Elementary principal, husband, and father of amazing kids. Lucky enough to work with and serve awesome students, teachers, and families in my own community.
Students are generally more excited about learning when the teacher is excited about teaching. The engagement of the kids is usually connected to the enthusiasm of the adult.
For me, remaining “positive” is not about always having a great day or a perfect attitude. (We all have rough days.) But it is about keeping things in perspective. And it is about an abiding certainty that we can choose to make a difference every day, in spite of the adversity.
The best part of my day:
Two first grade students came in at the end of the day to give me a hug/say goodbye. One pointed to this message on my whiteboard saying, “That was written for me!”
Her friend replied, “I think he wrote it for me too!”
They are loved and know it!
I’m inspired by educators who see the big picture. Educators who recognize the goal is not a compliant student, but an engaged student... Educators who value relationships over rules... Educators who realize their work is about investing in the future of children.
People may hear your words, and they may read your words. But that doesn’t mean they know your heart. What really matters, is what you do and how you treat others. It’s the example you set. The life you lead is always more powerful than the speech you give.
When you focus on being good to the people you work with… there’s a decent chance you will end up being great at your job. They may remember your ideas; they may remember your skill; they will always remember how you treated the people with whom you worked. #JoyfulLeaders
Some of the best professional learning takes place when we solicit feedback from the kids in our class... and genuinely listen to it. When we consider the point of view of our students, we significantly increase our potential for making their learning experiences meaningful.
I know you teachers out there have much to be thankful for... but please remember there are a lot of parents out there who are thankful for YOU. You often spend more time with their children than they do, and they are grateful for how you teach them, inspire them, and love them.