Perseverence

It is no secret to anyone that knows me any at all that I am a die hard, extremely loyal Arkansas Razorback fan. I definitely bleed Razorback red! For those of you who don't know there is a different between bleeding normal blood and Razorback Red Blood! Those of you who are big sport fans understand in one fashion or another about bleeding your teams colors as well. Being a Razorback fan for pretty much my entire life there have been so many high points as well as heartbreak along the way. At it's highest point there was an NCAA men's basketball championship in 1994 under the great direction of coach Nolan Richardson. As Razorback fans we have had to persevere through some very lean years in basketball and football. The 2014 edition of Razorback football persevered with their fans as well this year. For an organization to persevere whether it is a sports team, a business, a family, a school, or school district there has to be perseverance. For perseverance to happen there has to be great leadership at all levels.

This particular Razorback team had great leadership at the top in coach Bret Bielema. They also had great leadership with its assistant coaches and its seniors and other players. They had to in order to persevere through what was a very difficult start to the SEC season. They had some very painful losses and could have folded their tent up and mailed the rest of the season in. However, they didn't! The reason being was perseverance due to great leadership at all levels that wouldn't allow anyone to quit on their season or each other.  There is a similar parallel in education that we can learn from.

With the huge demands put on us as educators and in turn increased rigor on our students there can be some very difficult days, weeks, months from time to time. During these difficult times how do we react as educators? What type of leadership do we show? Do we have the determination to persevere? To make it through difficult times? To continue to do things the correct way even when it would be easier to take short cuts? Everyone can persevere through good times. I love to quote movies. One of my favorite quotes is from the movie, A League Of Their Own. Tom Hanks' character Jimmy Dugan tells Geena Davis' character, "If it were easy, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." We have all persevered and came out on the other side of a difficult situation and not only been better off for it but have experienced tremendous growth from that perseverance. It is not easy getting to the other side but once there it is so worth the journey.

Perseverance may have to come in many different situations. It may be a teacher that has to become a better classroom manager, teach with more rigor, an administrator setting the pace/example for instruction in their building or district. There may have to be a complete culture change in a district or building that will take a lot of perseverance for sure.  A previous district that I worked was going on fiscal distress as I became principal there.  As a district we had to persevere through some difficult times and make some difficult decisions that certainly paid off and that district is on very sound financial footing.  I currently work for a district that had to experience fiscal distress as well before I arrived and were taken off that fiscal distress list as well.  They persevered and there was tremendous personal and professional growth because of that perseverance.  In both of these situations the administrators, teachers, and staff were great examples to their community stakeholders and most importantly to their students.  Much can be and is always learned by persevering.

As we endeavor through our days as educators and things get difficult it is important to understand and remember that if we don't persevere, if we take the easy way out then ultimately it is our students that suffer and get shortchanged. As educators we have to persevere! We must have great leadership!

Do We Understand?

As educators it is extremely important that we understand the impact that we have on our students and community!  On a daily basis there are numerous moments where we will impact a student's life.  Will we be aware of that impact and care whether it is a positive or negative impact? Do we understand how important our role is in a student's life?  This is a burning but simple question!  

Being a great educator takes a great amount of hard work, dedication, passion, and reflection, among other things. Reflection is something that I used to sweep by the wayside and roll my eyes at when asked to reflect as an educator.   The more time I spend as an educator the more I realize how much true reflection is vitally important in an educator's life.  It has many times given me clarity on the impact both good and bad I have as an educator.  I have also realized how important it is in my personal life as well.  

If you are not familiar with TED Talks then as a person and an educator I urge you to become familiar with them. They are so informative, helpful, and inspirational. There are many that center on education and leadership. One such talk that focuses on leadership is by Drew Dudley. A lot of you will be familiar with this video. Drew speaks about the importance of leadership and the impact we can have on peoples' lives and not even be aware of it. Drew refers to them as lollipop moments. You'll have to watch his video to understand what he means.  

As educators we will effect our students on a daily basis. We may not even be aware of it until years later or maybe ever!  Rest assured we do have an enormous impact on our students and our community. We are leaders!  As educators we matter in the lives of our students! 

Do we understand the impact we have?  Do we understand how important we are in the lives of students? Do understand we may very well be the most important person in that student's life?  It is so important that we do!  As we all enter into a new school year we should be cognizant of the huge impact we have on our students. There will be many lollipop moments along the way, even if we are not aware of them at the time. 

Failure is an Option

In the movie, Apollo 13 Gene Kranz, the flight director for NASA at the time was credited with the quote, "Failure is not an option".  Even though not any of the astronauts or people associated with the space program actually said that it was a good quote for a movie as well as a title for a book Kranz would later write.  However, it characterized the determination of getting astronauts home safely during the Apollo 13 mission.  In that sense that mantra was extremely important for everyone involved to have that frame of mind. Of course in NASA's attempts to build rockets and develop a space program before astronauts were ever sent into space, failure was an option.  Improvement and perfection require and demand mistakes.  It is important to see what doesn't work before we as people know what does and will continue to work.

That thought process of failure is extremely important in education.  For so long it seems that the opposite thought process of not failing was preached so to speak.  There is a Domino's Pizza commercial that is currently airing where two Domino's executives state that 'failure is an option'.  Andy Wetzel, of Domino's product innovation states, "At Domino's failure is an option!  We know everything isn't going to work".
Also, Scott Hinshaw who is Executive Vice President of Operations says, "In order to get better, in order to move ahead you're gonna make mistakes."  This type of outlook has to be mirrored in education.  Not only for our students but also for our teachers, parents, community member, and all stakeholders alike.  Mistakes will happen.  What we learn from those mistakes and how we move forward are paramount and of the most importance.  There is no success without failure.  I am using several quotes in this entry.  I will use another one from Robert Kennedy; "Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly."

As educators it is so important for us to understand that failing along the way will make not only ourselves stronger but make our students stronger and help them achieve and learn so many life lessons along the way. We want to perfect our craft and be as complete as possible.  None of that will happen without failure along the way.  I hope that this thought will hit home for educators and parents alike as we are about to begin the school year.  I will leave you with a quote from the great Winston Churchill; "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

We Are a Product of Our Environment

As I was sitting in a restaurant eating lunch recently there was a family sitting somewhat close to me.  There were mom and dad, three kids that I am guessing were about seven, four, and two, as well as a grandma thrown in too.  The two year old seemed to be a typical two year old which all parents know can be a very trying age.  She had interest in many things such as crawling on the floor, grabbing things, talking a lot, and not wanting to listen very well.  I watched without trying to seem obvious as the father continued to get more and more irritated at the daughter.  He would raise his voice loudly: STOP, GET OUT OF THE FLOOR, I AM GETTING TIRED OF YOU NOT LISTENING!  However, there was never any follow up other than raising his voice where everyone in the restaurant could here him.  Meanwhile, the little girl paid him no attention whatsoever.  She appeared to have her own agenda as two year old children often do.  She eventually went too far and the dad and grandma had enough.  She was told by the father and grandmother: Now you've gone too far! Look what you've done!  You need a spanking now! Sure does!  The two year old continued to smile and never really seem to give them another thought.  She did receive a spat on the behind but never really reacted one way or the other.  She was unfazed to say the least.  We won't discuss or look at merits and negatives of corporal punishment.  That is a discussion for another time.

However, the little girl brought a thought to mind concerning education and society in general.  We are products of our environment whether we are adults, children, or even pets.  If there are consistent parameters then there is a consistency in our habits and behavior.  In both the home and in our school districts kids need guidance, direction, and parameters.  They don't need these parameters on a part time basis.  We can't be part time educators or parents.  There is way too much at stake!  This consistency must occur in both their personal and educational lives.

If there are inconsistent parameters in a person's life there will be inconsistencies in their behavior, work ethic, academic performance, etc. There are exceptions to this rule it seems with people that seem to be naturally more driven than others. Typically as adults we can stay consistent for the most part but children must have that consistency and guidance.  If there are behavior issues and academic issues because of our inability as adults to provide the guidance that is necessary then we are failing children miserably.  We have huge responsibilities as parents and educators to guide children and provide a consistent environment in their life.

We can't expect consistency in behavior and academic performance if we are not providing a stable consistent environment in both the home and in the classroom.  The young girl who acted inappropriately due to lack of guidance and follow up seemed to be a product of her environment.  In the end we will all be products of our environments.

Leaving Is Never Easy

I have been the high school principal at Armorel School District for four years.  As of June 30th I will be the principal at Western Yell County.  Leaving a place is never easy!  As an educator you forge relationships with your staff, community, and mostly students.  The students are the hardest to say good bye to and let go of.  Armorel has been wonderful to me.  I am sorry for them that I had to cut my teeth as an administrator at this wonderful community. 

There are many people who I will miss as I leave here on to a new challenge and adventure at a wonderful school.  I am leaving a wonderful school as well.  Even though I have thanked my staff, students, fellow administrators, and community members directly they are certainly worth one more mention.  I spoke of Sally Bennett, the superintendent at Armorel in my blog earlier in the week.  She has been wonderful.  I have worked alongside two great educators in Teresa Lawrence who will replace me as high school principal and our elementary principal Joey Carr.  Everyone knows that a school does not run efficiently without a great administrative assistant.  I certainly had a great one in Mrs. Terry Tillman.  Thank you for your hard work and making my job as easy as possible.  I will miss you.

I spoke earlier of relationships that are forged in not only a school but any place of work.  I am going to speak of one particular person who would absolutely not want to be mentioned because of her modestly and humility.  Melissa Booker is the K-12 counselor at Armorel.  She is a wonderful person, mother, wife, and educator.  She is every principal's dream as a counselor and support person!  As all good school employees do she goes way beyond what is expected and is so much more than a counselor.  She is fantanstic at her job, loves kids, and has such a soft heart for them.  I spoke to regaining passion in my first blog post earlier in the week.  Melissa has such a passion for kids and what is right and fair to them.  She is a great advocate for students!  She is everything to everyone in a very small school district.  During my blog post earlier in the week I spoke of educators who have inspired me.  Mrs. Melissa Booker certainly fits into that category.  I knew I would write this post separate and thought she deserved a space to her own.  I can't thank her enough for the encouragement, support, and friendship she has afforded me over the past four years.  I will miss her greatly!

Thank you Armorel for a great four years I will always hold near and dear to my heart.

We all need Inspired!

This is my first go-round (southern term) at blogging.  It is something I have wanted to do for a long time.  With that being said it is only appropriate that I pay tribute to people that have been inspirations for me both personally and professionally.  I have often needed inspiration in recent times as educator. There have been times in the last couple of years that I have even doubted as to whether I was in the right profession.  However, I want to dedicate this blog to talk about educators and friends who have encouraged me, aided me, and most of all inspired me in renewing my passion for education.

I want to first of all thank my family. That has to start with my beautiful wife Theresa, my two great kids Aaron and Megan as well as their spouses Ashton and Will.  There is nothing more important than family!  However, they deserve an entry all to their own.  They all continue to inspire me daily. With that being said, here are six educators who have and continue to be an inspiration to me.

• Sally Bennett (@sallyebennett) has been my superintendent the last two years.  As I leave Armorel I will always be indebted to Mrs. Bennett.  She has been a tremendous influence, and given me incredible support the previous two years.  She has held me accountable and forced me to reflect in ways that I wasn't comfortable with and that has allowed me to have tremendous growth.  I am so thankful for her support as an administrator and person.  I will be forever influenced by the lessons taught to me during my time with her.  

• Daisy Dyer Duerr (@DaisyDyerDuerr) is a fellow Arkansan (Woo Pig Sooie) and educator that I recommend you follow on Twitter.  I started following Daisy two years ago during spring break.  I was pretty new to Twitter at the time, and I was looking for good educators to follow.  I have since become friends with Daisy, and she is an even better person than she is an educator.  That is saying a lot!  She is not only a fountain of knowledge but is so passionate and caring for students and their educational and personal well being.  She holds me accountable in my educational endeavors.  She once told me that I needed to get my mojo back.  She has been a wonderful inspiration but a little mean at times. Her website is daisydyerduerr.com.

• Dr. Avis Williams (@DrAvisW) is an educator in North Carolina who is a diehard Alabama Crimson Tide fan.  Please don't hold that against her though.  She too has provided me with inspiration and great knowledge and encouragement. I met Avis as well by following her on Twitter. I think the conversation started because of her allegiance to Alabama football.  I quickly discovered her vast educational knowledge as well as great passion to educate young people. She has a great passion for reading which she promotes every chance she gets. She is a great person as well.  She continues to inspire me with her wisdom and friendship.  Read her blog at readingwithdravis.blogspot.com.

• Matt Irwin (@mmirwin3) is my very best friend in the world.  I had the privilege of working with Matt for several years at the same school.  I continue to learn from him as time goes by.  He is one of the most positive and calm people that I have ever met.  He always has an unbiased perspective that helps me see things clearly.  More than being a great educator he is an incredibly generous person.  I admire and respect him greatly as an educator and more importantly as a person.  

• James Anthony (@wdisneywfan) is my brother and fellow educator.  He does have a Twitter account but isn't active on social media.  However, he is a great educator and a very dedicated special education teacher at the Nettleton School District in Arkansas.  He has to vent on occasion, but he is very passionate and meticulous about his work and his job.  Some might say a little OCD.  I need to be a little more meticulous in my daily job as well. 

• Last but not least my daughter Megan Smith Strain (@msmith1461).  She gets two mentions, one as a daughter and one as an educator.  Megan recently graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a degree in social studies and a minor in Biology.  She is looking to find a teaching job somewhere in SW Arkansas if any administrators from that area of the state are reading.  She helped me recover a fire and passion that I had partially lost.  She has two things that I think help all educators succeed: passion and vision!  She has helped me recover my passion and gain a clearer vision of education.  I love her dearly and I am extremely proud of her.
  Inspiration is something we all need from time to time.  We need to be inspired and we need to pay that forward and try to inspire others.  As I finish my first blog, I leave you with three questions: Who inspires you?  What inspires you?  Do you inspire others?