Investment

Each month the administrators get together before the next scheduled staff meeting and talk about the agenda. One of the first things that we discuss is always the Whatever It Takes Award. We look for someone that stands out in what they do for a student or the school at large. I am not looking forward to having to make a decision for this month's staff meeting and there's a really good reason for that. Recently I have seen so many of our staff members doing very special things for students. These things have nothing to do with academics, content and language objectives, curriculum maps or anything like that. These are investments in our students as people and they often address issues that pull at our hearts.

In the past couple weeks I have seen some pretty dramatic examples of that. Between teachers that have purchased shoes for a student, another that purchased a belt for a troubled student that had done better and a teacher that served as a father in a daddy-daughter tennis match, I've seen some amazing things out of our staff. I'm certain that there are many more examples that many of you have kept to yourself. These acts of investing in children serve the exact same as money invested in an account. It doesn't just sit there; it grows.  Children that are shown kindness and understanding in times of need are much more likely to become adults that do the same for others. These acts of compassion grow upon one another.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want you all to know that I am thankful to work with a staff that sees children as more than a name on a roster. They know more about them than a predicted achievement level. They care about them more than just 90 minutes a day.

Water Your Seeds

I was talking with a Senior this week about grades and attendance. It's a fairly regular conversation that I have to have about this time of the year. We talk about finishing strong, maintaining focus so that colleges will accept you and getting back on the right track before it causes a real problem. Most of these conversations hinge on that student's specific goals beyond high school and trying to leverage that goal toward doing what they should do in class. I asked this particular student a rather simple question, "How are you going to get back on track in class?" She just looked at me. I asked it again. She replied, "Well I just hope that I can go in there and do it." That's not good enough.

There is an old proverb that states, "I pray for rain, but I cannot neglect to water my seeds." Sometimes when students (or any of us really) face a tough task, we go into it with optimism that if we want things to work out, then it will all be alright. Some people call it hope while others know it as faith. We want to believe that things will turn out well in the end. While I am a strong proponent of positive thinking, I also believe that hope or faith without action is usually fruitless. Anything worth hoping for is also worth working for and that means that you need a plan.

We are at the halfway point of the fall semester and that means that no matter where your students are, now is the time to push for growth. It's time to get serious and that means both us and them have to get our heads in the game. Whether your plan to growth them means a new instructional game plan or a different look at management or motivation, it's time to water our seeds. Even if you feel like things have been going great in your classroom and your "crops" have been getting plenty of "rain," know that we can still fertilize them as well. Be specific about a game plan and let's finish strong!