The Challenges Educators Face

We live in amazing times.  Technology, most specifically social media, has flattened the world. Remember when we had to get all of our professional literature and information from journals, books, conferences, over the phone, or people that we came in direct contact with? Educators now have access anytime from anywhere to people, ideas, resources, strategies, and feedback.  As much as this has been a game-changer for so many, we now have better access to research and evidence of improved student outcomes to really hone in on the types of changes that are needed in classrooms, schools, and districts across the world. 

Even with all the positives associated with what I listed above, the truth of the matter is that much of it doesn’t matter when the realities educators face are not given the attention that they deserve.  Just because something sounds good on Twitter and during a keynote or looks good on Pinterest and Instagram does not mean whatever is being promoted will work. Context matters. Finances matter. Facilities matter. Staffing and community support matter.  I have been blessed to not only deliver keynotes and workshops but also to facilitate job-embedded coaching on a long-term basis. It is the latter component of my work where I see firsthand the challenges educators are facing regardless of zip code.  This work has provided me with a more empathetic lens and has allowed me to tailor and personalize the coaching process as well as the feedback that is delivered.  

Image credit: NEA Today

How I see things is still limited and can be influenced by bias. Now don’t get me wrong. I see some significant obstacles and challenges thanks to the long-term work I am engaged in. However, I wanted to move beyond me and focus on the people who are in the trenches on a day to day basis.  This led me to pose a question on Twitter, asking educators to share their particular challenges.  You can see the tweet below. 

What specific challenges do you face in education? Please share as I am looking for topics to focus my writing on. Thanks! #edchat

— Eric Sheninger (@E_Sheninger) May 8, 2019

Here is a summary of the majority of the responses:

• Fear of failure and willingness to fail forward
• Helping educators understand and integrate maker-centered learning
• Helping teachers and leaders break down silos and understand it is not a competition but a concerted push to provide students with learning experiences they need.
• Effective strategies to remind adults we are preparing kids for the future not the adults for the future
• The mental health of students. We don’t have the support needed for emotionally or mentally challenged students that are in the regular education class.
• Dedicating time to fortify universal instruction and systematic procedures while continuing to attend to the intensive needs of the high volume of kids in crisis & experiencing trauma.
• Inspiring high school students to choose teaching as a profession.
• Attracting the best and brightest to the field
• Boys’ achievement and engagement. There is a considerable disparity at present in our school across all years.
• Finding the balance between "meet students where they are" and "getting them where they need to go." Many educators are clear on the former, then handhold & scaffold low expectations. Others are better at the latter then lose a good % of their class by not differentiating enough.
• Lack of alignment of educational institutes knowledge with the practical world. Educational institutions are preparing the future leaders, and due to lack of such coordination they fail to groom themselves as per new emerging trends and increase their absorption level in industry.
• Work-life balance 
• Implementing Innovative student-centered learning that improves outcomes 
• Matching sustainable grading practices that reflect learning
• Empowering teachers and maintaining alignment to mission, vision, curriculum, etc.
• Feeling genuinely supported in taking risks and being innovative in the classroom.
• Students not taking responsibility. Even taking responsibility for picking trash up that they dropped.
• Inclusion and REAL collaborative teaching... integration of universally designed practices to help all students (which covers social justice, restorative practices, SEL) and somehow helping more teachers embrace that accommodations are not cheating.
• Screen time for students
• Making technology purposeful, not just tech for the sake of it
• Students don’t hold the information anymore as they can get it anywhere. There is a need to teach them not only to access safely and critically but also to apply and construct new knowledge.
• Motivating digital immigrant teachers and administrators to have a growth mindset to try new strategies and tools.
• Using interactive whiteboards like projectors
• Teacher-student ratio
• Principals seem to be regretting their decision to go into leadership as they have too much on their plate and not enough time. More supports are needed.
• There is always a new program being purchased. It's used for a few years and then discarded, leading to a high level of initiative fatigue.
• Real evaluation and accountability
• School overcrowding, support of libraries by districts, and limited access to libraries
• Principals with control issues
• Antiquated buildings, facilities, and resources
• Ideas that don’t align to consider the realities educators have to deal with
• Drive-by, one and done professional development that is not on-going, job-embedded, aligned to research, have evidence to back up the investment and lacks accountability for growth.

There are a lot of challenges listed.  What would you add to the list above? 

By putting these and others front and center, efforts can be made to develop practical solutions. Before any new change or mandate, considerations have to be made as to the feasibility (and sustainability) of the idea, strategy, or investment.  Case in point. If you are asking teachers to differentiate instruction on a daily basis, class size and resources matter. Or if you are committed to blended learning, then a combination of pedagogical change as well as updated spaces is needed. It behooves all of us to consider reality when ideas are presented, whether through social media, workshops, professional development days, in books, or during keynotes and presentations.  The struggle for many is real, and they need our support.

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10 Strategies to Strengthen Instruction and Learning

When I think back to my training to become a teacher, there were some reasonably consistent norms.  These consisted of sound classroom management, listing the learning objectives, and developing a lesson plan. I still can’t believe how much time and focus there was on how to manage a classroom effectively. When it came to the lesson plan piece, many of my colleagues and I in the Northeastern United States were educated in the Instructional Theory Into Practice Model (ITIP) developed by Madeline Hunter.  For many years this framework was the lay of the land in schools when it came to direct instruction.  

Many of the original tenets still have merit today. As a realist, there is still value in direct instruction. In his meta-analysis of over 300 research studies, John Hattie found that direct instruction has above average gains when it comes to student results, specifically an effect size of 0.59. Another meta-analysis on over 400 studies indicated strong positive results (Stockard et al., 2018).  The effectiveness of this pedagogical technique relies on it being only a small component of a lesson. The rule of thumb during my days as a principal was for my teachers to limit any lecture component. Direct Instruction should be designed so that learners can construct (induce) concepts and generalizations.  For example, lessons can be divided into short exercises (two to four minutes) on slightly different but related topics.  This sustains children's interest level and facilitates children's synthesizing knowledge from different activities into a larger whole. 

We now live and work in different times. Technology, the pursuit of innovation, and advancements in research have fundamentally changed the learning culture in many schools for the better.  As I have conducted thousands of walk-throughs in schools, I am always looking at the convergence of instruction and learning. To me, instruction is what the adult does whereas learning is what the student does. There is some gray area here, but the overall goal is to continually grow by taking a critical lens to practice with the goal of improving learning outcomes for kids. With this being said, I have gone back to the ITIP Model and adapted it a bit. Some items remain, while a few others have been added. 

Standards-aligned learning target 

These frame the lesson from the students' point of view and are presented as “I can” or “I will” statements. They help kids grasp the lesson's purpose—why it is crucial to learn this concept, on this day, and in this way. Targets help to create an environment where kids exhibit more ownership over their learning. Critical questions framed from the lens of the learner include:

1. Why is this idea, topic, or subject vital for me to learn and understand so that I can do this? 
2. How will I show that I can do this, and how well will I have to do it?
3. What will I be able to do when I've finished this lesson? 

Anticipatory set 

Anticipatory set is used to prepare learners for the lesson or task by setting their minds for instruction or learning. This is achieved by asking a question, adding a relevant context, or making statements to pique interest, create mental images, review information, and initiate the learning process. A good do-now activity can accomplish this.

Review prior learning 

Research in cognitive science has shown that eliciting prior understandings is a necessary component of the learning process. Research also has shown that expert learners are much more adept at the transfer of learning than novices and that practice in the transfer of learning is required in good instruction (Bransford, Brown, and Cocking 2000).

Modeling 

A pedagogical strategy where the teacher or student(s), demonstrates how to complete tasks and activities related to the learning target.

Check for understanding 

Specific points during the lesson or task when the teacher checks to see if the students understand the concept or steps and how to enact them to achieve the target. It clarifies the purpose of the learning, can be leveraged as a mechanism for feedback and can provide valuable information that can be used to modify the lesson. 

Practice 

Guided practice is when the students engage in learning target activities under the guidance of a support system that can assure success. Independent practice is when the kids practice and reinforce what they learn after they are capable of performing the target without support.

Authentic application of learning 

REAL learning in the classroom empowers students to manipulate the material to solve problems, answer questions, formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate, or brainstorm.   These activities deemphasize direct instruction and can include discussion questions and group exercises, as well as problem-posing and -solving sessions, to get the concepts across in a meaningful and memorable way. Pedagogical techniques such as personalized, blended and project-based learning as well as differentiated instruction and student agency can lead to greater ownership amongst learners. 

Closure 

Learning increases when lessons are concluded in a manner that helps students organize and remember the point of the lesson.  Closure draws attention to the end of the lesson, helps students organize their learning, reinforces the significant points of the lesson, allows students to practice what is learned, and provides an opportunity for feedback and review. 


Feedback 

Verbal and non-verbal means to justify a grade, establish criteria for improvement, provide motivation for the next assessment, reinforce good work, and act as a catalyst for reflection. Feedback is valuable when it is received, understood and acted on (Nicol, 2010). How students analyze, discuss and act on feedback is as important as the quality of the feedback itself. Make sure it is Timely, specific to standard(s) and concept(s), constructive and meaningful. For more strategies on how to improve feedback click HERE. 

Assessment 

Well-designed assessment sets clear expectations, establishes a reasonable workload (one that does not push students into rote reproductive approaches to study), and provides opportunities for students to self-monitor, rehearse, practice and receive feedback. Assessment is an integral component of a coherent educational experience.

Not all of these strategies will be implemented in every lesson nor should they. However, each provides a lens to look at practice and make needed changes that can lead to better outcomes.  It should also be noted that technology represents a natural pedagogical fit that can be used to implement these strategies with enhanced fidelity. Make the time to reflect daily as to where you are to get to where your learners want and need you to be. 

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

Nicol, D. (2010). From monologue to dialogue: improving written feedback processes in mass higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(5), 501-517.

Stockard, Jean & W. Wood, Timothy & Coughlin, Cristy & Rasplica Khoury, Caitlin. (2018). The Effectiveness of Direct Instruction Curricula: A Meta-Analysis of a Half Century of Research. Review of Educational Research: 88(4).

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The Joy of Teaching - 20 years of teaching and 20 reasons why this is the best career choice ever!

Next week marks my 20th anniversary as an educator. In 1998 I began my teaching career as an English and Drama teacher at Rangitoto College. Twenty years and I still freakin' love this job and really do struggle to understand why more people are fighting to join us in what I believe is one of the most rewarding, challenging and bloody entertaining jobs and careers you can have.

I also promised my critical friend Steve Mouldey that I would begin blogging again. His word/theme for the year is #optimistic, I've decided my word/theme for the year is #positivity. To this end I thought I'd celebrate my 20th teaching anniversary with a blog about the twenty reasons I believe teaching and education is the best career choice ever.

1) What we do is important
There is no question. Being a teaching is one of the most important roles in our community. We are not only fantastic caretakers and babysitters for much of the year, we are also trusted to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to survive and thrive, whilst also addressing community concerns and government priorities - we are bloody miracle workers (and hence we deserve the pay to go with it ;). But seriously, what we do is seriously important work on many levels, and personally I am stoked to be given that opportunity.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” 

- Malala Yousafzai

2) We get to be challenged
See above! With the privilege of doing such important work comes huge challenges. There is no question that teaching can be massively challenging and at times hugely stressful as teachers feel the pressure to be all things to all people. Whilst we are told that relationships and people are the most important things in teaching we are also then pulled away from that by pressures related to administration, data mining, keeping up with the latest priorities and not to mention assessment and reporting. Yep, it's bloody hard work, but it's good work, it's meeting the challenges head on, managing the challenges and working out ways to work smarter that can also be hugely rewarding. Challenges force us to grow.

3) Our job changes every year
I don't know about you but I definitely have some sort of attention deficit disorder. Too much same same and I get bored, but oddly I also like routine. What I love is that we get the best of both worlds. Whilst we get to experience a comforting cycle of work life each year, knowing that at the beginning of each year we are working to an end point, beginning of each term we are working towards another well deserved break, we also get the to experience a sense of genuine rebirth and renewal every year. How many people get to work towards a real sense of completion each and every year and get to begin anew each year as well! New classes, new challenges, new topics to roll around in. Heck I even get excited about my fresh new notebook I get to break out. Boom. Fresh Kmart stationery gives me real joy. But seriously, the fact that our job changes and evolves every year is a gift. Look around you and consider how many other careers provide an opportunity for reset and refresh every single year?

4) We get to witness learning lightbulbs being sparked
And of course there is no denying one of the biggest joys of teaching - seeing people learn! I can still recall so many moments from throughout my teaching career where I have been privileged to see that lightbulb flick on. Whether it's teaching them tricks to improve their writing, demystifying the art of essay writing - it might sound dull but seeing a student who has struggled through ten plus years of writing and seeing essays as an insurmountable mountain of words, helping them to see that it is actually no more than jigsaw of teeny tiny parts that they can totally do is totally rewarding. Honing my ability to make the seemingly complex, seem achingly simple has been one of my greatest sources of joy. Giving students tricks and strategies that help them to help themselves is freakin' cool.

5) We get to provide safe havens
Not only do we get to teach all of these young people, we also get to create a safe place for them. I love love love creating spaces where teenagers feel safe to let their freak flag fly. A place where being different is celebrated, where having an opinion is encouraged, where failing is fine and challenging me is expected. Being a teenager is hard and being a teenager in the age of social media is a total minefield. How cool is it that we can provide a haven from all of that, we have the ability, even if only for an hour of that teenager's day where they can feel assured that it's okay just being them. We can teach subjects and topics that challenge them to develop greater empathy and understanding. We have the ability to make each and everyone of our young people celebrate who they are and what they can do, simply by getting to know them, listening and caring. That's a gift right there.

6) We get to indulge in and share our passions
And if that wasn't enough, we can do all of this whilst indulging in our passions. Most secondary teachers I know came to teaching with a desire to share their passion for learning and particular subjects. The great thing is, even as education evolves into more integrated approaches and with a greater focus on skills, we can still indulge and share our passions. For me that is an absolute love for poetry. There is so much that can be taught through poetry - any topic, any theme, any aspect of human nature, poetry has got it covered. I LOVE Maya Angelou. If you've been in my English class at any point I've probably shoe-horned in some Angelou. There is nothing better than sharing your passion and having it catch on. In a world of algorithm echo chambers, curated playlists and YouTube subscriptions there has never been a more important time for broadening teenagers horizons by exposing them to all the fantastic literature and learning we know and care about.

7) We have a captive audience of teachers and students
Maybe it's the Drama student/teacher in me but I do love that we have a captive audience that we get to perform to occasionally. I'm not big on direct instruction but I do love the opportunity to entertain and inform when the opportunity arises, whether it be performing a Sam Hunt poem with his distinctive rhythm and lilt, sermonising at some conference or even writing a blogpost. Having a platform of any kind is pretty empowering.

8) We get to teach cool sh*t thanks to an amazing curriculum
And the thing that allows us to weave in our passions and personalise learning is our awesome New Zealand Curriculum. One of the greatest gifts that speaking at international conferences and events has been the growing realisation that the NZC is not normal. In fact you would be hard pushed to find a curriculum that is as creative and as flexible as the NZC anywhere else in the world. It's important to celebrate these things, it's way too easy to focus on what we see as barriers, when in fact we actually have pretty much no barriers to how we deliver this thing. And if you believe we do, the nice thing is they are probably the result of department and school policies and approaches which can totally be challenged, hacked and overcome!

9) We get to assess learning creatively thanks to our flexible assessment framework
And if that wasn't enough we can be totally creative in how we assess it as well. Again local contexts and constraints may feel like it limits your creativity, the nice thing is the system doesn't. How cool that you you only have to challenge your context and not the whole freakin' system. Yay NZ.

10) We get to share cool sh*t 
Not only do we get to do awesome stuff we can share it! I have been an over sharer from way back and I can attest that sharing what you love is totally rewarding. Whether it be within your school, through online communities or at conferences it is all kinds of warm and fuzzy when you share what you do. And it doesn't matter how small or insignificant you think it might be, even if it helps one person, it's a great feeling.

11) We have amazing PLNs and support networks
And the bonus of sharing is it goes both ways. I'm not sure if it's the same in all professions but education seems to be particularly rich in terms of personal and professional learning networks and events. You can turn to twitter for any number of chats - #edchatnz is a constant source of inspiration, challenge and support and there are now more "chat" hashtags than you can poke a stick. We have Facebook communities and list-serves. We have subject associations and unions who all work hard to support teachers. We have an evolving Education Council that is producing exemplary professional learning and support resources such as Our Code | Our Standards.

12) We get paid to learn
And we also get paid to learn! Whether it be through in school professional development or through more formal professional development and study. Many schools will also support further learning at tertiary level. And of course through the very act of teaching we learn.

13) We have awesome opportunities in our wider community
One of the great things about teaching is we aren't just part of a school, we are part of a system! One of my greatest joys is that I get to work beyond the school in a number of ways. In the past I have been exam marker (great learning 😬), I have supported the wider English teaching community as a facilitator at Team Solutions, have been involved in writing Achievement Standards, been part of national reference and advisory groups with the PPTA, MoE and NZQA and have served on the Teachers Council and now the Education Council. And all of this came about because I am a teacher who likes to communicate and share. One opportunity led to another. And the great thing is anyone can get amongst it. Start local or online, you'd be surprised at how having a positive voice online can open doors to great opportunities.

14) We get to hang out with teenagers 
Okay this may not strike everyone as an obvious "joy". It took me leaving the school environment to work at University of Auckland's Team Solutions for nine months to realise how much I actually loved hanging out with teenagers. Hanging out with people your own age all day is boring - I felt like I had accidentally meandered in to a retirement village! Albeit a retirement village of awesomeness. I loved my time at Team Solutions, it gave me breathing space and time to read and learn in a way I hadn't done for years. It also gave me the chance to support other teachers which I loved. But there was no doubting that I realised just how much teenagers were the reason I loved teaching. They crack me up, teenagers are hilarious. They also help me maintain an excellent immature streak.

15) We get to know a lot of amazing young people
And amongst those teenagers there are a lot of amazing people. I know we aren't meant to have favourites but there is no denying there are "those students" who we will never forget. Whether it's the ones who overcome massive challenges, those who shine academically, culturally, creatively or on the sporting field. Those students who deliver a spine tingling speech or that seemingly boofhead First XV lad who secretly stays behind in class to share his amazing poetry. Teach for long enough and you will meet so many characters that will stick with you. Definitely one of the coolest parts of the job.

16) We get insights into a lot of other worlds
And with all of those young people come their experiences and cultures. Whether it is gaining an understanding of what it is like for a young Pasifika women to get up and catch trains and buses from the far corners of Auckland just so they can be part of the AGGS community or move out of home into a hostel at EGGS or the complex pressures they experience to be the best they can be in the classroom, on the sports field or on the stage or the challenges they may have to come overcome due to all kinds of family and community complexities and differing cultural norms. Not to mention the online world in which they also exist. I don't think are many people who get the privilege of learning so much about different worlds as we do.

17) We get to work with amazing colleagues
One of the advantages of us experiencing these worlds is that for most of us it means we develop insight and empathy that is probably only equalled by those in other public services. To this end by working in a school we get to hang out with a pretty amazing bunch of people who care about others as a living. I have worked at many schools and seem to collect longterm friends at every stop. The vast majority of my friends are teachers. I love that they tend to be passionate, empathetic, intelligent, opinionated and just generally really interesting and passionate people.

18) We can travel and call it work
Being a teacher can also take you amazing places. Whether it's local school trips or camps or bigger international experiences in Vietnam or Europe. Okay so this isn't universal, but the opportunity to experience new things, people and places along with your students is a pretty cool bonus if you can get it.

19) We have the best holidays (part one) - so get time with our family and friends
I'm not sure why, but teachers seem to play this down. We seem to be way too quick to try and make out the holidays aren't all that. We can be quick to bemoan the amount of planning, marking and prep we do. I'm sorry I just don't buy it. I have lived in a household my whole life where my parents and my siblings were thankful for three weeks off a year. Not us. We have 10-12 weeks of freaking holidays!! Oh yes we do and it is awesome! Yep, we might do some school stuff in that time, but we get to do it on our terms. I LOVE that I get to hang out with kids whilst they're on holiday, I get rock my dressing gown until whenever the hell I want and I get to catch up with friends and family whenever I damn well please. Since having kids I have often reflected on the fact that this is one career that I can really go hard out in that career without having to compromise hanging out with my family. Basically I get to be Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford all at the same time! 😂  Okay that might be a bit of a stretch, but I am truly grateful that I get to be all "kickass career Claire" and also get to hang with with kids in the holidays. That sh*t is priceless.

20) We have the best holidays (part two) - so can travel more than most
And with this flexible time comes time to travel. I might be lacking hard dat on this one, but if my Facebook and Instagram feed is anything to go by, teachers simply have more time and opportunity to travel. Whether it's road tripping, camping tramping or crossing the globe, the Summer holidays seem to provide teachers and their families whether extra time and space to experience amazing things. So it's not just great being a teacher your are super lucky to be with a teacher and have a Mum or Dad that teaches as well.

So there you go that's my twenty reasons. Would be keen to hear what you love about this job. Yep there are challenges and there is always things can be improved. I am a firm believer that if we can sing our praises and shout from the roof tops what is so damn fabulous about this career, we are better placed to get others on board. So if you are reading this and aren't a teacher, I consider you think about becoming one! And if you are reading this and have any influence over teaching conditions, workload and pay I suggest you think about how we can ensure all teachers get what they rightfully deserve.

All the best for an awesome 2018 school year!

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The Impact of an Educator

I fondly remember when I was first asked to consider what my future career path might be.  Mrs. Williams, my kindergarten teacher, asked the class to draw a picture that articulated what we wanted to be when we grew up. I immediately knew exactly what I was going to draw. That was the easy part. The difficult task, for me at least, was to then utilize what limited artistic abilities I had to create an illustration that depicted my future career. To this day I still remember the image I created of a farmer tending to his crops. This was a natural career choice for me as a six-year-old having grown up in a rural area of northwestern NJ with a farm right across from our house. I had no idea how to farm, but being outside the rest of my life was good enough for me.

As I aged the thought of becoming a farmer faded as I began to focus more on careers in the biological sciences. Growing up surrounded by nature and spending each summer at the Jersey Shore helped to kindle and sustain an interest in this area.  I never gave much thought, nor did either of my brothers, about becoming an educator. Quite honestly, I told myself, and my parents, that I would never become an educator.  My response might have stemmed from the fact that I really didn’t understand what they actually did and the impact they were having on kids. All I knew with a great deal of certainty was that a career in education was not in the cards.

My mom, after taking many years off to take care of us, eventually became an elementary teacher where she had a celebrated career.  I say celebrated because at her retirement dinner I was able to witness firsthand the impact that she had on students and colleagues alike. Their stories of her passion and dedication for helping kids learn made me so proud. My father was a successful school administrator for what seemed like forever.  He held many positions, but what I was most in awe of was the fact that he was an elementary principal at the same school for close to 30 years.  When he retired they gave him a key to the city. I don’t know if you can be more successful than that. I never knew the impact my parents had as educators until after I myself became one. Hearing story after story about their work as their careers ended taught me that sometimes the ultimate reward for an educator comes years after we have had direct impact with kids or adults. 

Image credit: http://www.teamworkandleadership.com/

Herein lies the motivation behind this post.  I recently received a text message from a former student and athlete of mine. It started off like this:

"Coach Sheninger, is this still your number?"

My response was a simple yep.

He then went on to text me the following:

"Well hey, its Spenser Brenn just in case you lost my number. Sorry if it’s super early. As sappy as this is going to sound…."

I really was not prepared for what followed next, but I can tell you that his words below touched my heart and soul.

"I was just working out with my athletes and kids yesterday and it reminded of when I was in high school. You let me workout with you and would push me in the weight room, classroom, and on the football field. I have always been asked why did you want to become a teacher and coach. To be honest, I wasn't sure of that answer until I had this moment yesterday when I realized that those seemingly trivial moments of the two of us working out at lunch or study hall were more impactful than most other moments during high school for me. You were tough on me (a pain in the butt, or at least in the eyes of a stupid high school kid), deservingly so, considering I was a pain right back to you. However, you taking me under your wing and motivating, mentoring, and challenging me (whether you knew it or not) meant and still means more to me than you probably know, or more than I knew until yesterday. So I just wanted to reach out and say this - a small gesture like working out with a pain in the butt kid meant the world to him. It showed that you cared, something he, and all people, needed at that time. Thank you. I now know why I became a teacher, a coach, and a mentor to the youth."

It goes without saying that I was totally humbled by Spencer’s message.  As educators we all chose a profession that would not lead to riches in a financial sense. We chose to become educators so that we could not only help kids learn, but hopefully impact them well beyond just grades and achievement.  Education is a calling. It is a calling to make a difference.  That’s what educators do on a day-to-day basis.  Never forget that your work matters and that each day you get up in front of a class, help lead a building, or collaborate with others to run a district that you have an opportunity to positively impact kids. This also applies to your work with adult learners. 

Below is the response I sent to Spencer.

Well you just made my day, well week actually (maybe the entire summer). Life is so much more than what we are made to think is important. Everything comes down to relationships built on trust, empathy, compassion, understanding, and honesty. I really never knew until later in my education career that one of the most important things we can do is to show kids we care. It's not until much later in life that we learn of the impact we have on our students. You will one day be in the same position as me, a proud person humbled by the feedback that you receive knowing that you positively influenced others. Thank you so much for taking the time to send that text. It meant more than you will ever know.

Why did you become an educator? Who were those people and experiences in your life that led you to your current role?  In my new role, I still see myself (and other amazing speakers and presenters) as an educator. Each day is still a calling to try to make a difference.  Whether or not I make a real difference is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, I am driven by the same passion I had as a teacher and principal to help others see the greatness that is within all of us.  

Thank you to every educator out there for the work that you do.

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