Looking Past Our Limits

How often do we tell ourselves "I can't because..." How often do we avoid doing something out of fear of failure? Human beings have an innate need to be accepted, and this overwhelming fear that if we fail we will be rejected prevents many of us from even attempting things.

I can remember telling my children to just try it, knowing full well that each of them had within them the ability to do anything that they put their minds to... I was their cheer leader- they may have called me a nudge, whatever you want to called it, I have always believed in them.

But me? Hummm. Many times in my life I have fallen victim to self doubt, and to self limiting thoughts. I have been afraid that people might learn my real secret that I am not _______ enough. Fill in the blank- brave enough, strong enough, smart enough, good enough, etc. I have let those fears limit me, hold me back, and prevent me from pursuing a life of passion, purpose, and meaning.

So what changed? There are several answers to that question...

First, I think if we can get over the notion that we have to be perfect, that the timing needs to be perfect, the job needs to be perfect, and we just try it and see what happens... we give ourselves permission to succeed. In that moment of openness and vulnerability, we allow the possibilities that exist in the universe to unfold before us so that we can act upon them.

Second, surround yourself with positive people. Negative energy attracts more negative energy- have you ever heard the sayings "misery loves company" and "Misery breeds misery"? They are true! If your surround yourself with people that are constantly telling you what you can't do, how terrible you are, and are always complaining about their lives, it can be paralyzing. You come to believe that nothing can ever or will ever change. That your life is destined to be limited to your current existence. You need to follow the advice a very special friend gave me, "You just need to tell them to sell their crazy somewhere else, you aren't buying it."

Finally, I started to trust other people. When I doubted myself, I closed myself off to others. I was too fragile to risk being hurt by others so I was unwilling to trust people. I kept to myself and no one knew what I was thinking on the inside. Learning to trust again is not easy, because we know that if you trust the wrong people you will do yourself more harm than good. So who to trust- if people are criticizing you, telling you what you can't do, trying to control you or devalue you- run like the wind. Instead surround yourself with people that treat you with respect, dignity, care and concern... and if you are lucky love and affection.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when those self limiting fears creep back, but most of the time I see before me the world of opportunity... And I have to tell you, it is a wonderful view! You should consider joining me.

For those times when we feel those self imposed limits creeping back, I turn to others for inspiration. So for you I am sharing one that helps me not lose sight of all my blessing and helps me remember never to limit myself or others.


I never needed eyes to see — never. I simply needed vision and belief. Caroline Case

This post is dedicated to the man that calls me brave. I hope he knows that he helped me find my strength!

What is Governance?

My new education leadership course called Governance began today. The instructor explained that this course is being specially design for our program and has never been taught like this before, not at FAU nor at any of the other universities in the area.

Ok that is great- We are getting used to being program guinea pigs- And so the class began by having our teacher ask us what we thought Governance meant? Hummmm... I was really kind of hoping that my professor was going to answer that because I really didn't have a clue. Mind you, I am smart enough to know it had something to do with the government, more likely that it also has something to do with constitutional law. But other than that... no clue.

We did some reading prior to class that focused on great leaders in educational policy- even studied Socrates- I recognized this Socratic method of questioning she was using but it did not bring me to the point of self discovery on this question!

So in an effort to help us understand the societal, economic, and political influences on Governance we did a little carousal activity (Something educators like to do to get you up and moving while you work). More information to put into our definition, but we were still guessing.

After several more discussions and activities, we shared out all the definitions we had come up with and then we highlighted the key words that were common in all our definitions. This is what we came up with:
              Guidelines and procedures, political, societal, and economic factors, framework,          expectations, common beliefs, norms, established rules, in response, and values.

From these we are supposed to come up with a definition that we can all agree upon. The thing I find interesting though, is the fact that when it comes to issues related to government, people rarely agree upon much of anything! Just look at the current political discussions, look at educational policy, look at the controversy related to school choice/ vouchers/ charters/ and public school funding, look at class size, the adoption of Common Core- is there ANY agreement on any of this?

Discussions in class touched on globalization, outsourcing of jobs, generational expectations, and political influences... the conversation was interesting and spirited- but there was little agreement. So how are we going to agree on a common understanding of something that relates to such issues? I am not quite sure, but I am really looking forward to the next 4 weeks as we try to figure it out!


Until then, I couldn't help but wonder what the term did mean... so according to Webster's it is described as "the way that a city, company, etc., is controlled by the people who run it."

As for the PROPEL Cohort 2 Definition, I will keep you posted!

Everyday Leadership- Creating Lollipop Moments

Are you a leader? Perhaps in order to answer that question you first need to reflect on what the word "leader" means to you. So what DOES it mean to be a leader?

That is something that I have been spending a lot of time considering since I started in this program. I have recently come to realize that what this term means to people may have a lot to do with where they are on the leadership continuum.

As you read the following quotes, consider what the word leader or leadership means within the context of the quote, or perhaps what the quote may of meant to the person that said it. For example the the first quote is by Steve Jobs, in his business true leaders needed to be those that could think outside of the box:

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." Steve Jobs
 
"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." John F. Kennedy

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." John Quincy Adams

"As we look into the next century, leaders will be those that empower others." Bill Gates

"Leaders need to be close enough to relate to others,but far enough ahead to motivate them." John Maxwell

Does any one of these quotes resonate with you? Do leaders have to have a title or be in a position of power? If I have learned anything about leadership, it's this... the best leaders are those that reflect on their actions and then adjust their behaviors based on what they learn about themselves and about the situation.

So what does it mean to be a leader? In class a few weeks ago we watched a video on TED- if you haven't explored the TED site, you really should there are some great things there. Anyway, this video talked about the idea of "Everyday Leadership." Drew Dudley, the speaker in the video challenges us to think about leadership differently, the see the potential if we all act as leaders, and try to change others' perceptions of the world. He also shared a story in which he introduces the notion of the "Lollipop Moment." I actually loved the idea of being able to create Lollipop Moments for others- how empowering it would be to know that you can have such a huge impact on others.

Please take a few minutes to watch:

 

I hoped you enjoyed that video as much as I did. So my question to you again, are you a leader? You see what I have learned, like the sentiment that Drew Dudley shared in his video, is we ALL have the potential to be leaders. Sometimes we become leaders because of a title, sometimes we take on that role willingly, and sometimes someone else encourages us by believing in us more than we may believe in ourselves. Leadership doesn't have to be a grand act, leaders do not need to lead countries or businesses, leaders just need to inspire others to be more than they thought they could be. I am not sure where I fall on the leadership continuum but the quote that speaks to me the most is the one by John Quincy Adams: "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." It is my hope that my blog may inspire some of you to dream, to try something you didn't think was possible, to believe in yourself, and to live you life with passion and purpose... and to always strive to create "Lollipop Moments."

Turning 50...

Well the count down is in full swing... In less than 2 days I will turn 50! Yes, I said it... I am turning 50! While I truly appreciate your very kind attempts at making me feel better by saying I don't look it... the truth is I am turning 50.

I have, for years, dreaded this number. Perhaps the dread comes from the fact that lots of the woman in my life have shared their biological nightmares about how everything starts to "fall apart" at this age, or perhaps it is more because by this age I really thought I would be very well established- my career, my life, my finances. I know there are those that claim 50 is nifty or 50 and foxy... I am not buying any of it! My eyes don't work they way the should, the cracking and creaking I hear when I am climbing out of bed in the morning is NOT coming from the wooden furniture, the battle with the gray is becoming an very expensive ordeal, and nothing in my life is established.

I have spent many of the last few weeks on an emotional roller coaster- going back and forth between dread and depression to confusion to a sense of being overwhelmed to feeling sorry for myself to reflection. I know some of the people I care most about have been watching this ride and have been just shaking their heads, perhaps secretly wanting to shake me right out of this nonsense.

I am not sure if it is this number that has had me in a whirlwind, or if it is the fact that my life really has been crazy lately. Whatever it is, it has brought my loved ones to the point that they are all ready for me to get over myself already! Come on really, it is a number... right?! This number does not define me, it does not limit me- only I can do that and I have been getting in my own way, way too much lately!

So here I am... I am turning 50... and if I stop to think about it, it is really not that bad. In fact, once I stopped feeling sorry for myself long enough to consider what I am doing, it is really pretty crazy. What I thought I would be doing at 50... is NOTHING like what I am doing!

I am back in school... AT 50!
I am on the path towards a new career... AT 50!
I am in love again.... AT 50!
I am making a difference in the lives of others... every day... AT 50!
I am persuing my dreams... AT 50!
I believe in myself... for the first time in my life... AT 50!

This isn't how I thought I would be celebrating my 50th Birthday... but it certainly isn't boring! And while I really hate wearing glasses to read, and feeling those stiff knees in the morning, I think the rest might just make it OK.

 So, I am turning 50... And I am OK with it, now. I am sorry I have been a little out sorts about this number lately, OK CRAZY lately but I am kind of looking forward to the next year... lot's of changes in store, learning, growing (not graying- Im ok with the number not the color!), new adventures, successes, and many happy occasions to celebrate with my family and friends.

Shifting Paradigms... Making a Mental Mind-shift to Save American Education

Being a science teacher at heart,  I am always searching for insightful quotes by famous scientists. One of my favorites is by Albert Einstein: 

"Insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

The more that I delve into my course work in Educational Leadership and the more that I examine educational practices,  the more I believe that if we used Einstein's standard, the educational system in American should be classified as Insane! Even if you consider all the educational "reforms," many of which are simply old reforms with new packaging, we as a society keep expecting different results when, for the most part, we keep employing the same old practices. I have read dozens of leadership books, studied hundreds of educational theorists, and basically it all comes down to this... if you want students to learn, then we need to give skillful teachers the time to teach. Even research will support the this! And yet, states continue to think that they will raise student achievement by implementing some new high stakes test, as if the test alone is some type of panacea for closing the Achievement Gap. Worse, many states believe that tying teacher salaries to student performance on these tests will improve student achievement.

Now some of you might be thinking, "well if the teachers know that their salary is depended upon their students' performance then they will teach better." That logic is as flawed as thinking that garnishing a doctor's salary would improve the quality of care. To the contrary, if the doctor's salaries were dependant upon recovery rates, they would simply quit treating terminal patients, and those patients that routinely fail to follow doctors orders.  This practice would not increase recovery rates, nor would it improve the quality of care, rather it would just mean that doctor's would become very selective in the patients that they would treat.

What adult would ever consider having their salary tied to the performance of others as a good idea, they would look at you and say, if you want to judge my performance, look at what I do. Yet, in the educational arena, we are judging all of our professionals in just this way... when you look at it in the context of other careers it seems almost ludicrous doesn't it?

You might be thinking that I am claiming that using student performance as a primary indicator of teacher effectiveness is by definition "insanity." I would say, no not exactly. I do believe that any professional in the service industry (education is a service industry) must look at customer satisfaction (ie,  in this case achievement) I think often the best way to judge that is not done in the chambers of a politicians office. I do believe therein lies the "insanity." Most educators would agree that standardized tests do provide valuable feedback, but if you were to ask a teacher, there are dozens of other ways to assess student performance as well. Additionally, teachers would tell you that the tests students take don't always test what they are supposed to test. For example, this past spring students in 6th grade in Florida took the standarized tests on computer. This computerized test made it hard for students to skim passages, highlight key information, and in many cases, because of computer clitches, they had to spend time waiting for the technical support to fix the problem. Add to that that some of these 12 year olds were being expected to sit still for 3 hours. I don't know about you, but I would have a hard time staying focused if I had to sit in one place quietly for three hours, and I am way older than 12. So in the end, was this test assessing student knowledge or was it testing students' patience?

I think it is time for a paradigm shift... It is time for American's to stop thinking that just because an individual may make a good politician doesn't mean he is a good educator or that he understands good educational practice when he sees it. Our politicians are often not qualified to make educational policy, we need to stop thinking that they are and demand that decisions that effect education be made using sound research not political influences.

American's need to make the paradigm shift in which they stop thinking that all teachers are bad... yes like any profession we do have some bad apples, but there are far greater good teachers than bad teachers. And if we give our teachers the respect and time to do the job they have been trained to do, they will do it very well.

It is time for a paradigm shift within our profession. We need to stop protecting those in our profession that really should retire. We all know those teachers, those that have outlasted their effectiveness, those that we would never put our kids in their class. How could we expect the public to trust us if we can not police our own? If those teachers are not good enough for our kids, then they aren't good enough for anyone's kids! We either do something to help them or do something to get rid of them. If we, as professional are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem.

We need to have a paradigm shift among parents. Parents are not doing their children a favor by not allowing them to take responsibility for their actions. Today's doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers did not get where they are by having their mom's bring in their late work or by having their parents blame the teacher for their poor study habits. No... today's professionals learned the value of hard work. We need to shift paradigms to ensure that we raise a generation willing to work hard instead of one looking to take short cuts.

The problems facing our nation in terms of education can not be solved by employing the same old practices, and they will not be solved by creating yet more high stakes tests. Rather the problems facing our nation will require a paradigm shift. We have too much at stake to continue our country's current educational practices... that type of insanity can no longer be tolerated.

View Tony Danza's Video about his experiences as a teacher. This experience inspired his mental mind shift... what will inspire yours?

Does Chocolate Really Help Reduce Stress?

When you are stressed, do you eat chocolate? If so, you are not alone. It turns out that the average American consumes about 12 pounds of chocolate a year. Dr. Roberta Lee, author of The SuperStress Solution  actually recommends that her patients, especially those who are chronically stressed, eat dark chocolate.

According to Lee, chocolate contains several psychoactive compounds being studied and debated as responsible for the mood lift many of us experience when eating it. Among these compounds are: phenylethylamine (PEA), which are elevated in the brain when we are in love.  The second compound, theobromine, triggers energy and a sense of alertness. Chocolate also contains a small amount of a chemical known as N-arachidonoylethanolamine, a substance that prevents endorphins from breaking down. In other words, if we are happy, we just might stay happier longer with a little chocolate.

 Chocolate also has a high concentration of antioxidants known as flavonoids. These types of antioxidants have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce chances of heart attack and stroke. Chocolate is also rich in magnesium and potassium, which promote relaxation and contains selenium, which enhances immune health.

 Dr. Lee suggests that the ideal portion is 1 ounce (about 1/3 of an average bar or roughly the size of the palm of a woman’s hand) of dark chocolate per day.  

Now we are talking, bring on the chocolate....after all... it is Doctor’s orders!

For those you that prefer to indulge in a less calorie-laden stress reliever, check out the following suggestions:

• Nourish your body with nutrient-rich foods, herbs, and supplements that repair stress damage
• Detox your system and jump-start your body’s healing with an easy-to-follow eating plan
• Sleep well again by following simple steps to protect and promote the rest your body needs
• Move to simple, low-impact exercises that can be done in five-minute to one-hour increments
• Retrain your mind so you can access a sense of peace and calm even in your most stressed-out moments

    Information from the SuperStress Solution by Dr. Roberta Lee