Keeping the Faith

We have reached the middle of October and the weather is about to turn. We all know the seasons in the Valley are limited.  We go from hot to mildly hot, then shift to cold and wet fog cold. We really don’t get the benefit of the four seasons as the rest of the Country.  Though this is the case, we will reminisce about the weather just as much as we reminisce about everything else.  Yes, when we were younger, the weather was perfect.  The Hall of Fame singer has an autobiographical song about reminiscing, “Keeping the Faith”.  In the song, he reminds us that the “good ole days weren't always good, And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems.”  So true.  When we reminisce, it is human nature to remember the things that were good and discard all the bad. Sometimes, bad memories stick and unfortunately, only time will heal that pain. Because of this, it is so important for us to engineer great memories for our students. The negative ones will be thrown out because even the most challenging student desires good memories. Even in the difficult times for our students, we have to remind them that “tomorrow isn’t as bad as it seems.” This is simply a measure of hope.  Keeping the faith that their dreams are still achievable. So just remember, the good ole days weren’t always good and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems. Have the most excellent weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Billy Joel - “Keeping the Faith” ). 

Until next time...

Autumn Serenade

As the first week of October passes by, we get to welcome the sights and smells of Fall.  In my household, it seems like as soon as we pass Labor Day, my wife begins bringing out the fall decor.  She sweeps all the summer beach decor and replaces it with the colors of Fall. I tried this year to appeal, considering it was over 100 degrees outside.  It just didn’t seem right. When it is that hot outside, I can’t even think about fall, only indoor air conditioning and the colors that surround our backyard pool. Then, Starbucks brought out their pumpkin spice and my attempts to appeal were over. My family loves pumpkin spice. Pumpkin this and pumpkin that is regularly on order.  I am not a big fan of pumpkin spice myself.  I guess my existence certainly follows the nursery rhyme with a small revision. I’m truly made of snips and snails, and puppy dogs' tails and the rest of my family is no doubt made of pumpkin spice, and everything nice. They compliment me and I know I am lucky because they let me hang around. All kidding aside, fall is a wonderful time of year, even with the heat. When I’m not at a school function, I get to spend my time at kids soccer games , band reviews, taking walks to the park, and just being Dad. So if I need to endure the continual smell of pumpkin spice in the house, I’ll take it for the team. Have an exceptional weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue John Coltrane - “Autumn Serenade” ).

Until next time...

Idle Tuesdays

The arrival of Homecoming week brings with it so many fun activities for staff and students. This one however was different for me.  This week, I was given the gift of reflection. On Tuesday, an elderly gentleman entered my office. Normally, when anyone from the community comes to speak to me, it is regarding a complaint, so I was dutifully prepared. As he entered, he immediately introduced himself. He was carrying a ball cap with which he referenced. The cap was from the Central Valley Honor Flight. He specifically came to the High School just to tell me about his trip.  Born in June of 1936, he was supposed to graduate from Selma High in 1955. He said because of his behavior and his interactions with a few difficult teachers, he never graduated. He dropped out to enlist in the Air Force in 1954.  His service took him overseas to Europe and Asia, but he remained a proud Selma Bear at heart. After leaving the service, he became a bus driver and later a trainer for Greyhound in Las Vegas. After retiring, he returned to Fresno to live because his family home in Selma had long been sold. So now to the reason for the story and the bottom line of his visit.  He told me that he knows he only has a short time remaining in his life, and he wanted to come to the high school to apologize. He simply wanted to deliver the message of regret. He continued by saying that although all his teachers have now passed away, he wanted to let me know they did not deserve his behavior. He did not share his health condition, and it was not my intent to ask, but there was sincerity in his eyes and his words that seared me to the core. As he left, I thanked him for his service and for the visit. Though his name will remain confidential, I will forever remember his impact. Let that be another lesson for me that I will never know what is going to walk into my office on some idle Tuesday.  Have a great weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Green Day - "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)". 

Until next time...

Parkinson's Law

We are now in the latter part of September and with it comes some really beautiful weather. The mild temperatures are met with street fairs and balloon festivals all across the Country. In our local area, this weekend is the Clovis Balloon Festival. Oftentimes with my family, we head out to watch and chase the balloons. Every year when I see the massive balloons floating through the air, I admire the serenity of the flight.  Many times as they fly overhead, I can hear the voices of the people above, or my kids can shout a kind hello as they pass above. Such a cool thing to see.  It is also very much in stark contrast to our profession. Many times, we are not surrounded by serenity or a floating direction. We, on the other hand, deal with Parkinson’s Law.  I am not talking about the unfortunate condition that many are stricken with, but the law of work and time.  Parkinson’s law states "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." Yes, that is our life in education.  There is never enough time. That is why it is so important to work efficiently or as my father would say, “work smarter, not harder.”  When you find the answer to Parkinson’s Law, please tell me. I’m sure my kids would like me to chase more balloons. Have a great weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Christopher Cross - "Sailing"). 

Until next time...

Positive Mental Attitude

Today I began thinking about the famous quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or can't, you are right.”  That saying has impacted me for years.  I believe I first heard it from my track coach in high school, Mr. Ambrozini, or Coach Ambro as we called him. Coach was always talking to us about overcoming the mental challenges of life and sport. He preached the concept of a strong mind and body, in that order. He would always use his version of the Henry Ford quote by saying “the second you think you can’t do something, you are right”, because the brain would make it so. His teaching has impacted my whole life. As an athlete, the idea that a positive mental attitude can bring about positive physical aspects was so important to me. I tried to avoid negative thoughts, yet, when it came to performance, the thoughts crept in my head. Though the positive mindset was there, the confidence to back it up had not yet arrived. I apply that to our students.  We can ask them to be positive about themselves, their lives, or their future, but until we can instill confidence, the positivity is only a facade. We have to build and secure small wins to engineer their confidence. Then help them continue with positivity because, in the end, the person that thinks they can, does. Have a remarkable weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Jason Mraz - "Have It All").

Until next time...

Lean Into It

The other day I was enjoying a video with my kids. The movie was the animated picture “Vivo”. I bring this up because one of the songs references the attitude resiliency. Not only is the song catchy, but the lyrics have deep meaning:  Living through the challenges are thrown at us. To borrow a phrase from the Marines, improvise, adapt and overcome. One of the lyrics states, “And all I can do when the tank’s run dry, is see what’s in reserve. And all I can do when the plans break down, is stay on my feet.” The more I thought about it, the more I thought about our profession.  When our tanks run dry, we somehow find a bit more in reserve to take on the next challenge. Many of us face 12 to 15 hour days on activity nights, and though fatigue sets in, we find more in reserve to push through and finish the night. How many times have you planned a lesson that broke down at the very beginning?  You could not just stop and go home. You have to improvise, stay on your feet, adapt to the situation and push through until the end of the period.  The art of being resilient: being able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. No doubt that is what we learn in education. Another lyric in the song is my favorite, “All I can do when the road bends, is lean into the curve.” Not only taking what is coming at you, but actively responding with enthusiasm. In other words, bring it on. Have a most exceptional weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ynairaly Simo - Keep The Beat).

Until next time...

See it from their eyes

With the arrival of September, we are usually met with more moderate temperatures, however, that is not the case. We find ourselves right in the middle of a heatwave with the triple digits and incredibly bad air quality. Throw into the mix the stress of the start of school for students and all it becomes much easier for a temper to flare. Understanding this, we should more than ever take a moment to breathe, and focus on kindness. We all know kindness works and it is the one thing we often forget. Just a smile in the hallway, good morning or good afternoon greeting, can make a difference for a student. When we think about our interactions with students, we really do not know their stories. When they enter our rooms or offices, we simply focus on our primary reason for the interaction. I know I’m guilty of it. I have to remind myself daily to slow down with my interaction and see it from their eyes. From a student's perspective, talking to an adult can be intimidating. We also know that every student comes with a backstory, as we all do. The difference being as adults, we understand how to compartmentalize so we can keep our emotions in check, most of the time. Every morning, during my time of reflection, I review my interactions. I take note of the things done right and I challenge myself to improve where I failed. I will always try to be better, do better, and make a difference. Every morning I wake, give thanks that I have been given another day to get it right. Have an exceptional weekend. This weekend is going to be blistering. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Tim McGraw - Humble and Kind). 

Until next time...