Rambling Rose: July 2011

Customers

Our customers are parents, staff, and students. As teachers, we know that all three groups talk about us. We must decide what those conversations are about. Constantly being on is a lot of pressure, but it is easier to have the good things go home for discussion than to clean up after the bad things go home.

*Goal: Make a list of what is going to be done/learned in the year. Toot your own horn because no one else will.

*Goal: Be more consistent in calling homes or sending positive praise in the mail.

*Goal: Get parents more involved in my classroom.

Everyone wants to be a winner. In my classroom I have intentional non-learners who have been beat down in life. They may be disruptive because they gave up a long time ago. I also have the “just can’t do it” students. Whether this student really cannot do it or if they just believe so my job it to make it so they CAN do it. Albert Einstein once said, “Everyone is a genius; but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it’s stupid.” (Taken from a profile status on Facebook)

*Goal: Make more accommodations.

*Goal: Do more small group instruction instead of just one on one.

*Goal: Get more students involved in the helping process so I can reach both types of kids in my class.

I can win with my parents by getting them into my classroom. I can have them give speeches or present something to my students. I can also win with saying thank you and showing gratitude. I can treat everyone with respect, every day, all the time.

Winning with Staff and Students

Be an initiator. Praise people to get what you want. Make decisions based on what your best people will think, not just the grumblers or nah-sayers. Make the right people feel comfortable or uncomfortable. Make decisions based on how this will look in the future. What matters most today might not matter at all tomorrow or it will matter more. For example, a teacher in California did not let his students go play in the snow. It was the first time it had snowed in fifty years, but finishing a math assignment was more important.

Everything depends on the way you made them feel.

Failure is NOT an Option

On the video Miracle shown in class, the coach was scrutinized and mocked for his goals. One man looked at the coach and said, “That’s a pretty lofty goal.” The coach looked back at him, thought for a moment, and replied, “Well, that’s why I want to pursue it.” I find this very inspirational.

During my second year of teaching my students could tell you something I said a lot of the time. I simply said, “High Expectations”. If a student was ready to give up or if students did not want to try anymore or work hard I would say, “High Expectations”. In class a new quote was, “Let your high expectations drive your decisions.” I like this one a lot. I will most likely put this on my wall near my desk.

*Goal: Share the story of Miracle and the quote from the coach as well as the new saying for High Expectations with my student at the beginning of the year. Refer to it often.

Build Relationships

Everyone has a story. Find them out. I loved these videos about people and their individual lives and situations all around the world. Sometimes I look at a student and honestly wonder what their situation is. Usually, I can find out. It does take time.

The biggest things I can do not just as a teacher, but as a human being, is give service. There was a blind man on the video, but he was taken care of. I don’t remember what country he is from, but it is a culture different from ours. The entire family has one bank account that they all work to put money in. They all live together. The blind man has a job grinding wheat. I noticed that the family has trust, communication, love, they are invested, and they have gratitude for one another.

There was also a man who became a body builder. He was one of the first in his country. He said, “Don’t put some fence around your mind.” So, what would you do if you knew you would not fail? Some things I have thought of are: Go to Africa and teach at a deaf school. Get my ASL interpreter’s license (level 3). Sing. Write a book. Learn several languages like Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese.

How do I make my dreams reality? By having the courage to do hard things. Prioritizing my time well. Making small goals. “If you have no back, you have no front,” said the body builder referring to his past and how far he has come.

We have the world at stake. How are we helping these kids? We change lives for the better or for worse. Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Final Thoughts

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short and again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat. –Teddy Roosevelt (1910)

Many in Utah view education and teaching as a church calling, but it is NOT! It is a JOB! Teaching is being treated as a business. So be a businessman.

Be smart. YOU are in charge of the situation and how it turns out.

PS I think that these things apply to a lot more than just teaching.

One time...in High School...I went ice blocking....and crashed...on this same hill.

Considering that I only went halfway down the hill and had either my legs or my arms in the grass for most of the time....I only got one major injury:

I went down with Kayleb. We made it about 2 feet before my butt fell off and scraped along the grass and twigs. If this picture offends you, pretend it's an arm? It looks similar. OW!