As I sit here, watching weather updates on Tropical Storm Isaac, I reflect on my first week of school. This year was like nothing I have ever experienced... Crazy, wonderful, overwhelming, and unpredictable!
I started this year balancing two jobs: My Curriculum Specialist position and my position teaching three classes of 6th grade Earth Space Science (a curriculum I have never taught before!) Like many teachers in Florida, I will also be incorporating the new Common Core standards, will need to demonstrate effective Marzano teaching strategies, and will be embracing a curriculum that must be challenging and rigorous for my students. On top of that, add coordinating the School Improvement plan, the partnership program, the Common Core Implementation team, mentoring new teachers, hall duty, and bus duty.
Oh yeah, don't forget, I am also taking THREE graduate courses which are part of a specialized, rigorous program in my district- these classes require tons of reading, writing papers, and performing leadership tasks in my school.
Oh and by the way... let's prepare for a Hurricane too! Hummm, it has been quite a week in deed!!I am glad that school is closed tomorrow, I need a day to catch up!
Hope your first week of school was a little less hectic!
The class I have just finished up focused on communication and encouraged us to find new types of media for our communication. In this class we learned about Prezi presentations- basically the next generation of PowerPoint. Although the most creative new media I learned about was one that one of my classmates introduced us to called Xtranormal. It is a site that allows us to turn written words into a video cartoon. I used this site to create a little introductory video to use with my class on the first day of school. I hope they enjoy it... and I hope you enjoy it too!
Have you ever noticed how excited teachers get when glue sticks go on sale for $.25 a pack? Or notebook paper for $.50 and you better duck and hide when Office Depot puts those pocket folders on sale. This year, in order to meet class-size requirements, in addition to my full time Curriculum Specialist job, I will also be teaching three blocks of 6th grade science- Earth & Space Science to be exact. While I am a little nervous about handling my work load, I am actually pretty excited to be teaching science again, especially since Earth & Space is my favorite strand to teach! Needless to say, this week, during pre-planning week, I have been busy switching classrooms, moving equipment, unpacking boxes, sorting through textbooks, and setting up my classroom. I really am a NERD, because while setting up my new room I have been as giddy as a kid on Christmas while I unpacked fossils and rock samples, volcano models, tornado tubes, and hung giant inflated plastic planets. I can't wait to start growing my crystals and making the volcano erupt!!! But perhaps one of my enjoyable experiences this week... making my pilgrimage to Target for my .$25 twin packs of glue sticks! You really wouldn't believe how excited I was getting as I piled all the school supplies, post-its notes and markers into my cart. The lady at the check out counter, whom I thought would think I was nuts for being so excited, actually shared my enthusiasm... turns out she is a fifth grade teacher during the school year and was working as a cashier at Target over the summer. The lady behind me just shook her head as we discussed all the great deals on school supplies.
As I loaded the bags of school supplies in my trunk, I couldn't help but think of those bank executives that get bonuses that could pay for a trip to Europe. Business leaders with company perks that allow them to enjoy box seats for sporting events. CEO's that fly in their company jets, stay in 5-star hotels, and only dine in the finest restaurants. I thought about lawyers in their offices and wondered what they would think about buying their own legal pads, and whether THEY would be excited about buying them on sale. I think not... In fact, I think most people would be furious to pay for the supplies that they use in their work places.
Yet, teachers do that all of the time. They buy tissues and stickers and treats and snacks, they buy paper and pencils- just in case some of their students don't have them. The stock their shelves with books and resources all to make teaching and learning more fun. In fact, on average, most teachers spend somewhere between $300-$500 per year on supplies for their students. That money doesn't come from the school's budget, it doesn't come from the state... it comes from them. Now consider the fact that teacher salaries have not been increased in 5 years, and maybe you can start to understand why teachers get so excited when glue sticks go on sale!!!
So this year, while you are out shopping for back to school supplies, consider picking up a few extras and bring them in the the teacher. Teachers do so much for our children and often get very little recognition... So please think about doing what you can to show them you appreciate their efforts. You don't have to wait until Teacher Appreciation Week to thank a teacher, consider starting the year off on a great note by doing one of the following. Here are some little things that may go a long way:
Send a nice note of appreciation.
Send in a "Back to School Goody Basket" include things like stickers, an electric pencil sharpener, Post-it notes, blank stationary, and assorted school supplies.
Most teachers have plenty of mugs, so avoid sending one of those, but consider sending in "stuff" to fill it, like assorted teas or flavored instant coffees, or maybe a $5.00 gift card to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts with a note that says "Tomorrow's coffee is on us. We are looking forward to a great year!"
Consider sending in snacks once a month- maybe a super size box of granola bars or a jumbo container of pretzels. (Make sure to check with the teacher about food allergies before sending in products with nuts!)
Volunteer to help- even if you work, there may be something that the teacher can send home for you to help cut or prepare.
Most teachers have "Wish Lists" of extra things they need for their class- consider purchasing something off that list or better yet, send in a gift card from Walmart or Target, so the teacher can get it on his/her own.
Even if you don't have kids in school anymore you can still purchase some school supplies and drop them off at your neighborhood school. Give them to the guidance counselor and tell them to make sure a needy student gets the supplies.
Can young people teach us about bravery? I think so! The following article was published on the Boston Crusader Facebook page. It tells the story of a young lady that marched drum corp with my daughter this summer. For her, this summer was more than just sometime to do over the summer- it was proof that she could do something that everyone believed she would never be able to do. Please read the story of a truly brave young woman.
As
we celebrate our 7th place finish there is a marching member we wish to
profile, Ilsa Curry. Ilsa's story is one of amazing courage. To us she
will ALWAYS BE A GIANT. Please read below
Why do you march with the Boston Crusaders? I march with the Boston Crusaders because they gave me hope when I had none. I
came to this stage in my life extremely broken-hearted and I knew I had
to prove everyone that told me that "you can't do it" wrong. Because
honestly, there aren't four more inspiring words to me. It's like
telling someone to not go push the red button. If you tell someone "no"
they're going to go push that red button. I lost my left eye in June
2010 due to a chemical accident and I am going blind in my right eye
from strain/sun damage. I am scheduled to receive surgery in August
after I get back from this summer. This corps means too much to me to
ever give up. They are the reason I keep pushing and fighting. Without
them, I am nothing. I march with the Boston Crusaders for the same
reason everyone else does: to have my life be changed. for my friends.
so when I have a seeing eye dog and am blind next year, I can know I had
this red and black family behind me, supporting me all the way.
What has the Crusader experience meant to you? It gave me my life back.
It taught me how to "see" without seeing. I don't use my eyes for
marching, I use kinetics. I feel the people around me. Everyone has a
different wavelength. To me, its more effective than using your eyes
anyway. It gave me my best friends, it gave me a family. And I would be
nowhere without them.
Tell us about your proudest achievement in drum corps. I'm the blind girl. doing drum corps. Enough said.
As
I read Ilsa's amazing story, I thought of the challenges I will face as a
"turn-around" leader. Challenges many will think I will never be able to
overcome, things that people will tell me I can't do. I only hope that I
will have as much determination and courage as Ilsa Curry. Good luck
with your surgery Ilsa, may God keep you safe.
I've been reading a book called "Organizational Behavior" by Osland, Kolb, Rubin, and Turner...a 700+ page monster of a book that is based on an experiment that originally took place at MIT more than 35 years ago, although the book I am reading is actually the 8th edition. This book, presented in be a workbook format, is designed to help leaders diagnose organizational situations, identify effective action strategies, and provide the skills necessary to carry out appropriate actions.
OK, so who cares? And what does this all have to do with communication?
Well one of the "themes" in the book focuses on Communication. Ironically enough, despite the fact that I have been studying this theme in class for the last 5 weeks, I have had several situations in the last few days that could very well be defined as Miscommunication Debacles!
Normally, I would consider myself to be an intelligent person that not only carefully considers information, but generally is able to retain and apply what I have read. So the fact that we have been focusing on effective communication, you would think that I would be able to articulate my ideas clearly and concisely. Well, apparently... NOT!
Let me explain... and perhaps in the process, I can save some of you from Miscommunication Debacles. You see, it is important to remember that the words that are spoken are only part of communication. Dr. Mehrabian, a professor at the University of California, did research on the effectiveness of communication.
Mehrabian's findings were as follows:
7% of message pertaining to the
words that are spoken.
38% of message pertaining to the way that the words are said.
55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial
expression or non-verbal communication.
Organization Behavior also discusses how influences such as social identity, perceptual distortion, and cultural influences can affect how people relate to others as they communicate. In a discussion with my peers in class today, we talked about the "Baggage" each of us brings into a relationship that colors our perspective.
And here in lies my problem... I am usually pretty good at separating myself and my personal baggage from the communication exchanges that take place between myself and other professionals. However, when in comes to personal conversations, I am not always so good! In comes the baggage... AND the miscommunication. I interpret words one way, even though they were intended to mean something completely different. I convey a message in which I meant one thing, and it was taken completely differently. Then feelings get hurt, things get blown out of proportion, and I am in full blown "Debacle Mode!"
So what are the lessons to be learned from this?
1. Maybe I need to quit separating myself from what I am learning about leadership- start applying it to my "real-life" as well as my professional life.
2. Make sure I ALWAYS recognize that the words are only 7% of the communication- so be aware of the other 93%!
3. Be clear, make sure I am understanding what they mean and that they understand what I mean.
4. Remember I have 2 ears and only 1 mouth- so I should listen twice as much as I talk!
5. Remember I am not perfect, I will make mistakes- so will they- So be ready to apologize when needed and accept apologies when they are give.
6. Most importantly, ALWAYS remember that relationships worth keeping are worth the time it takes to understand one another.
On a positive note... at least My Miscommunication Debacle didn't end like this...
My last blog was a tribute to the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corp. This corp has been a part of my family's life since 2006, when I my oldest daughter first joined the corp. In less that two days, my youngest will age out of this corp, after dedicating four summers to the Crusaders. "True Blue" Crusaders, my children have embraced the legacy of a corp that is more than 70 years old. The history of this corp is like none other... how many can claim a former president as an honorary member? While my daughter may be focused on her last few performances, as her mother I can't help but wonder how her experiences will influence her life in the future.
So like any curious mother, I started searching the Internet... "Life after drum corp" not much other than some personal accounts from recent age-outs. "Famous people that marched drum corp" lots of musicians, some celebrities, I even found some conflicting information saying the Madonna marched drum corp, but never did find anything reliable on that one! "Famous Leaders that marched bands" again not much. Apparently no one else is curious about this, or maybe no one has ever taken the time to write about it... so I am hoping that some of the people that have read my Tribute and those that read this blog will write me and tell me how your experiences have impacted your life. Because I am sure that I am NOT the only one that is interested.
I know from first hand experiences, my oldest daughter a Crusader Alumni 2006-2008, credits much of her work effort to her experiences marching Drum Corp. As a Systems Engineer with a major corporation, the long hours seem mild to her compared to those 14 hour practice days in Texas. Working with 15-20 people in a department is nothing compared to 150 on the field. For her, the experiences on the field marching drum corp have made her a stronger person.
As my youngest prepares to leave her shoes, or whatever else she plans to leave on the field at her age out ceremony, I wonder what she will take away from the field that will help her throughout her life. As parents we often question the decisions we make when it comes to our children... Should I have done this, would it have been better if I did that, maybe if I did this instead... I could go on and every parent reading this can add to the list as well.
With all that, the one thing I have never regretted is the fact that I allowed my children to march drum corp with the Boston Crusaders. It has been the hardest thing they have ever done, and even when they complained all the way through Texas and Louisiana in the heat of the summer, I can't say that they have ever regretted it and neither have I!
And this is why... I know that the lessons they will take away from this experience are far more important than any I could have taught them at home during those summers. Here is what I know they have learned:
The value of hard work and determination
The knowledge that even if you do the best job you can do, there is always someone better than you
The belief that helping others be the best they can be is just as important as them being the best that they can be
The understanding that what you win is not nearly as important as what you do when you don't win
Perhaps most importantly, that the experiences and memories they make are way more important then the things they have
These are the lessons my children learned from the Boston Crusaders... And I hope that these lessons will help them become successful members of our society.
My Girls with Tom S. Boston Crusaders 2008
As for the Crusaders, I am one thankful mom... BAC will always have a special place in my heart.
This week is Finals week for young people participating in Drum Corp International activities. For those not familiar with drum corp- think Marching band on speed meets Carnival Carnies... A group of 150 young people ranging in age from 17-21 board 4 tour buses, accompanied by a tractor trailer mobile kitchen, an equipment truck, and several other vehicles, and travel across country from California to New York, to Atlanta Georgia ending their season in Indianapolis. They practice up to 14 hours a day in temperatures blazing into the 100's, perform for crowds that number well into thousands, and then travel all night to do it again in another city. They do this over and over throughout the summer.
Who would allow their children to do something like this... I would! In fact this summer marks the fourth summer my youngest has spent doing this activity. It is also her last summer, you see she is 21 and since that is the maximum age to participate, she will "age-out" after this summer, and will no longer be able to participate.
So why did I title this blog, "Tribute to the Crusaders- Youth Leadership?" For several reasons, first the drum corp my daughter marches with is a top 10 world class corp called the Boston Crusaders. In fact both my daughters have marched with this corp! My daughters are both "True Blue Crusaders." And this is why...
The Boston Crusaders has a long history, in fact it is the oldest corp still in existence, it is more than 70 years old. Early in the corps history, President Kennedy donated uniforms to the Corp, uniforms that once belonged to musicians from the band at West Point. President Kennedy was the first "honorary" Crusader!
JFK the First Honorary Crusader
Many organizations with such long histories have a group identity or culture, what Boman & Deal would call the "Symbolic Frame." The Boston Crusaders has many such traditions. One of these traditions is the fact that every show that Boston fields in the summer has some snippet of the music from"Conquest," it is in fact something that fans look forward to each summer.
Another Crusader tradition takes place before every show, the Crusaders members and staff form a circle and sing the song We are Giants... we will never die. These traditions along with the fierce determination to work together towards a common goal is what defines the culture of the Boston Crusaders. It is also what brings these young people back each summer. It is why members will sport their corp jacket in public even when it is the middle of summer. And it is what unites them as Crusader now and always.
In addition to the fact that my own children have added to this group's history, I am writing this blog as a recognition of the young leaders that are part of this organization. This organization is full of leaders, both those with official roles, like drum major and section leaders, and those informal leaders that step up and act as leaders to assist younger members of the corp. They perform this role not for the recognition but because in doing so they enhance the performance of the entire group. The 150 young people work together to do something that they could never achieve alone... Whether you want to call it Synergy, Servant Leadership, or team work, there is something to learn from these young people.
I have spent many weeks over the course of the last few years watching these young adults work day in and day out under circumstances that most people would never endure. I have seen first hand what determination and hard work can achieve. At the end of the day, for these kids it is not the score that is posted that matters, it is the fact that win or loose they do it together. There motto, "We don't Gava" meaning that they don't give a darn about the score, speaks volumes about their character.
As a leader, I only hope that I will have the same determination, fortitude, and internal strength that the kids in the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corp exhibit each summer... Eat 'Em Up Boston and good look at finals!
Enjoy these other pictures from the 2012 Boston Crusaders:
