An outlook on school, work, or life in general can really make or break an experience. A friend sent me a picture today that included the saying, "Don't let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out." This is good advice. As a teacher and administrator, I have made decisions that cannot make all parties happy.
When it comes down to the final test, it is trying to keep the student's best interest at heart (sometimes within the financial limitations). For me, it is not about answering the question of who will I make happy, angry, or not effect at all; it's all about answering back to myself and being able to live with the choices that I make. I would by lying if I said that people's onions didn't matter. People in my line of work have hurt my spirit from time to time. A student who makes a sometimes life-changing mistake, a parent that speaks ill out in the community, or even a staff member that disagrees with every initiative are all hurtful to me even after almost 20 years in the profession. However, it's not about me.
What I do is try and help students obtain the skills and experiences to make them the most successful for the next step in their lives. That means pushing not only them but also their teachers to make
sure that the students are having the best educational experience possible. This is always a work in progress and listening to and receiving feedback are essential. With this, however, is going to come some negatively--some valid and some not-so valid, but it is my job to sift through that to help guide my decisions and practices.
I am passionate and a fighter for what I believe is right. I care about the students and staff I serve. I am not perfect and have a lot of work cut out for me, but I lead with love, respect, and positvity. While negativity may come and visit from time to time like unwelcome company, there is not room for rent. Being an educator and leader is difficult in this age. The profession has lost a great deal of the prestige and respect that it once came with; however, the payoff in a student's face or assisting him or her with a successful future is the best fuel for any endeavor.
Keep trying, lead by example. The profession needs to be vaccinated with positivity.
Positivity Can Be Contagiously Rewarding: Negativity, Destroying
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Starting a Positivity (Successory) Program
While we are using the "Successory" [Suhk-ses-uh-ree] program in the educational setting, it could/should be applied to any organization to promote positivity and recognize people.
During a John Draper's engaging presentation on public schools to county-wide educators (teachers, support staff, and administration), he mentioned that we need to work harder at sharing the positive word. Too many people are talking negatively about our teachers, students, and the institution of public education, and it is our job as public educators to not get sucked into that practice. While we may have difficult, burdensome jobs, we are in it to make a difference. Instead of talking about all the struggles (and we know that legislative reps have added to our burden), we need to focus on sharing the good, positive, and accomplishments that happen each and every day in our classrooms, buildings, and districts. Administrators have the job to be a positive ambassador of the schools/districts, but our teachers are the front men and women that the public find the most creditable.
Last year, we started with a "caught being good" program for our students that helps recognize students who are nice to others or doing something that demonstrates good character. This year, we started the "successory" program for our staff, and it is a wonderful way to recognize all that our teachers, support staff, and even administrators are doing.
Our student council group leads the "successory" program at Manchester Middle School. Student reps went to their advisory classes to explain the program and actually have all students in their class write successory slips to a staff member. The reps defined successory (someone who has helped me on my way to success) and then collected the slips which included the following content: I am:, I want to thank ____ for helping me!, Thank you for:, a signature, and a date. Student council also talked about the drop off boxes and extra slips in the office, media center, and cafeteria where students could complete the slips anytime. For our first delivery, student council reps decorated envelops for the slips and made sure everyone had some. One 5th grade teacher received over 60 from all grades in the building, including from 8th graders! Our office staff, bus drivers, food service, paras, and custodial staff all received slips. I was even quite surprised to receive four slips myself. Student council tries to distribute slips about once a marking period so that everyone can be recognized. The program is very cool, but the effects are even more rewarding.
Many of the slips made staff cry; it was the most appreciated they have felt in years. Even though I and the parent group also try to recognize staff and tell them how much we appreciate them, it was getting the recognition from the students that made the biggest impact. Many staff members hang their slips by their desks to help remind them of their influence and that they are making such an astounding difference. Even staff are completing slips for other staff. HERE IS THE BEST PART, I decided to start spotlighting a staff member on our school Facebook page and include a couple of student comments for that teacher each day. I am advertising all our successes; parents and students are liking and commenting on our staff; and the positivity is spreading. Here's an example of a Facebook update.
During a John Draper's engaging presentation on public schools to county-wide educators (teachers, support staff, and administration), he mentioned that we need to work harder at sharing the positive word. Too many people are talking negatively about our teachers, students, and the institution of public education, and it is our job as public educators to not get sucked into that practice. While we may have difficult, burdensome jobs, we are in it to make a difference. Instead of talking about all the struggles (and we know that legislative reps have added to our burden), we need to focus on sharing the good, positive, and accomplishments that happen each and every day in our classrooms, buildings, and districts. Administrators have the job to be a positive ambassador of the schools/districts, but our teachers are the front men and women that the public find the most creditable.
Last year, we started with a "caught being good" program for our students that helps recognize students who are nice to others or doing something that demonstrates good character. This year, we started the "successory" program for our staff, and it is a wonderful way to recognize all that our teachers, support staff, and even administrators are doing.
Our student council group leads the "successory" program at Manchester Middle School. Student reps went to their advisory classes to explain the program and actually have all students in their class write successory slips to a staff member. The reps defined successory (someone who has helped me on my way to success) and then collected the slips which included the following content: I am:, I want to thank ____ for helping me!, Thank you for:, a signature, and a date. Student council also talked about the drop off boxes and extra slips in the office, media center, and cafeteria where students could complete the slips anytime. For our first delivery, student council reps decorated envelops for the slips and made sure everyone had some. One 5th grade teacher received over 60 from all grades in the building, including from 8th graders! Our office staff, bus drivers, food service, paras, and custodial staff all received slips. I was even quite surprised to receive four slips myself. Student council tries to distribute slips about once a marking period so that everyone can be recognized. The program is very cool, but the effects are even more rewarding.
Many of the slips made staff cry; it was the most appreciated they have felt in years. Even though I and the parent group also try to recognize staff and tell them how much we appreciate them, it was getting the recognition from the students that made the biggest impact. Many staff members hang their slips by their desks to help remind them of their influence and that they are making such an astounding difference. Even staff are completing slips for other staff. HERE IS THE BEST PART, I decided to start spotlighting a staff member on our school Facebook page and include a couple of student comments for that teacher each day. I am advertising all our successes; parents and students are liking and commenting on our staff; and the positivity is spreading. Here's an example of a Facebook update.
I encourage you to implement this program in your building/schools ASAP. Help spread the positivity.
Friday, March 14, 2014
What are we modeling on social media?
I am not being negative. I am trying point out that people need to do the same. I am growing very concerned with how many people use social media to spread negativity about public education. If someone has a concern, get the entire story before airing opinions that may not even exist if he/she has all the details. Once it's out there, it takes 10 times more positive comments to undo the harm. If you have talked to the proper people and have the sides of all parties involved then air the dirt. Our public educators and leaders have more on their plates than ever before with far less respect than the profession has ever had and deserve the the opportunity to explain why certain decisions are made. Our youth, educators, and the institution need our support, and we can do that by spreading all the successes we have witnessed. Do your part and post about an amazing educator. Many are devoting their lives to our children. The world would be a better place if we start focusing on positivity.
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