Communication

When I first knew that I was coming to Greene Central I wanted to meet with Mr. Marr to talk with him about what I needed to know before making the transition. I came over one morning that summer and Tammy asked me what I was doing there. She's not a very good liar. She knew exactly why I was there. She knew because she's a great communicator. Since then, communication between Tammy, the assistant principals and myself has been a hallmark of our working relationship. We talk to one another a lot, often trading texts before 6:00 am. The only breakdown in communication comes when Tammy is trying to get me to read her lips in a crowded office. I'm horrible at reading lips and I have no clue what she is talking about!

Tammy Oakes has proven everyday that good communication can solve most problems. It's something that we can all learn from. Good phone calls home to parents when students do well and tough ones when they fail are essential. Communication between teachers helps you all feel better about what you do each day, and maybe makes you feel normal when things go wrong. I've recently seen great teacher sharing with the Honors Portfolios and it is something that I hope continues afterward.

On Tammy's last day with us, I want to say thank you to her on behalf of everyone for the multitude of problems that she has solved for all of us over the past 12 years. She has laughed with us on our best days and helped support us on our worst days. We will miss her greatly.

Teaching Magic

I'm going to tell you something that every principal education program says that I should not tell you. Many of my graduate school professors will disagree with me. There are people with higher degrees than mine, that have written many books about how schools work and how students learn that will say that I am wrong. I can prove them wrong and I'll tell you why.

Here's the big secret: Direct instruction can work and can be incredibly effective.  Modern theory says not to speak to students through lecture as a means of whole group instruction (I won't even get into the fact that this is how most higher education classrooms are run despite their own theory). The problem is that most teachers cannot do it correctly. Doing it correctly is difficult unless you have seen it and have the courage and "magic" to recreate it. Those modern educational theorists claim that students cannot focus on a single activity for a prolonged period of time, yet they do it every time they watch a movie, play a sport, play video games or basically anything else they are interested in. The problem is that they are not interested in what we have to offer.

So the question really becomes how do we become interesting? The answer is to use "magic." I'm not talking about pulling a rabbit out of a hat or doing card tricks. I'm talking about the kind of magic that holds people at the edge of their seat and captivates them, not because of what is said, but because of how it is said. I'm talking about the kind of magic that most grandparents have that captivates their grandchildren to give them 110% of their attention when their parent can't seem to get them to sit still. Storytelling is an art that should be taught as a part of any teacher preparation program. While not everyone will be experts at this skill and while it may not work for every kid in every class, it certainly is a skill that can work for most students, some of the time and it deserves to be a tool in every teacher's skill set.


It seems that I'm not alone in this idea though. If you have an extra 7 minutes, I highly suggest watching the video below.  Focus on what he is saying, but more importantly, focus on how he delivers his message and what he does with his body. This guy is a magical teacher.

A Little Help From My Friends

This week I have been reminded of that Beatles song that Joe Cocker made famous at Woodstock. Never has a little help from my friends at Greene Central been more needed! Any principal that wants to appreciate the value of their assistant principals, needs to run a school without them for a few days. With Mrs. Blackman and Mr. Castillo at a conference in New Orleans, I found myself wearing many hats and I depended greatly on several of you to help support me along the way. I also truly appreciated all of the ways that they make my job easier without me knowing it. On Wednesday of this week I was going to use this metaphor to highlight how important it is that we support each other as much as we support students. Then Thursday afternoon happened.

This could be any of our teachers on Thursday afternoon

About ten minutes before the after school bus would load to take students home I heard a very distressing call from Ms. Hedgepeth on the radio. A fight had broken out between two students outside of the math hall and I went running. While we were able to break up the fight pretty quickly, I would not have been able to control the chaos that ensued from the students' families had it not been for the support of the many teachers that were there quickly to assist. They all jumped right in like they had done it a hundred times before. While I was upset at the situation, I could not have been more proud of my staff. (Gentlemen, those ladies on the math and English hall are no joke!) 

This week would have done me in had it not been for a little help from my friends. I can only hope that each of you feels the same way of the staff at Greene Central. Support from colleagues gets us all through tough spots and makes us shine brighter when we get to help each other. Thank you to everyone that helped me get through this week and every week and thank you for all of the help you give each other. It's nice to be reminded how amazing you are.

Trust

I don't even know why it surprises me anymore. I should be used to it by now. It's just so great to watch it happen. I guess I'm still in shock that everything came together as quickly as it did for the ACT. When I found out on Friday afternoon that we had to test on Tuesday, I was pretty upset. I quickly thought about all of the things that could go wrong, wouldn't happen on time and wouldn't be right. What I did was exactly what I shouldn't have done. I doubted the expertise, commitment and resolve of our staff and students. I thought about everything that could go wrong, instead of trusting in my people. Everyone did a fantastic job this week. Teachers helped one another throughout the day. Students worked as hard as they could for four hours during that test to give their best. Other staff members pitched in and covered classes and helped get the right people in place. It went off without a single problem.

I find it pretty amazing how trust works. When you have a group of people that believe in a common goal, they almost always seem to find a way to make it work. I think the same happens in effective classrooms. It is easy, and almost intuitive, for teachers to think about what could go wrong in a new lesson. We think about that one kid that can't handle the structure. The group that just couldn't handle the assignment that way or a million other things that could go wrong. But if you prepare them with what they need, set up structures that support them and allow them to support each other, it is always impressive what students can produce. The problem is that it can be scary to try for the first time. Stepping off the ledge and into the unknown means giving up control and you find yourself just like me last Friday. Sometimes it's not until you have no other choice that you find out just how incredible the people around you can be!

From February 20, 2015

We are entering the tough part of the school year. The next few weeks often put a strain on teachers and students (administrators too). I'm not sure if it is due to the fact that we are ready for warmer weather (I know I am after this week!) or if we are just ready for another break, but the end of February through March is always difficult for a school. Add to that the regular distractions of major testing like Work Keys and the ACT, scheduling for next school year, multiple events that disrupt the day or week and a change in athletic seasons and it begins to add up quickly. Just writing about all of it is enough to make me a bit anxious. The one thing that we do control in difficult times is how we react to one another and how we lead in our classrooms and in our building. Over the next several weeks, your support and encouragement of students and fellow teachers will be essential.  I strongly believe that we are on the edge of making even more progress at Greene Central, but any change is always most difficult just before it occurs. Keep your heads up and if you need support, please let us know. We're all in this together!

From February 6, 2015

This week I have been at the NC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development conference. It is always a good time and I get to hear great speakers from different schools. It is inspiring and inspirational and I take notes that resonate with me that you will likely hear in the form of PrincipalRamblings in the coming weeks. While I get to be inspired, I have also heard the rumblings throughout the past few days about the NC School Report Cards that were released yesterday. You will be hard pressed to find a principal or superintendent in the state that will support the new school letter grades.  This is the first year of the grades and Greene Central finished with a C for last year. The problem is with how the grades are calculated. 20% of the grade comes from student growth on EOCs and 80% comes from proficiency on EOC exams. We find it very contradictory that the state places such a high value on growth for Standard 6 for teachers (Standard 8 for me) and only values it as 20% of what a school can achieve and only for three subjects. When you apply this formula on the 15 point grading scale you get the following breakdown among the 2565 schools in the state (including charter and non-traditional schools).

A - 132 (5.15%)

B - 582 (22.69%)

C - 1003 (39.10%)

D - 561 (21.87%)

F - 146 (5.69%)

No Grade - 141 (5.5%)

When you compare Greene Central to the comprehensive high schools from our surrounding counties you get the following:

GCHS - C

Jones - C

Lenoir - 1 C, 2 Ds

Pitt - 5 Cs, 1 D

Wayne - 1 B, 3 Cs, 2 Ds

Wilson - 3 Cs

The discussion that results from these letter grades can go one of two ways. We can use them to continue a discussion about what is wrong with schools and our state system or we can counter them with evidence and artifacts of what is right. I want to focus on what is right and I urge you to do the same. Our system has once again placed upon us the need to be our own cheerleaders and that is exactly what we need to do. Continue to promote your work and the work of your students, because we know that it is great. 

I heard a quote yesterday at the conference that I believe summarizes exactly what we do well.  "Our task is to provide and education for the kind of kids we have. Not the kind of kids we used to have, or want to have, or the kind that exists in our dreams."  You all do that well, and to me, that deserves an A.

From January 30, 2015

I'm guilty. I depend on my phone WAY too much. It has been a topic in my household recently because my wife and I both realize that we are glued to our phones because of our jobs. Just this week Ms. Smith called me out on it. "I can't talk to you for more than five minutes without you having to look at your phone," she said. She's right. To be honest, I'm not sure how principals did their jobs before smartphones, email and other mobile devices. Then again...I guess it's what you get accustomed to.  I find it humorous that Ms. Smith called me out because of how much attention the English department has been giving to cell phones this week. (I guess I'm as bad as the kids...maybe worse!)  I have seen the teachers standing at their doors at the start of class with a bucket to place phones in when students arrive.  Students are asked to place their phones in the bucket. Most do, but they don't really have to.  The deal is that the bucket keeps it from being a temptation. If they choose not to use it then all of the responsibility is on the student. No warnings. My only feedback to the English teachers I saw doing this was that they had to keep it up religiously. If they do, it will work 100% of the time.

Consistency matters to people. When we see someone that is supposed to enforce a rule as inconsistent, we see an opportunity to break it ourselves. Inconsistency gives implied permission. I'm certain that everyone covered classroom expectations this week with each class. The trick now is to be consistent with whatever was stated.  Students will break those expectations from time to time and when they do, you have to address it. It's not a fight or a battle of wills. You simply expect more from them than they are giving, and that's not acceptable. Calling a student out can be polite, low stress and still impactful. When it is done right, it's a true thing of beauty. Seek consistency this semester and evaluate it often. It may be tough, but it will be worth it.

From January 23, 2015

A new semester begins on Monday and that means new students, new courses and new beginnings. The phrase has been used so much in the last 5 years that it has probably lost its meaning, but I'll say it anyway: Begin with the end in mind.  Your interactions with students next week will set the stage for the next 90 school days.  Students will instantly make a judgement on what kind of teacher you will be and inadvertently they will also decide what kind of student they will be. Over the weekend I encourage you to "think big" about what you do on the first day in your classroom. Do something impactful! Be creative! Set the tone!  Students will remember that. Remember that if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten. 

Setting the tone also needs to spread to each student's parents. Remember to make those good news phone calls and to establish a relationship that can be mutually beneficial later. Parents and teachers want the same thing; success for the student.  Don't let a lack of success be the first communication you have with the student or their parent. Invest in both and you will have more to help you down the road. Have a restful weekend and come back with a ton of energy...we're going to need it!

Here's a little motivation to inspire your new semester:

http://youtu.be/j393lNECNGw 

From January 16, 2015

By the time you read this, most students will only have 1 exam left and the fall semester will be behind us.  There are always some minor issues when you test this many students. Undoubtedly, someone will do something that they should not do; someone will cheat (or at least attempt it). It seems counterintuitive, but research shows that "smart" kids are much more likely to attempt cheating than ones that struggle. They feel a pressure to maintain a high level of performance and when faced with a high stakes assessment, some will doubt their abilities. The same can probably be said of adults.  If you teach long enough, you've heard of teachers that did something that you probably thought was unethical. Rumors fly around a school with people like that. I personally feel bad for students or adults that are compelled to cheat. In a sense, cheating is an admission that you did not do all that you could have done in preparation for the exam. 

In the next few days, each of you will look at exam grades and either feel proud or worried. Chances are, you'll feel both emotions. Remember both feelings and take them into the second semester with you.  Work hard to build confidence in yourself and in your students throughout the second semester. After all, research also shows that confident test takers do better.

In a final note, thank you for your help and support throughout exams. This is probably be best example of teamwork you can find.  So far, everyone has done a fantastic job!

From December 12, 2014

We are officially in the short rows of the semester and students and staff members are already feeling the pressure of exams and looming grades and attendance issues.  many of you have been jumping on those issues quickly and I am always impressed by how far teachers go to keep a kid motivated and involved.  Next week should be a fun one for everyone as we anticipate time with family and friends. Add a winter sports spirit week to the mix and we will all be ready for Friday! 

Standard 5 of your evaluation rubric talks about reflection.  Before the break, take some time to reflect and make some notes about what worked great this semester and what you would change if you could go back in time.  Be specific...failure loves ambiguity! These are great notes for you PDP and for preparation for a whole new set of classes. 

Have a great weekend and I hope to see everyone at the Staff Christmas Party!

From December 5, 2014

A while back I read an interesting study on low income versus middle class families and how they give gifts to their children.  Parents in low income families, the study states, had an easier time restricting their children from material items simply because they could not afford them.  It is easier for a parent to say, "I'm sorry, I can't buy you that," than it is to say, "I'm sorry, I choose not to buy you that." For this reason, children in low income households, often learn to deal with hearing 'no' and with that disappointment at a much younger age. There's something about the holiday season that makes us wish that was not always true though.  While I did not grow up in an affluent household (by any means) my parents were always able to make sure we had Christmas. Maybe not like all of my other friends, but something nice for us.  

Mr. Castillo's Project Santa Claus kicked off this week and the goal is to help those kids that have dealt with that disappointment for years.  One student explained to a counselor that his parents had already told him that there would not be any presents this year and he asked us to get things for his little brother instead. With all of the extra things that schools have to do in addition to classroom instruction, helping out those that sit in our classrooms seems like a positive distraction. I encourage you to help rally a team or club that you work with to help support this cause this year.  While I wish it was not a necessity, I would love for this to become a new tradition for Greene Central.

From November 21, 2014

With Thanksgiving approaching, we get to look forward to spending time with family and friends.  There are times when we look to each other as family members throughout the year.  In many cases we probably spend more time with one another at school than we get to spend time with our families.  I think that we have a strong sense of family amongst our staff. Much like our families at home, we may not always agree, but in the end we want what's best for each other.  Thank you all for being a part of our school family and for the support you give to each other.  It's great being a part of such a great group of people. Enjoy your break!

From November 14, 2014

This week felt like we had two Mondays. By now you know how I feel about Fridays, so a week with two Mondays just didn't feel right. One thing that did go right this week was a lot of talk about the good things going on at Greene Central and in Greene County. We had some publicity this week for our STEM program being recognized by the state.  We were the only comprehensive high school in the east to receive that recognition. Later, a group of us sat on a panel to share our digital learning ideas with other principals from across the state.  One of the questions brought before us was how to manage student growth when you are learning to innovate in the classroom.  We are judged in our profession by test scores, while we know that the things that we teach in our classrooms cannot always be tested.  I think that when we teach students to think, communicate and persevere within the standards of a curriculum, the test scores will come. The skills that students learn aside from what the state assesses may never show up on a growth score, but they do make good students and future citizens that can work in our community. If the state is not ready to assess that or place a value on it, then maybe we should do it for them.  Don't get me wrong, I love that we make or exceed growth and I value what that means about our instruction, but test scores only come out one day a year.  There are many other instructional days that we should be celebrating and promoting great accomplishments in our school.  That starts with us.  I want to get your classroom accomplishments out there for everyone to see.  Please send me pictures or blurbs about great things going on in your classes so that we can celebrate how great it is to be a Ram every day of the school year! You guys rock, and the world deserves to know it!

From September 19, 2014

I'm an awful student. I don't pay attention well and when I do, it's usually because I don't agree with something that the person speaking has to say. I multitask when people are lecturing because I am an auditory learner and I can listen and get most of what they are saying. I know that it is rude.  It's a strange thing we do in education. We know that standard lecture delivery does not work, yet most professional development in schools is lecture and powerpoint driven. That's why I was so happy that our instructional coaches came up with varied ways to work with teachers at their pace, their time and in their classrooms. I really hope that you are finding ways to incorporate just a little of that into what you do. If you haven't yet, please shoot one of them an email about something that you would like to improve on.  The crazy thing is that we are already running out of time! Just think, as of today we are 10% through the school year. That means that we are 20% through the semester. That's scary when we think of all that needs to be done to generate the greatest learning potential from each child. That's why we should utilize our instructional coaches in the same way as a NASCAR pit crew mechanic fine tunes a car in a race. They can make small tweeks that have big impacts. Please use our wonderful people to get your students to the finish line!

From September 12, 2014

"I just want to be a nurse."  

These were the words that stuck with me from a former student that called me yesterday afternoon.  This former student of mine is someone that I have helped several times in the past.  When she called me Thursday afternoon I was excited at first to see her name pop up on my phone.  She is currently in her last year in nursing school at Pitt Community College.  She had offers for scholarships at Meredith and Barton, but chose PCC because of her family's financial situation.  At PCC she could obtain her nursing degree faster and start doing the job that she has always dreamed of. She even received a scholarship from the Pitt Community College Foundation after their president saw her on TV while she was in high school and was very impressed by her ability to speak with a reporter. This summer she was able to save up enough money to pay for tuition to go full time on her own and finish her degree. In May she would be an RN. 

This is where the story changes. You see, she has a problem. She, like many students in our area, is an undocumented immigrant. Her parents brought her to our country when she was a very small child. She worked hard in school and was a model student. She got her Nursing Assistant license at night while she was in high school and was so excited about being that much closer to her dream. She went through the legal hoops of gaining a deferred action status that allows her to stay in the US and work legally. Today PCC called her to notify her that she could not go to clinicals because they do not think she can be licensed as a nurse.  They advised her not to go to class tomorrow morning and to let them know when she wanted to formally withdraw so that they could try to get her a refund for the semester. Her heart was broken. "I just want to be a nurse," she said.

Even as I write this I don't know whether I should feel enraged or if I want to cry for her. Her story is all too common, and no matter how any of us may feel about immigration policy in our country it is hard to feel good about a child being disenfranchised after so much hard work. The reality is that many students, especially students that live in poverty face a similar disenfranchisement every day despite their legal status as a citizen.  Poverty and broken homes can be equally as bad.  These students come to school and stare at a glass ceiling.  We talk about college and working hard to get there, and many want to believe that, but they know that it just might not be a real achievement because of the "other factors" in their lives.  Let's face it, scholarships usually go to the best and the brightest (and I have no problem with that) and rarely go the ones that grow from a level 2 to a 4 over several years in high school. 

These kids pull at your heart. They cause you to do things like calling the president of a college or the nursing board after 5:00 and demanding to speak to someone that may still be there. But that's what we do.  Teaching these students means more than getting them to know what general surrendered at Appomattox or what the parts of a cell do. It means helping them become good human beings; nurses, mechanics, maybe even teachers.  If you know a kid like this, work with them and fight for them. Who knows, one day we all might just need a good nurse to help us.

From May 16, 2014

I think this week made it official for me.  You can really feel that we are almost there! Sometimes that is a great thing when it comes from students; sometimes its not.  Either way, I think we all feel the excitement in the air and are ready to wrap the year up.  This week the results from the Teacher Working Conditions Survey were posted and it was a huge validation for me that you feel successful in your job as a teacher at Greene Central.  If you would like to see the results, you can find them here: http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/results I believe that successful and empowered teachers make students that are the same, so I have no doubt that student growth will be there when our scores come back.  

I need to take this opportunity to thank Dana Hedgepeth and all of the teachers that assisted in the senior events.  These are unique traditions, and are another piece to the cultural puzzle.  Students know that your efforts are there because you care about them as individuals.  Great job to all that assisted!!!

From April 11, 2014

We're almost there!!! Next week will be filled with exciting activities and I am sure that staff and students alike are ready for a much needed break. While this break has taken forever to get here, it is hard to believe that we are 75% done with the school year. I was in a class this week that had me to reflect on our school and the progress we have made this year.  We really have come far in a short time.  The small things that we have done have paid off in big rewards.  Rarely does a day go by that I don't hear from a teacher, student or parent that has something exciting to say about Greene Central. 

When I ran track in high school, one of my favorite events was the mile.  This 1600 meter race requires 4 laps around the track.  In the first lap you fight to establish your position among the group. In the second and third laps you pace yourself and hold that position.  The fourth lap is when the race really begins.  In this last lap, you try to see who can start to out-sprint each other first, and who can hold that sprint the longest.  This single lap separates the runners from the racers.  We are now in our fourth lap of the school year.  Much like the mile race, we are tired from the laps we have finished, and now the race really begins.  It will take will-power, support and strength to finish strong, but I know that we can do it! Have a great weekend and come back ready for a short week!

From March 7, 2014

My wife moved to North Carolina from Syracuse, New York in the 10th grade.  She moved into my high school in Farmville and what was obviously a different world for her.  She moved during the middle of the college basketball season and she still remembers that the first question that anyone from the school asked her was, "Duke or Carolina?" She's a pretty enthusiastic sports fan, but could have cared less about either team. She had grown up a Syracuse Orange fan.  She still laughs at how seriously we take the Tobacco Road rivalry here.  As children, many of us are taught to love one shade of blue and to hate another.  We get really wrapped up in it.  

I believe that teaching and basketball have a great deal in common.  On Monday we will have a very special faculty meeting and we are going to play basketball.  This concept is something that I have been working on for a while now and I thought that March was the perfect month to try it!  Feel free to bring comfortable clothes and shoes and meet me in the gym instead of the media center!

From January 24, 2014

With the exception of a few makeup tests, the first semester is completely behind us.  I want to say thank you to all of you that worked really hard to make Greene Central a great place to work and learn.  I have heard from many of you this semester that have seen a positive change in our school and in student and teacher relationships.  It definitely seems that we have many of the students "hooked" now.  So the question is, what can we do with them?  This semester I plan on pushing you on how we deliver instruction at Greene Central.  Many of you have already spoken to me about changing some things this semester in response to how students responded last semester and I think you are on the right track.

When I coached, I used the story of Terry Fox (watch this link for a short video on his story) to illustrate the idea of what you can accomplish if you throw out all of the excuses.  Terry was a teenager that lost his leg to bone cancer and decided to run across Canada with a prosthetic limb to raise money for cancer research.  While Terry's story is amazing because of the physical barriers that he had to overcome, there are many people that do what Terry did everyday.  They ignore the reasons why they "can't" do what others may see as impossible.  This semester, focus on what you could do if there were no reasons why you couldn't.  Communicate that desire to your students as the leader in the classroom.  Several of you have already told me about some of your "crazy" ideas and I love them! Have a great weekend and come back ready to go!

From Demember 13, 2013

Happy Friday!  What a jam-packed week it has been at GCHS! Many of you are preparing for the end of the semester and that means tests, concerts, performances, food and fellowship.  This time of year shows just how "well-rounded" schools have to be.  The great thing is that many of you are still smiling!

This Wednesday our school was visited by principals from several other schools throughout the state to examine what we have done to improve the culture of our school.  We hosted this event at the recommendation of Dr. Creech and Dr. Greene. I asked several teachers and students to participate by either speaking to these principals or having visits to your classroom.  The feedback I received was amazing!  So many of them were impressed by how well the teachers and students could speak about their school and why they wanted to be here.  They commented on the great instruction that they saw in classrooms and how the attitudes of teachers and students contributed to that.  In my opinion, education is the greatest service industry in the world. Schools are systems that are designed and run by people for the direct benefit and development of other people.  While they wanted to give me credit for this change, I am insistent that each of you are responsible.  I am looking forward to the end of the semester so that we can see the academic and social data of cultural change and what that means for the school overall. Enjoy your weekend and come back Monday ready for a strong finish before the break!

From November 8, 2013

This week all schools in North Carolina received their test scores from last year and in many ways we saw a realization of what we thought would happen.  Our school's performance composite was 25.1% and the state average was 44.7%.  In one of my "Ramblings" a few weeks ago I wanted everyone to think of the growth we were making because of the efforts we had started with the transformation process.  I told you that we would likely be in a better position for improvement than other schools because we had started the hard work of improving teaching to a higher standard long before everyone else.  I had no idea how true that would be.  Attached is a document that compares our school with all of the comprehensive high schools in our surrounding counties.  While there are some schools above us and some below us in the performance composite column, compare us in the growth column.  Were are among only two schools that exceeded growth expectations.  This shows that while other schools are making one or less grade levels of progress with their students each year, we are making more.

As many of you know, I taught high school social studies.  Our situation reminds me of a famous Lincoln quote.  In 1862, Lincoln addressed Congress and stated, "The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."  As educators we have found ourselves in the same situation.  What we used to do is now inadequate for what we have to do to prepare students.  We must rise to the occasion  and that means thinking and acting differently.  Exceeding high growth means that many of you are doing just that.  Congratulations on being a teacher in a school that recognizes that educating students has to change.  Let's aim for continuing our growth and beating out more schools on this list each year!

From November 1, 2013

This week we launched our new Ram Recovery after school.  This program replaces the old Twilight program and with all of the changes, we thought that a new name was also necessary.  I visited the class yesterday and saw students working hard and realizing that recovering these classes meant having to know the course material.  These students were definitely taking this seriously and I think that we are sending a very different message about what we expect as an academic standard.

We are now at the halfway point of the semester and traditionally, this is where both students and teachers start to struggle.  In the past two weeks I have spoken to numerous students and several teachers that seem frustrated.  Teachers report not knowing what to do to gain control of a class and students report teachers that are mean or unhelpful.  The core of these problems is a lack of success.  The only fix is change, and change is hard. All people, young and old, naturally assume that if we just keep doing what we do, then something will "click." When that doesn't happen we all want to quit. 

Let's make a strong effort to regroup and reenergize ourselves and our students academically for a strong finish.  If you are one of the ones feeling frustrated, let's talk about some change.  My door is always open. If you're riding high and notice a colleague that's struggling, offer to help.  Remember, our main rule is to take care of ourselves and to take care of each other. 

From September 20, 2013

"I don't care if he's a black cat or a white cat. The question is...can he catch mice?'"

I heard a presenter at a meeting for transformation schools say this on Thursday and it has been stuck in my head ever since.  The presenter was illustrating that there are different ways in which teachers can be effective in growing students.  No one method or technique works all of the time or with every teacher or class of students.  At the end of the day, we have to do what works for our students, in our classrooms. I have always considered teaching as the most challenging sales job ever.  You have a product to deliver to a customer that is often convinced that they do not need it and are not interested. When you approach teaching as selling and adapt to the target audience when necessary, powerful things can happen.

There is little doubt that Greene Central is no stranger to change this year.  Much of our staff has changed, we are changing student attitudes, our bell schedule has changed and many other policies and practices are being examined and refined.  Along with this change I encourage you as teachers to consider your current teaching methods. What impact does your planning and actions in the classroom have on student learning? In short...are you catching all of the mice? If not, what could you try that might make you more effective for your students?  These are the questions that lead teachers toward being accomplished in Standard 5 of the NC Teacher Evaluation rubric, but more importantly, these are the ways in which we truly meet student needs. I challenge you to try one thing new next week and share it with a colleague, good or bad. Let's see just how many mice we can catch!

From September 13, 2013

What a great week to be a Ram! Rachel's Challenge seemed to hit home with many of our students and staff. I received great feedback from students and parents and even some touching stories about students that had made up after months of "drama."  The thing that I like so much about Rachel's Challenge is that their message is so universal.  We as adults can grow as much as our students from accepting the 5 challenges that were presented.  Ironically, it's the other "challenges" of being an educator that often keep us from meeting these goals.  Let's face it, there's nothing like a tough 4th period class to keep you from meeting your true potential! In an effort to keep the ball rolling on Rachel's Challenge I encourage you to keep the 5 challenges in mind for yourself and to use their language for our students.  I'm planning starting this today by using one of Colleen's strategies that she shared at the Friends of Rachel Training - High Five Friday.  The idea is simple, celebrate Fridays with a high five to those around you. Who knows, it might just start a chain reaction...

Rachel's Challenges:

Look for the Best in Others

Dream Big

Choose Positive Influences

Speak with Kindness

Start Your Own Chain Reaction