What do you see in your selfie?: A commencement speech

Dedicated to the Turkey Run High School Class of 2016
May 28, 2016

Good afternoon and welcome to family and friends, teachers and staff, school board members, and most of all--our graduating class of 2016.

Today, I could easily talk about how awesome the last thirteen years of school have been, but that has already been said.  I could also talk about what your future will hold, but that, too, has been eloquently stated.  Instead, I want to talk about a very important issue in our society--selfies.  I know that it might come as a shock to many of you, but I have been known to take a selfie or two.  The word selfie was added to the Oxford Online Dictionary in 2013, and means “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.”  

I think I can be fairly certain that nearly every graduate sitting up here has taken a selfie.  What do you really see when you look at that selfie?  Do you see what others see, or do you see what you wish others would see?  Only you can know what is going on behind that smile (or frown, or duck-lips).  There are traits that only YOU know that YOU possess.  Look inside the heart and mind of that person in your selfie.  

One social media graphic that is floating around the Twittersphere stated that there are ten qualities that every employer would want their employees to possess, regardless of how smart they might be.  These ten qualities all require zero talent.  Think about all of the classes that you have taken over the past 13 years, from Kindergarten to Calculus.  Are these qualities present in your selfie?

1. Being on time: When I was in high school, my band director had the phrase “being early is on time, being on time is late, and being late is unacceptable.”  The the only thing that prevents this from happening is a good alarm clock.  Some of you really need to purchase one, or two, or three--today!
2. Work ethic: Are you a self-starter, or do you always wait to be told to begin your tasks?
3. Effort: Are you working to your fullest potential at all times, or do you give up when tasks become a little challenging?
4. Body language: Are you dressed appropriately, well-groomed, clean, and focused, or are you unkempt, disheveled, and distracted?  Do you maintain eye contact with others, or do you keep your earbuds in your ears when others are talking to you?  Sometimes what you DON’T say is louder than what you DO say.
5. Energy: Do you take care of yourself so that you can function through the day, or do you give the impression that you could fall asleep at any time?
6. Attitude: Only YOU know if this is a positive or a negative aspect in your life.
7. Passion: Do you truly LOVE what you do?  If not, find something that you love to do.
8. Being coachable: This is not a reference to sports, but rather the ability to take criticism and do a task the way your supervisor, teacher, or parent wants it done.
9. Doing extra: Do you do the bare minimum or do you go above and beyond?  Doing extra without the expectation of being compensated, or helping a coworker when you find yourself with unexpected free time makes a huge statement, both professionally and personally.
10. Being prepared: Are you physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to tackle the tasks for the day?

Take a look at that selfie again.  How many of those ten traits to you really see behind those eyes?  Only you can possibly know.  My best wishes to all of you as you leave Turkey Run and head out to the great future that lies ahead, whatever that may be.  Congratulations.

...but the parents didn't come

Those of us who are (or were) secondary-level teachers may have had some of those very lonely Parent-Teacher Conference nights.  It seems that in some schools, no matter how much you publicize the event, only a handful of parents show up.  Even I have muttered the words, “All of the conferences I would have liked to have had didn’t show up.”  

Maybe it is the readily-available online grade books that parents can access 24/7 to see their student’s progress….

Or maybe it is avoidance of the (once again) negative conference…..

Perhaps the parent feels that the student is old enough to monitor his own progress….

Nonetheless, it is our responsibility as educators to include the families of our students to maximize their fullest potential.  Try this...on the day after conferences, do the following:

List the names of the students receiving a D or F in your class.

Add to that list the names of students who...

• are getting a B or C and are not working up to potential
• you already have concerns about not passing the semester
• have missing assignments in your class
• have behavioral issues in your class
• doze off in your class

Delete the names of students who...

• had parents attend conferences the previous night
• you have spoken with the parents in the last two weeks about any of the above issues
• had an IEP/504/RtI meeting that you attended and/or gave meaningful input in the last three weeks

What you have left are families that should still be contacted.  You could start with a generic email through your school’s student information system.  Here is a suggestion....

"I am sorry that we were not able to connect at Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday.  I would still like to have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress with you.  Please email me some times that we could speak on the phone.  I look forward to partnering with you on your child's educational journey."

Perhaps to avoid the back-pedaling, do this exercise a few days PRIOR to conferences.  Reaching out to families shows that you care about their child and his progress.  They say, “Build it and they will come.”  Sometimes, however, you may have to bring “it” to them.

photo credit: www.dreamstime.com

Spokes in the Wheel

It may sound odd to you that I am a principal that does not have the explicit goal of improving test scores.  I would rather say that my goal is to increase student achievement.  EVERY school works to improve student achievement, and, good or bad, standardized test scores are usually the most publicized manner to show this growth.  Imagine that student achievement is a wheel with eight spokes.  Each spoke represents a facet of student success: rigorous curriculum, passionate teachers, student attendance, family support, extracurricular participation, positive relationships, student voice, and community involvement.  All of these must have equal support and strength to keep the wheel in line and balanced.  If one or more of these spokes are weak or missing, increased pressure is placed on the remaining spokes to produce the same amount of success.  As we work to strengthen each spoke, we create a solid platform for our students to succeed--academically, socially, physically, and emotionally.

It is my goal to collaboratively empower these spokes throughout the year at Turkey Run Jr/Sr High School in Marshall, Indiana.  This village will continue to raise every student that walks through our doors, propelling them into a future where their skills and knowledge will place them as competitive equals to graduates from any school in the state.