A Challenge for Christmas

Hey fast llama's,

I was leaving a department Christmas get together on Friday evening and I said something to two teachers while they were leaving and it has stuck with me all weekend.  What terrible thing did I say?  Well, sit tight... 

As I told them "Merry Christmas" and to "drive safely", and they returned the favor,  I yelled to them as they reached the end of the sidewalk, "if only we were done". 

If

Only...

As in done with school... 

This, my friends, bugs the heck out of me... What a missed opportunity... And it shows that changing mindsets of habitualized behavior is really hard and it continues to be a challenge for me and I can assume for everyone else.  

You see, I cannot abide by "counting down".  Counting down the week, (Thursday is Friday Eve, TGIF) and the ubiquitous "counting down to school breaks". 

I actually have several "Counting Down to Christmas" or advent calendars' in my home... this is not what I am talking about... counting down to Christmas is a fun way to get excited for the holiday... let's not confuse the two... 

Today, I am talking about the count down to the end of the term and the message it sends to students and fellow coworkers.

I used to have countdowns all the time... because I am ashamed to admit, there were times where I wasn't happy at all with teaching.  It has taken years of work and training to change my thinking and fall in love with teaching. Beginning with year 17 and a little thing called Quantum Learning, Doug Curry's Llama Training, then year 25 with Building Teachers Capacity for Success and the living Reflective Cycle.  Throw in some Harry Wong, Doug Lemov and you get the picture.  

Look, I completely understand how absolutely tough it is to teach right now, but, I used to count down 30 years ago.  This is not a new construct.  (the worse one I ever saw was one that a teacher put on the board on the first day of school, "180 days to go", at least I was never that bad! )

So, I work hard at living in the moment, the Quantum Learning Key of Excellence of "This is It" , where I make the most of every moment. Gratitude journaling (Dr. Jenny Severson, to thank for that) has taught me that thankfulness and gratitude is life changing. And I live in gratitude and joy, that is my goal.  

But, as I stood on that sidewalk, I could possibly sent a message that:

• there are better places to be
• that school is not a good place
• that I don't like the people at school
• that I basically don't like where I am in life
• that I am not grateful for the opportunities before me

A bit dramatic... but, what if implicitly this message was worming it's way in the unconsciousness of my fellow coworkers.   Work I have done on my own mindset completely abolished by two words...

If

Only

I think what bothers me most is that I didn't 'walk my talk'... And, in the moment, I can say it is a great opportunity to lean into the learning here, and remind myself of what is important to me and the messages I send to others. Perhaps it happened on purpose for me, to reflect on and remind myself to continue to do the work I find so valuable and that I am human.  But, as Pete Hall suggested, that I "wear concrete shoes" and it struck me, the power in doing that.  My friend Ellen and I walked out of Pete's training, after hearing him say that, with a renewed sense of the great that is...   Trust me, Pete, this experience reminds me how I feel when I took them off... and it didn't feel light at all.  

With the above thought, I will use my imperfect moment to remind myself and others, that the break is coming... a well deserved one... but in the meantime, in the next 5 days, make it count for kids  and for your co-workers.  In the short time we have left in the Fall semester, make them feel like you would be not anywhere else but with them.

So to the teachers walking out of the party on Friday, I say to you... there is not place I would rather be than Cypress Lakes High School, today and everyday.  

Merry Christmas

TO

References

Curry, D. (2015). How to train a llama: Exceptional classroom management. TurnAround Schools Publishing.

Hall, P. A., & Simeral, A. (2008). Building teachers' capacity for success a collaborative approach for coaches and school leaders. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a Champion 2.0: 62 techniques that put students on the path to college. Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.

Severson, J. (2020). The Educator's 180-Day Gratitude Turnaround: Self Reflection Journal. Ripple Press.

Wong, H. K. (1998). The first days of school. Harry K. Wong Publications.