Feeding Frenzy

Sometimes I accidentally forget to fill my bird feeder for a couple days when it becomes empty--usually when I notice that I do not have a flock of finches, cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers, bluebirds, and blue jays roosted in my back yard.  It seems that it does not take long for word to spread in the aviary world that fresh seed is out for all to devour.  Soon, the flock returns to my yard, feasting upon the crunchy morsels, and then flying away to obviously spread word that there is “good stuff” in that yard over there.  Hard to believe that such a small act on my part can create such a feeding frenzy. 

Sometimes our schools can be just that—a feeding frenzy.  After a spell of non-communication with families, any little piece of information seems to spread like wildfire.  Obviously, I prefer POSITIVE messages to become viral, rather than the negative.  It is so easy for the public to think that nothing is happening in the schools if they haven’t heard anything in a while.  That is when the occasional negative message circulates globally in an instant, just because that is the ONLY message coming from the school in a while.  We have a plethora of vehicles to create continual excitement about our schools—social media, email, displays, websites, blogs, videos, and even retro newsletters!  Educators need to “toot their own horn,” for excellence occurs every day, and it is difficult for one person to be omniscient of every instance of awesomeness.  It can be as simple as a tweet about students on a field trip, artwork, lab experiments, or social studies presentations.  It could be a mass email congratulating students on the completion of a major test, project, or initiative.  A parent thank-you post on Facebook could be shared just as often as the tirade about displeasure about school being canceled (or not) due to weather conditions.

A regular diet of small awesome messages being circulated around our communities will significantly outweigh the occasional not-so-awesome ones.  We can all create that feeding frenzy—just don’t let your feeder go empty for too long.

1000 Words

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  After scrolling through seemingly thousands of pictures tweeted and shared by school principals across America for #APrincipalsDay on January 7 (and beyond), a few came immediately to mind: happy, dedicated, energetic, immersed, student-oriented, fun.  I certainly did not see any frowny-faces (even those who were shoveling snow or fixing copy machines).  We principals truly love what we do. 

Early in my teaching career, administration was usually referred to as the “dark side.”  Teachers who made the jump to administration somehow donned the cloak of evil, forgot everything there was about being in the classroom, and made it their mission to create antagonism.  Even when I made the decision to step out of the classroom after 18 years and enter administration, some of my teacher colleagues used the same phrase for me (in jest).  No offense was taken; I even joked about it myself.  I remember early in my teaching career, I told one of my awesome principals that there would be no way that I would ever sit on the other side of that desk and do what he did--ever.  But, through the encouragement of a few more administrators AND my lovely wife, I took the leap.

You know what?  There really is not another side to the desk.  To be honest, I’m not at my desk long enough during the day to know which side is mine.  Most of us administrators are not the “old school” principals you may remember from ages past.  It really isn’t us vs. them.  We are all still teachers—all in this together (I feel a song coming on, but I will refrain).  We get to work with the most talented, caring, and empowering individuals known to mankind—teachers.  We also have the benefit of being able to influence our youth in a very positive way.  That is why we do what we do.  It is not to get out of teaching, but rather to come along side and support everything about education: tying shoes, reading a book, counting, cursive, long division, nutrition, debate, critical thinking, digital citizenship, technology infusion, state standards, and educator effectiveness.

Seeing those smiling principals, teachers, staff members, and students on the Twitter feed reaffirmed that this is the calling for me.  I do not have to go to work every day; I get to come to school.  Take time to smile every day, say cheese(head), and tweet a selfie.  A picture is worth a thousand words, or maybe just a few.