your connections. Join a Tribe. For many, using various social platforms to connect with others is a significant piece of our daily routine. The most refined educators are those that are connected and also use it as an opportunity to grow professionally. Blogging is one of these platforms. Connect with other bloggers, join a tribe of writers. Personally, I belong to the #CompelledTribe. Check out our group of writers here. They help me grow in many ways. It is essential.

5. It's your story. Tell it. It is often said that if we don't share our story then someone else will. What better way to share the story of your classroom of learners, your school or even the entire district then by writing and posting a blog for your community. In the district in which I work, our superintendent has a blog specifically dedicated to this belief. It works. And, it is powerful.

6. Be daring and take risks. Too many times we ride the fence and play it safe. Much of what I write provides a variety of lenses in which the reader can apply what they have read. Challenge yourself to write posts about the teaching and learning that is taking place around you. Don't assume that others may be doing more or less than you are. The reality, that is exactly what is happening. So take risks when you write and be sure to share all aspects of your work.

7. Believe in yourself. You have to have confidence. Keep writing and keep finding your niche and your passion with what you're writing. I am the first to admit that I am not even on the cusp of being a great writer/blogger. But what I am is many things when it comes to my passion for teaching and learning. I believe that my story is worth telling and I believe in the power of collaboration. If you chose to blog, you have to commit to who you are what where you want to take your growth. 

In the end, my greatest tip is the most simple and that is - get started. Remember that blogging is a commitment. Select your blog site, create your domain name and get your fingers moving and your ideas flowing. You will not regret this journey. You will be a better educator for it and those around you will benefit from the knowledge gained and the ideas shared.

For more ideas about blogging, check out these links:

22 Secrets of Power Bloggers by Jeff Bullas 

How to Get Traffic to Your Blog by Seth Godin

How to Start a Blog by Jessica Knapp

The Compelled Tribe by Jennifer Hogan

"June, July and August"

If playing the game Jeopardy, a question by the non-teaching community might be: "What is the best part of being a teacher?" Their answer, "June, July and August".

The reality is, as we educators know, that this is the farthest from the truth. In fact, if you are like me, you have over 180 days worth of examples of why you became a teacher and a list of reasons of why the summer months can be counter-productive to what we are trying to accomplish during the school year.

Regardless, those three months are a part of our profession. And yes, we do not have students in front of us during those days. However, for many educators like myself, the learning continues all twelve months of the year. The seasons change and the days may look different but the learning continues.

While children are out and enjoying these months, I will continue my passion for teaching and learning without skipping a beat. Why? Well, that is what I, and many of you, do.

In June of this summer, a colleague of mine (@JackiPrati) and I are going to offer support to teachers wanting to learn more about the power of Twitter, chats on Twitter and how blogging can support their work and assist with reflection of their teaching. We will do this during our school districts month-long of Professional Development through Summer Academy. Yes, you read that correct, our district offers teachers weeks of learning by offering courses presented by educators for educators almost the entire month of June.

Also during the month of June I will gather with middle-level educators from across the state of Ohio as we have our summer retreat for the members of the Board for the Ohio Middle Level Association. OMLA provides professional development throughout the year and it is highlighted by our state conference. This year Ohio hosts the Association of Middle Level Educators (AMLE) conference right in downtown Columbus.

In July I take my learning on the road. I have already selected a few great reads to enjoy as I travel to see family and friends. I am going to continue reading the work of Jon Gordon and his take on life. And while I am at it, a book or two on being effective leader. I practice what I preach, there is always room for growth. The month of July will be my personalized Professional Development.


In August, I hit the ground running. A three-day conference, the Innovative Learning Conference on August 5-7th, is right in my own backyard. We welcome in Kevin Carroll and Dave Burgess. Talk about a kick-start to the school year. (And, all are welcome.) That week wraps up with EdCampILECbus hosted by myself and Jacki. To plan and deliver an event such as this is quite the professional charge. Once again, please join us!

With students returning later that month, the first few weeks of August will be invigorating. Setting the tone for the year ahead. Welcoming in a new Assistant Principal, preparing for a new group of students and their parents and working with our returning students to develop leaders right out of the gate is an awesome time of the year. Not to mention handing out over 850 iPads to each student.

As I think ahead to the summer that awaits, I am already charged up for the great things that await me.

Think about it. "June, July and August". What are you going to do with your "time-off" this summer? My guess, if you are anything like most of the educators I know, you will continue your learning from beginning to end.

Don't Make Resolutions, Make Promises.

Everyone makes resolutions. And, almost everyone breaks them within months, if not weeks.

Promises on the other hand, can not be broken. You have said "promise" many times over to family, friends and colleagues and each time you have followed through on what it is you have stated you would do. Promises happen.

As you reflect on the year closing out and are thinking about the New Year approaching, consider what lies ahead and what it is you want to accomplish personally and professionally.

Once you have that initial list, dwindle it down. Not that you can't achieve all that's there but let's keep it practical. And, even though we are over-achievers by nature let's model what we share with our students. 

Now that you have that list, put a time frame to it. This ensures that you can't let a date on the calendar come and go without reacting to what it is you have promised to accomplish.

For me, reflecting through blogging will stay at the top of my "promise list" as will remaining committed to the #Compelledtribe. From there, I will promise to grow professionally through my interactions with others both in the building, the district and the online PLN that I have so passionately found to rely on for my daily dose of energy. Yes, I will continue to tweet, and "chat". 

I also promise to learn new ways to connect, reflect and be better at what I do. Voxer needs to happen. Therefore, it will.

And finally, I promise to keep balance in my life with my family and my work. I am only as good as the relationship that exists between both. 

Best wishes on your list of promises. Keep them simple yet purposeful and make them so that they can be supportive of the growth you are hoping to achieve. 

Happy New Year!

And Then it Happened

We have all had "that" teacher.

You know, the one that made the difference in our lives to direct us to be educators ourselves. The very teacher that when asked twenty years later, "Why did you get into the field of education?" We answer without hesitation, "because of: insert name here". It is the teacher that we each remember without a moments pause who made a difference in our lives as learners.

This is a story of a teacher that had spent more hours staying fixed to his traditional methods of teaching than most of us spend time investing in what we should plan next. He fought change. He stayed true to his pedagogy. He was convinced that "this too shall pass".

And then it happened. I was witness to something awesome. "That teacher" was discovered.

He had been listening. He had been doing his homework. He was quietly engaging in conversation with his colleagues, reading the emails and books that had been passed his way and had opened his mind to the possibility that he could be both the teacher he was most comfortable with AND also be "that teacher".

It didn't happen overnight. It took hours of discovery and patience. There were gentle nudges from those around him and modeling of what could occur.

As you lead, remember that the results you may be seeking may not be instantaneous. As teachers of students or a leader of teachers, we can become better at what we do by following the same simple steps as this teacher did.

Dive into conversations with each other, stay current in the world of instruction and observe what others are doing around us. We will get better at our craft. Like a flower needs the sun, the soil and water to grow, we too need that same nurturing and care.

In the end, students will continue to request to be in his course. However, now more than ever his lessons will be directly tied to best practice, student engagement, offer personalized learning opportunities and infuse choice and voice into the daily interactions and instruction. Teaching and learning will be more authentic and that much more rich with meaning. Students will learn in an environment that is best for their academic path. He has become that teacher.

Getting the Most of PT Conferences

It is that time of year. Teachers contact parents and the annual Parent-Teacher Conferences commence. This could be the best, or worst, 15 minutes of your life.

For us parents, at some point in our lives, we thought it would be a brilliant idea to have a child. For some, we thought to ourselves, it would be even more fantastic to have a second. For those that went beyond that, like myself, it had very little to do with the thought process at all.

None-the-less, we have them. And, now that we do have them, we get to love them unconditionally. Because let's face it, they are ours regardless of the ups and downs of their development. The joys of parenting!

As you think about the upcoming PT Conferences and prepare to sit down with your child's teachers, keep in mind that it the relationship with all involved that makes this educational experience what it is. We rely on each other, for good or bad, to ensure the needs of the learner are met.

As you gear up for conference week there is much to consider as both the parent and the teacher.  Therefore, as a colleague of mine, Keith Howell, recently shared in a column on his blog, consider the following as parents: 

·      Be on time for your conference and understand that if you are 5-10 minutes late, then that will affect the entire conference schedule for the rest of the day. 

·      Focus on the 5 things teachers want from parents.

o   Research tells us that there are 5 things teachers want from parents: 

1.       Establish child’s behavior

2.       Initiate warm conversation

3.       Get involved, monitor homework/school work/notes sent home/etc.

4.       Respond to teacher communication

5.       Good health

·      Don’t wait until conferences to provide teachers with a list of your concerns. Waiting months to articulate your concerns will only lead to speculation and negative feelings. Many times a quick conversation or e-mail will answer your questions and put your mind at ease. 

·      Understand educators: the teaching profession is their calling and a life-long journey of learning.  Teachers act out of love for their students and their passion for educating children, helping them become their best.

If you are on the other side of the table and are the teacher welcoming in the parent, his suggestions are: 

·      Say something positive: Show parents that you have a positive relationship with the child.  Show parents that you care about their child as if they were your own.

·      Focus on the 5 things parents want from teachers (see above).

·      Act, instead of react.  Watch body language of parents and adjust if necessary, focusing on positive collaboration.

·      Have some suggestions ready, setting goals for behavior or academic needs.  Know your students and their academic and behavioral characteristics.  

·      Keep to your conference schedule, and if you need more time then reschedule an additional conference. 

·      Let your principal or colleague know if you need support with any of your conferences.  It is always beneficial to work as a team, collaborating to meet the needs of all students.  Parents will appreciate the extra support and ideas to increase learning and/or improve behaviors.  

·      Understand parents: there is nothing more important to them than their children, parents act out of love for their children.  

Even though these interactions are brief they can be powerful. Each party can gain quite a bit of insight on the other person’s lens. The reality is that our children spend an incredible amount of time at school. And teachers often see more of the students during the day than many parents.

If it success we are aiming for then let’s work to get there together.  As parents we can’t give them back and as teachers we can’t turn them away. Make Parent-Teacher Conferences meaningful for all. It is more than worth it!

For more great suggestions, ideas and posts about Parent-Teacher Conferences, check out the blog roll from the #Compelledtribe.

Also read:

http://principalhowell.blogspot.com/

http://thecompellededucator.blogspot.com/

5 Ways to Get in Shape for Back to School Without Sweating

(courtesy of campoutkid.com)

Back to school is around the corner and students and teachers are starting to twitch and shake awkwardly as they try to deny the reality that yes, we have to go back to school. Extending summer is not an option.

As I was watching my own kids as they process the fact that their middle school sports begin in 5 short days, I see the look in their eyes when they realized that they had done very little, if anything, to physically prepare themselves for the conditioning that is approaching rapidly. Yep, a summer of much deserved relaxation and laziness has quickly turned into panic as they realize that running out of breath hurrying up the stairs is a sign of being out of shape. Granted they are 13 and it will only take a few days, maybe a week, to get back into top form, the reality is there are still the first few days of painful calisthenics that will rock their worlds. They will cry, they will hurt.

Much like my children, teachers that I have bumped into over the past week or so at the grocery or the park have an eerily similar look on their faces and a quiver in the tone of their voices. They too realize that what has been a much deserved, earned and appreciated few weeks away from school has just turned into the daunting reality that they too are "out of shape" for their own return to reality.

No worries. I have an easy fix, promise. As you wind down your summer, take a look at these 5 quick pieces of advice to get you in shape for the upcoming year. And remember, you too will be right back in top form in no time at all. And, most likely, never break a sweat!

1. Get On Twitter, Now. Whether to use it as a resource for information or using it as a resource of information, there is not one person within my Professional Learning Network (PLN) that has ever been disappointed in their feed. Follow people, read their ramblings and follow along on a chat or two. If you have made it this far, you can surely hop on one of the greatest social media platforms to learners.

2. If You Can't Read About It, Watch It. Or, Even Better, Listen To It. We know, never enough time in the day. Therefore, we have to make the time we do have as purposeful as possible while still leaving time for the joys of day-to-day life. YouTube, TeacherTube and the Internet in general have thousands upon thousands of educational and timely videos for you to stumble upon by simply typing in some key words. And, if you don't have the time for that, when out on your next walk, listen to that book you have been dying to read - on tape. I wish I would have started that years ago. I do it now and get through a book a month, if not more.

3. Tag, You're It! Pick Up The Phone. Sometimes we forget about a tool we have now taken for granted when it comes to connecting us across the miles. Face it, during the day we have some of the best conversations with our colleagues while walking the halls or grabbing a fresh cup of coffee. And, if that isn't a part of your daily routine, then phone a friend. We used to rely on the old-fashioned telephone for years. Now that everyone has gone to texting, Facebook or other methods of connecting we often forget about something so simple. And to think we use to have rotary phones. Remember having to re-dial with that device?

4. Write It Down, All Of It. We often tell our students, and even ourselves, to take notes, make flashcards and re-write our work in an attempt to learn the material "better". Take that concept and tie it into our own lives. If an idea comes across your plate or you have wrapped up a conversation with a colleague, jot down some notes of what went wrong, or right, so that you can learn from that next time. That is what this blogging thing is all about for many.

5. Simply, Start Moving. The world of education has some of the most brilliant minds on the planet and you are one of them. With that in mind and having that belief within you then you need to commit yourself to connect, reach out, drive, fly, walk or crawl into a conversation, a book an article or an opportunity with the intent of being better. You won't regret it. And, as a bonus, getting back into shape will come quicker then ever.

Ready. Set. Go.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!