Morning, all. I want to share a poem that one of my readers emailed yesterday. He is an elementary art teacher from Oklahoma. He wrote in response to his frustration with the system as a new-ish teacher. I think a lot of us old-ish teachers will find that his frustrations reflect many of our own. He offered it to me as a thank you, and I was moved, so I asked him if I could share it.

“In my frustration, I wrote this poem, and reflecting on it, I thought of you. You are an inspiration. I hope that you take this as a thank-you for publishing your story – both the ups and the downs.”

Thank you for letting me share your sentiments this morning. Keep teaching for yourself and the kids.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…tying up some loose ends.

…cultivating connections with Community Circle.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Have a wonderful weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Well, they didn’t boo me outta the room yesterday, so I think it went okay. I want to thank the AWSL (Greg Barker, James Layman, Joe Fenbert) for trusting me with my message to the young, prospective educators with whom I was lucky enough to share an experience. A separate, huge thank you to James Layman for turning a Twitter connection into a real life opportunity to connect some dots from our separate but same journeys as we strive to boost the lives of “these days’ kids” to their next levels. Thank you, my friend. Honored to now know you.

It was a great day. But for the little I gave, I took far more. Selfishly, I used the day to restore my resolve, to power my passion, to capture my courage for cultivating connections in the classroom. I will make it my life’s work. I know that sounds grandiose–even more so than usual, perhaps–but I am serious. Yesterday, was an awakening for me. I feel like a giant woke in me. And though I have a lot to consider regarding next steps and next levels for this work, I am resolute in this pursuit. Feel like I am starting a whole new journey, and all it took was talking with the future of our profession. Can’t wait to get started, to find the giant within so I can face the giant without.

Today’s Trail

Weird day today. Kids will be registering for next year during my class. Funny that I am not worried about lost instructional time. I am worried about lost connection time. Kills me that we won’t be able to do Smiles and Frowns today. Trying to devise a way to still connect. I’ll think of something.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Well, ready or not, here it is. Been up since 4:00 refining my presentation (once I figured out the hotel wi-fi), trying to get it just right, trying to find the sweet spot between enough but not too much. Eventually, I will just run out of time, and I will just have to go with it. It. But what is it?

Funny in these moments how one feels, how I feel. I’m sure it’s just doubt seeping in, maybe some signs of impostor syndrome, but I am struck by the “who-am-I-to-say?” conundrum of it. Why is my work worthy? What do I have to say that they want to hear? Who am I a but a teacher from Cheney, Washington? The questions continue, the doubts hover, but I guess I should know that’s all a part of it. It happens. And when it does, we just have to go with it; we just have to let it happen. So, I’ll just let it happen. All I can do.

Happy Wednesday, all. I will let you know how “it” goes tomorrow.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Short posts the next two days. Sorry. A little stressed and preoccupied with presenting tomorrow. A bit of a Nervous Ned, I tend to find myself singularly focused on these occasions. And since I am also the Prince of Procrastination, I truly find myself needing the last minutes, and at the moment, I am finding my minutes short, so I am going to deal with my manic mountain. Sorry.

Will check in briefly from my hotel room in the morning. Happy Tuesday.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Happy Monday, all. Wanted to share a connection I made with a teacher from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada last week.

Started with a tweet, sharing what one of my students cleverly did with our “words to watch” from last semester.

As promised, Omoyemwen delivered.

What started as a fun share on Twitter turned into an international collaboration. Thank you, Omoyemwen for connecting. Cool that miles don’t really matter. Excited to share this with my kids today.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting with Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…completing our listening for tone activity.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Excited to share that I have been asked by the Association of Washington School Leaders (AWSL) and the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) to present at Future School Leaders Day next Wednesday, February 26 in Seattle. I will have the chance to share an experience with area student leaders who are interested in pursuing careers in education. I am grateful for this opportunity to connect and share some of my work. Thank you, James Layman, Greg Barker, and Joe Fenbert for trusting me at this stage of our young leaders’ journeys. Can’t wait. Thank you.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…”listening for tone” as readers, listeners, and viewers.

…considering how our own emotions, biases, and assumptions impact our ability to “hear” others, especially those with whom we disagree.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Busy morning for me. Have a meeting during my planning period, so I am off to school early to get my day set up. Funny how finite our time becomes, and though I advocated for slowing down with the kids yesterday, I often disregard my own advice and run into and through my days. So, I am off and running. Sorry, I couldn’t pause here a little a longer this morning.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience.

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…”tweeting” an endorsement of a personal value (not actually on Twitter, just using the 280 character limit).

…”listening for tone” as readers.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

I don’t know if slow and steady wins the race, but I let my learners set the pace. And that pace varies considerably, at all stages of the experience. Adverse to prescribed pacing guides, which are often sold as part of the “follow-with-fidelity” package or imagined as sacred sacrifices to the coverage deities, I look to my learners to set the speed at which we make our way through our learning. And while that may seem a sensible–maybe even noble–approach, If I am honest, it’s both a blessing and a curse as I try to reconcile the pace race that hovers and taunts from the outside with the “human happenings” on the inside.

And the outside pressure is prevalent. There are things that will be on “the test” that we will never get to. Never. And though that may impact some of my kids’ scores, I have resigned myself to this reality. Malpractice? Maybe. I suppose I have a duty to cover content. But, in truth, I have never once made it to the prescribed finish line in my twenty-four years of racing. I have never won that race, and now I have accepted that I never will, for I have given into the pressure within.

Inside the classroom, is the realest of realities. For inside the classroom is where the learners reside, and they provide the guide for the pace necessary for our work. So I keep up with them. Some days they speed up, even sprint. Some days they slow down, even crawl. Some days we make great strides forward. Some days we take giant steps back. And as we make our way through our some days, we take each in stride, for no two are the same. But each day, we experience learning, “humans happening” side-by-side, letting that be our guide.

I don’t know if that makes me a tortoise–maybe it makes me an ass, a stubborn one–but I can’t get into the pace race. Never have. Never will.

Today’s (slow) Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…cultivating culture with Kindness Cards.

…publishing our personal values.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Better. Better’s been my word. Whether it’s guiding me as a teacher, a husband, a father, a friend, or a “self,” it’s become my guide as I make my way through the trials and triumphs of my personal and professional life. For much of my life, I thought good or great (sometimes perfect) were the way, but those were not always realistic or healthy pursuits, as I created–and let others create–impossible standards, creating an endless cycle of either feeling a failure when I didn’t or fearing a fraud if I did. So, I discovered better. And it’s made me…better.

I try to pass this on to my kids in the classroom, telling them that the worst they can do is a chance at better. And that assurance has become the hallmark in the 180 classroom for both academics and behavior. A believer in possibility, I choose to make my room a realm of possibility. I can’t promise my kids chances at better if I don’t provide possibility. So, I do. For I believe, as long as they are pursuing better, they are learning. I believe as long as any of us are chasing better, we are learning. I believe in better.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…placing value on values (societal and personal).

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Head on a swivel. Eyes searching. I’m on a mission. This is my hallway routine. I am looking for something. I know they are there. They are always there, so I look. I have to catch them. It’s my job. And when I do, I call them out. Well, I call them in.

“Hey, (any name you can imagine). How ya doing, kiddo?”

Got ’em! Hard to get by me. I am a seasoned searcher, and as I said, I’m on a mission, a self-assigned hallway monitor. I seek out my kiddos past and present, and I call to them. Sometimes, it’s across the hall. Sometimes, it’s a surprise as I fall in beside them and bump them on the shoulder. Sometimes, I see a few. Sometimes, I see so many I can barley shout them out as we zoom past each other, but I do shout them out. Sometimes, they act as if they are surprised that I can still “see them” outside my room. Most times, they cast me a warm smile and a “Hey, Sy.”

Yesterday, crowded and crunched, I spied a kiddo I haven’t seen much since last year, and I hurried a “Hey, kiddo,” as we passed, both being carried along by the traffic on our respective sides of the hall. Saw her again as we were leaving our diversity assembly.

“Hey, Sy. You made my day.”

“Oh, how did I do that, kiddo?”

“You said ‘hey, kiddo’ earlier. I miss that.”

Hey, kiddo. Sometimes, that’s all our kids need. A simple “I see you.”

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…considering and ranking “American Values.”

…selecting and sorting personal values.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all. No school for us tomorrow (we have a professional learning day). So, no post. Back here on Tuesday. Have a great weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.