Tomorrow I start my new position at MRHMS. I am truly excited about the challenge, but I thought that I would give everyone a sense of what the month of June has felt like.
7:30- I arrive at district office. I haven't been at Nipher for three weeks now because they wanted me out of the building.
7:40- Begin reading my Google Reader, waiting for someone to find work for me to do.
7:55- Still sitting in the Communication Director's Office. She isn't here. Well, no one is here but me.
7:56- Talk soccer with the retired athletic director, realize that there aren't any games to stream at 9 a.m. this morning. This creates a huge gap in the things to do list.
8:07- Talk Pujols and Musial with AD
8:07- Get Google Reader to 500
8:07- Mad Men with AD; still no work, no communication's director
8:23- Google Reader reaches 400
8:23- Communications Director arrives; surprised that I am here asks if I'll be here all day
8:23- Think about buying train tickets for Katy Trail trip.
8:37- Communications Director and I talk about my new job; she seems interested, but still gives me nothing to do.
8:41- Google Reader reaches 300; starting to feel a sense of pride about accomplishing something today
8:42- Thinking about sending a card to a "missing" friend
8:42- Could write a message about surrendering to a friend
8:55- most mornings in June, I would be queueing up streaming World Cup, but no games today.
9:00- Decide that I am staying for a while, so I charge my MRH computer and phone
9:18- Google Reader efforts are slowing, but closing in on 200
9:18- Thinking about going to 1:15 Cardinal Game
9:24- Below 200. This may be the last time in my career that I zero out my reader.
9:30- Discussing theft of computers from Kirkwood; I propose 1:1 as a way to alleviate the problem; deaf ears
9:46- Google Reader to 150; this is where I find the good stuff.
9:47- Folks reader inappropriate quotes from American humorist.
9:52- HR director who assigned me to work in this office hasn't talked to me all month; just walked by
9:54- Director of Security stopped by to talk with me; wondering if he is watching me or just bored.
10:06- begged for a job; have to find a quote for a hall of fame letter.
10:22- Fired up Pandora; needed something to listen to
10:24- Get feedback about quotes that I found
10:38- Google Reader to ZERO; may be the last time
11:09- Finished buying tickets for bike trip
11:22- Finishing bike trip e-mail
11:22- switched Pandora stations
11:45 Left Kirkwood for good; no goodbyes; no fanfare; just me packing up in the Communications Office and walking out the door
12:15-4:15- Cardinals lost, but a good time was had by all.
It is hard to create a genesis moment in 12 hours, but I'm trying to cleanse and prepare for tomorrow morning as it is hard to shift, but I am ready for my new journey. No more reasons to complain.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Back on a Cart
My first year teaching, I was a mobile teacher, working in three different classrooms including a science lab to teach sophomore English. It worked for me. It saved me from having to decorate a classroom. It made me feel like one of the students walking around between classes, but it led me to be horribly ineffective as I look back as there were so many things that I should have been doing for my students.
This week as I finish my career as the assistant principal at Nipher Middle School, I have experienced some deja vu. I have been removed from my office. I have been removed from the building. All I have is my laptop, my bag, and me. Apparently, they are assigning me to special projects throughout the month of June. This is how my six years of service is coming to a close. No parties. No lunches. No thank you moments. Certainly, I have had good moments with some colleagues over the last month, but this is a really hard emotional finish. After 15 years, I'm back on the cart, and the veil of ignorance has been pulled back, and I realize that neither of these experiences are/were good for anyone.
This week as I finish my career as the assistant principal at Nipher Middle School, I have experienced some deja vu. I have been removed from my office. I have been removed from the building. All I have is my laptop, my bag, and me. Apparently, they are assigning me to special projects throughout the month of June. This is how my six years of service is coming to a close. No parties. No lunches. No thank you moments. Certainly, I have had good moments with some colleagues over the last month, but this is a really hard emotional finish. After 15 years, I'm back on the cart, and the veil of ignorance has been pulled back, and I realize that neither of these experiences are/were good for anyone.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Last Box
Tomorrow is moving out of the office day. I have that one box left. The one box that has everything in it and nothing in it. I have been just throwing things in there for a week or so, perishable and non-perishable. The final chapters have been peaceful, and I am looking forward to plowing through all of the silly little things in June and July, so that I can stay focused on mission and vision in August. It is amazing how things never feel like you think that they will in the end.
P.S. This isn't my last box. It is amazing that you can search Google images and find the perfect image for every blog post.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Perfect Place to Shift
This video, though its length challenges our growing disdain for long-form information, has pushed me this morning to raise my level and push for real change and excellence. It seems an appropriate piece as I prepare to move to a place of hope and innovation. Enjoy. Thanks to my friend Dan Reeve for hooking me up with this resource.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Taking My Own Advice
In my cleaning process, I have come across the little notes that I have attached to my computer for everyday consumption. It is amazing that these little notes have been sitting in front of me each day, and I, at times, allowed them to blend into the background. For multiple years now, there have been four notes taped to my computer, part motivation, part focus, and part philosophy.
Note 1 says Patience, Listen, Your Priority is My First Priority, Every Detail, Every Day- Honesty.
This one came from reflection about my performance as an assistant principal at Nipher. My first principal at Nipher, Dr. Carol Migneron, was really good at pushing me to be more, and those four statements have helped me grow into a more teacher-centered leader.
Note 2 says Find Truth, Find Happiness, Each Day.
Our eighth graders wrote their six-word memoirs this year, and I participated in the process. Those six words speak to my desire to experience life to its fullest and my commitment to being a life-long learner.
Note 3 says Knowing the Right Answer Doesn't Mean That We Get It.
For a long time, it has been easy for me to find answers, formulate solutions, or build a personal opinion on a topic, but only recently have I embedded the fact that having this ability doesn't solve the problem as the human side of solutions is the most difficult part as it requires relationships, empathy, patience, and leading with the heart.
Note 4 says To Truly Love Somebody is to Help Make Them Great.
My calling is life is to help people grow, and to do my part to make them great. It has been great to dig deep into my reserves at times to truly love those around me.
Note 1 says Patience, Listen, Your Priority is My First Priority, Every Detail, Every Day- Honesty.
This one came from reflection about my performance as an assistant principal at Nipher. My first principal at Nipher, Dr. Carol Migneron, was really good at pushing me to be more, and those four statements have helped me grow into a more teacher-centered leader.
Note 2 says Find Truth, Find Happiness, Each Day.
Our eighth graders wrote their six-word memoirs this year, and I participated in the process. Those six words speak to my desire to experience life to its fullest and my commitment to being a life-long learner.
Note 3 says Knowing the Right Answer Doesn't Mean That We Get It.
For a long time, it has been easy for me to find answers, formulate solutions, or build a personal opinion on a topic, but only recently have I embedded the fact that having this ability doesn't solve the problem as the human side of solutions is the most difficult part as it requires relationships, empathy, patience, and leading with the heart.
Note 4 says To Truly Love Somebody is to Help Make Them Great.
My calling is life is to help people grow, and to do my part to make them great. It has been great to dig deep into my reserves at times to truly love those around me.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Closing Up Shop
It has been amazing how long it has taken for me to clean my way out of six years of stuff in my office. I've never had a clean office, but my desk is organized when I leave each day. I have been working on it since March, going drawer by drawer, shelf by shelf, and we have reached the last day of school, and I can say that I am packed. There have been a number of odd feelings over the last few weeks, but overall I remain excited, optimistic, and energy-filled about my move. I realize that I won't be moving away from issues as they will be the same core issues with different faces and maybe at times greater volume. I realize that I'm blessed to have a job, and to have a job that I love. I am also grateful for the wonderful people both adults and kids that have filled my life during my tenure in Kirkwood. At 3 p.m. tomorrow, I will be ready to dive head first out the door, but my well-seasoned patience that I have built over the last year will need to serve me for just one more month. Tape the boxes, throw away the trash...it is time to close up shop.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tapping the Potential of a Learning Network
A new question has been running around my head lately, and it is this, "Who are the 10 people in your field that are the best at doing your job?" I believe it came from another blog, but it was on one of those days of major input, so I have lost the source.
I'm not sure that I can answer this question, but I think that it is an essential one for growth. Let's start with the idea that we can find 10 people that are currently doing our job at the level of proficiency or higher. I think that I can do this, and I think that I try to learn from these people in an intermittent whenever the management of life doesn't get in the way, sort of way. Every time that I do learn from them, I am excited, refreshed and ready to impact kids in a greater way. Imagine though having access to the best people in your field, people in Japan, Kuwait, and Cleveland. Think of the power of sharing ideas with the elite practitioners in your area. They are the ones with the ideas and resources that seem to trickle down over time, but now you have the power to mold and shape the ideas as they are evolving, no longer do you have to wait for the sloppy seconds.
Today I tasted the honey, and it was good. I spoke through Skype with someone in the UK at the Business Lab, a social service research partnership. They are working with schools in England and Scotland on a program to help with parent engagement. I think that the program is brilliant, and it may be a great new layer to a current effort. How did I first learn about the program...from a tweet. Yes, Twitter has become educators greatest chance of connecting with the top 10 people in their field and truly collaborating on excellence. Each day Twitter provides me with a dose of professional development that can truly be used to enrich the lives of kids. I want this for my teachers, and I want this for my students. My wading through the world of Twitter has allowed me to enhance and build my Google Reader into a rich basket of learning that I can tap into from anywhere at any time.
One idea, one Skype call, one tweet have reignited my vigor for my career during these difficult days of May when school and learning have been notorious for being about closing the cycle of learning instead of extending it.
I'm not sure that I can answer this question, but I think that it is an essential one for growth. Let's start with the idea that we can find 10 people that are currently doing our job at the level of proficiency or higher. I think that I can do this, and I think that I try to learn from these people in an intermittent whenever the management of life doesn't get in the way, sort of way. Every time that I do learn from them, I am excited, refreshed and ready to impact kids in a greater way. Imagine though having access to the best people in your field, people in Japan, Kuwait, and Cleveland. Think of the power of sharing ideas with the elite practitioners in your area. They are the ones with the ideas and resources that seem to trickle down over time, but now you have the power to mold and shape the ideas as they are evolving, no longer do you have to wait for the sloppy seconds.
Today I tasted the honey, and it was good. I spoke through Skype with someone in the UK at the Business Lab, a social service research partnership. They are working with schools in England and Scotland on a program to help with parent engagement. I think that the program is brilliant, and it may be a great new layer to a current effort. How did I first learn about the program...from a tweet. Yes, Twitter has become educators greatest chance of connecting with the top 10 people in their field and truly collaborating on excellence. Each day Twitter provides me with a dose of professional development that can truly be used to enrich the lives of kids. I want this for my teachers, and I want this for my students. My wading through the world of Twitter has allowed me to enhance and build my Google Reader into a rich basket of learning that I can tap into from anywhere at any time.
One idea, one Skype call, one tweet have reignited my vigor for my career during these difficult days of May when school and learning have been notorious for being about closing the cycle of learning instead of extending it.
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