Hope

This week, I wanted to write a bit about hope. In our profession, we often see things that give us pause. For me, during the pause, my brain trails off into a thought about hope. How do we inspire it? How is it lost? How does it fuel us? Though I may have some answers, I will not offer them. I will simply allude to the obvious, that hope is the force that fuels us all, but it is not the blueprint. It is a powerful force in education. I see it like the midi-clorians that make up ‘The Force’ in Star Wars. The more you have, the more powerful your potential. Like hope, it is intangible but real, potent but not able to be held in your hand. Unfortunately, just like in Star Wars, we can’t simply hope to beat Darth Vader. Hope is part of the motivation, but it is not a strategy. Our job as educators is to work with hope daily. Just as misery likes  company, hope loves an audience. As a parent, I learned early on that hope is not the plan, but the push. Not the physical push, but the mental. As a coach for many years for Cross Country and Track and Field, I often asked my student/athletes to go beyond what they had done before. I talked to them about how the hard work will pay off at championships. I would give them the ‘tough love’ that we cannot rely on hope because hope is not a strategy. This phrase is one that I have used countless times before. In schools, we cannot wait for test scores with fingers crossed to see if our students did well. We have to meticulously plan for their success and when it happens, it is not a surprise. We planned for it. To base our outcomes on hope alone would be ridiculous. We cannot sit back and wait for things to turn around on their own, and we can’t spend our days with crossed fingers expecting results. Hope without action is just wishing in disguise. We’re here to make real change, not wait for it. Our students deserve it. Our parents expect it. When we add proper planning and execution with hope, that is when the real magic happens in the classroom. Every lesson plan, discipline strategy, and classroom rule is a layer of action. Hope is what fuels our energy to take that action, but the structure we build with our plans is what holds it up. For educators, this means getting clear on your goals. You’ve got standards, you’ve got common formative assessments, you’ve got every acronym known to man. Choose the right strategies that will get your students from Point A to Point B. When you have meticulous planning, hope becomes part of the atmosphere. It’s real, and it’s what we’re doing every day. With hope, we all know there is a time limit associated. We never want our students to lose hope. I would not wish that on anyone. Therefore, begin taking steps to fuel a brighter future. The flickering flame of hope can be fanned into a bonfire with on-time planning. Just remember, no one ever won a battle, taught a classroom, or ran a school on hope alone. I hope you enjoy your weekend. With amazing weather, enjoy the outdoors but most of all, be restful! (cue Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata).

Until next time...

Book Reviews

This week I am entering into the world of books. As many of you know, I love reading. I plow through both reading and audio books relentlessly. I can’t get enough. Every now and again, I get into a book that makes me pause. That was the case with Erik Larson’s ‘The Demon of Unrest’. I read it on the advice of a colleague and was absolutely blown away. The narrative grabbed me and took me on a journey of intrigue in the months that preceded the Civil War. It was amazing to me to see the many parallels that exist in our society still today. It begs the question, are we advancing or retreating? As an educator, I couldn’t help but reflect on the relevance of history and how important it is to prepare the next generation with knowledge to face similar challenges. Throughout the book, the author discusses political division, social inequality, and the fast pace of technological change. This is truly no different than today. 

 I thought the most interesting part was how the author discussed the importance of the leader within: The moral and ethical conundrums that we all face navigating our own objectives. When faced with challenges, do we rise up to meet it, or do we wilt like a flower in the sun. The lesson of integrity is so important today. Certainly the greatest theme addresses change in the Southern States. No doubt, change was coming and the book details how different social groups and people responded to it. Some people avoided it like the measles, others faced it. Those that faced it and accepted change, in the end, were better off. Those that resisted change, were met with a difficult existence or much worse, sad end. This is so true with our personal lives, our work experiences, and society in general. By studying history, we can see that change, while difficult, can also lead to growth and innovation.

Then while reading the book, the emotions got involved and I was tangled up in the story. I kept asking Why? Why did that have to happen? Why…Why.WHY! It’s not like the outcome was a big surprise. I know the winners, but the stupidity of it all. I have traced my family tree and have found ancestors that have fought on both sides. Thankfully they survived so I could be here, but I still ask the questions. The answer to the Why is, I guess, stubbornness. More than a belief, more than economic realization, it boiled down to a way of life and an unwillingness to change. Just NUTS! It relates so much to the current social climate that it was truly scary. Not that we are on the verge of a North/South battle anytime soon, but just the idea of social unrest, underserved populations, the erosion of ethical and moral conduct, and the distrust of elected officials. It’s all in the book. 

I know, I know, I sound like a book ad. I really don’t write reviews of books because when I read them, they become mine. What I take from them, I get to keep. For this book however, I took away deep thought and strong emotions. I want people to read it and experience the same. For me, it was more than reading because I have to stop to digest. That in turn, started my thoughts and emotions, which prompted me to dive into it further. So, for this one, I say thank you to my colleague for encouraging me to read it. It was an absolutely riveting read. Next on the reading list is another from Erik Larson, “In the Garden of Beasts” and then one from Amor Towles, “A Gentleman in Moscow”. I’m sure I’ll have something to say about these as well. Stay tuned. This weekend's weather is perfect to pick up a book and read outside. Whatever you do, have an enjoyable time. 

Until next time...

Hyperbole

In our world, communication can be challenging. Sometimes we use hyperbole to drive a point home. I use it with my children all the time like, “I’ve told you a thousand times to take out the trash!”.  In education, the communication can be clear as mud. (See what I did there? Hyperbole strikes again!) Whether we’re teaching math, science, history, or any other subject, the way we communicate can make or break the classroom experience. 

While we might not realize it, hyperbole plays a starring role in the classroom. As you probably remember from your high school English class, hyperbole is an exaggeration not meant to be taken literally. It’s when we stretch the truth like we’re trying to make taffy at a summer fair. “This is the hardest test in the history of mankind.” Sound familiar? Yeah, we’re all guilty. And, spoiler alert, so are our students. Hyperbole is like the secret spice of language. A little dash here, a sprinkle there, and suddenly our sentences have more flair, more drama. It makes everything sound bigger, grander, and often, funnier than it actually is. Which is great, until someone believes it.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane. You’re in the classroom, explaining a concept you’ve gone over a thousand times. “This is the most important lesson you will ever learn,” you say, hyperbole oozing from every syllable. You’re hoping to stress the point, but somewhere in the back, little Johnny’s eyes widen with terror. The poor guy thinks that if he doesn’t nail this concept, his entire future will spiral into ruin. That’s when hyperbole jumps from being a helpful rhetorical device to a panic-inducing nightmare. Sure, we’ve all exaggerated to emphasize the importance of a lesson, a rule, or a procedure. And yes, there are times when that works. We have seen students sit up a little straighter, pay a bit more attention, and maybe even write something down in their notebooks. But the danger comes when hyperbole stops being a tool and starts being reality.

Teachers aren’t the only ones dabbling in hyperbole because we know our students are practically professional exaggerators. “This is the hardest homework ever,” they wail, as if you’ve assigned them the task of defining nuclear fusion. On the one hand, we can chuckle at their flair for the dramatic because let’s face it, we’ve all been there. But we also should know the danger of letting hyperbole run rampant. If students start believing their own exaggerated statements, they can fall into a trap of avoidance. If they think a task is impossibly difficult, they might give up before they even start. The point is, hyperbole in the classroom is a double-edged sword. It can capture attention, convey enthusiasm, and even inject a little humor into dry material. Telling students that something is “super important” or that it’ll “blow their minds” can pique curiosity. But we should also balance those moments with reality checks. Let students know that while something is important, it’s also achievable. At the end of the day, a little hyperbole is a lot like teaching itself: sometimes messy, sometimes funny, but always impactful. It’s part of the human experience, especially in the classroom, where emotions run high, and every day feels like an epic journey. Hyperbole can be a fantastic teaching tool when used sparingly and with intention. So, embrace the hyperbole, just don’t let it fool you (or your students) into thinking that every situation is life-or-death. After all, we know that teaching is the hardest job in the world (No hyperbole there, I swear). Have the best Fall Break ever. (cue Vacation - The Go-Go’s)

Until next time...