Skip to main content

Half Full

I was in my former district for 10 years in various capacities. During those years, my favorite role was that of Middle School Principal. It's an experience I look back on often and recall with pure fondness. I learned so much during that time and with that team. As I spent more time there, my awareness and perception about our school grew and gained dimension. My appreciation for what we had deepened. I could find beauty, effort and celebration in so much. I grew skilled in articulating those positives.

In my new role, in a much larger district, I serve as a newer member of the administrative team and often walk away from different meetings in different buildings truly amazed at what this district offers for students. I don't always get to articulate that as well as I should. It's all so new to me still so the time to fully process is longer. 

Do we have areas we need to look at more closely for certain parts of our student population? Yes! Do we have areas of needed improvement? Of course we do. All schools do!  

 But, when you look across all buildings and listen closely to all stories, you have no choice but to be struck by the vastness of what is being done. In some areas, we are making big improvements and in others there are small steps forward. But, the direction in both is forward. All kinds of people (and members of teams) are suiting up each day to do what is best for students, day in and day out. 

What is it about our work or our lens that might be used to seeing what is missing instead of seeing what is already there?

It's a forced shift in thinking, isn't it?  Is the glass half-full or half-empty? 

We place such pressure on ourselves to be perfectly linear in our progress. We know better than to think any path to improvement  moves with that kind of precision.  We know better than to think that's what (real) success looks like.

http://www.calmer-you.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/success-really-looks-like.png


This is the kind of advice we give students and our own children each and every day.  We tell them to trust the process and stay the course. Celebrate the small wins. Sometimes, we'd do well to listen to it ourselves and to keep pushing forward. It's a matter of how we decide to see it and what we take time to fully notice. 

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Growth Mindset

This will be a quick post likely full of errors and incomplete sentences. But, I feel a pressing need to get these thoughts to paper while: a) I have time  and b) I can still remember the pieces I want to connect I was given a great opportunity to work with Dr. Shawn Hunziker today. We've conducted some online book studies around Mindset by Carol Dweck. This past winter, we were invited to give a keynote to CSE Chairpersons ( BIG TIME for us) and that led to today's session with CNYSEA's Summer Institute .  On my way to the session, I was rehearsing notes (as I always do, see previous post ). At a stop sign near the venue where the conference was held, I pulled up in back of a car and noticed the neatest license plate: NEVRQT* I think that's how it was spelled. I tried to grab a picture but realized how creepy that would look and did not reshoot the blurry image I captured. When I arrived at the conference, I immediately told my partner, Sh...
18 comments
Read more

Shelf Life

I was getting teased by a friend about how long I had been working in my current position. "How long have you been there?" "Four years as Principal but 10 years in the district." "You do realize you've overstayed your welcome." "What?!" "Your shelf life. Most administrators only have 5-7 years in each position. You've passed that." That conversation was intended to be light hearted but it had me thinking hours later. We know that one of the most critical educational influences in a child's performance is an awesome teacher. But, right after that, we usually hear about the need for solid leadership. At the NASSP Principals' Institute, the suggestion was shared that principals might even share the top spot with teachers in determining success. The argument was great principals hire great teachers...they need each other. I still believe teachers make the most direct difference but I am aware of how interdependent bo...
12 comments
Read more

Gram

I am a member of the #compelledtribe. We are a blogging group that supports each other and writes in response to posted topics every so often. This week's topic is: Share a story about someone who loved you when you didn't expect it, earn it, or either deserve it. One of my biggest regrets in life is that my grandmother may not have fully known the impact she has had on me. I had the privilege of living next door to her for nearly 5 years. There were rituals she made me do with her. We watched ice skating every Sunday. We watched Wheel of Fortune most nights. On weekends, she sent me around town to different stores, by foot, with a shopping list for deals at each of them (based on the flyers). I had an odd fashion sense then and she was never afraid to tell me if I looked awful. My gram was the lady with the lavender sweater, lavender slacks, and lavender pumps. She matched. I sported a more Boy George inspired look that she never really understood or appreciated.  G...
11 comments
Read more