My School - Ten Picture Tour

I have several posts rolling around in my head that I've procratinated too long to get done, so if you see a flurry of activity on this blog, you'll know why.

A saw a cool idea in my twitter stream (started by Cale Birk) about taking ten pictures around your school campus so we can learn more about where we teach. I noticed it took on new life (via Pernille Ripp) with a similar home version. Please consider joining the movement, but be sure to tweet out the link with the hashtag #10PIXTR. I look forward to seeing other schools.

Without further delay, here is my Ten Picture Tour:

Our beautifully remodeled school's grand entrance.

The remodel included a "playshed"

We needed a playshed for days like this...we call this a "sun-break!"

Despite our official mascot being a "Warrior" we refer to our namesake, a chinook salmon.

Our library features flags from around the world, all painted by our librarian (in his spare time).

The beginnings of our school garden & staff lunch spot.

We celebrate our students...each salmon has a student's name on it (628 in all)!

Social House replaced our teaming model this year...all students belong to a "PRIDE"

We play hard too...once a month we hold "Pride Challenges" to blow off a little steam.

The staff mixes it up too!

I hope you enjoyed the tour, our school is a wonderful place for students & staff!

Toss One Back On Identity Day

Timing is everything. At my first staff meeting at my current school, I was given a starfish pin with the following story attached:

I was walking along an ocean beach one hot summer day. In the distance, I saw a man who was doing a strange dance, bending over again and again. As I got closer, I saw that he was picking up starfish that had washed up on the shore and was throwing them back. I asked him, "Why are you throwing those starfish into the sea?"

He replied, "The tide is going out, the sun is hot, and if I don't, they will die here."
I asked him why he was doing this since the beach was miles long and there were thousands of starfish and the few he threw back wouldn't make any difference.

The man paused with a starfish in his hand. He looked at it, then looked out at the ocean. Then, he tossed the starfish out and said, 'Made a difference to that one.'

The pin has hung above my desk ever since...it reminds me that every interaction I have with students is delicate...and has a lasting impact.

Last week the students and staff at my school held our first ever "Identity Day". It was a culmination of months of planning, organizing, and cajoling. At the end of the day a few staff members gathered at a favorite watering hole and reflected on the experience. Our discussion reminded me of the man and the starfish.

The day was filled with students connecting, making friends, and sharing their passions. Some of the highlights:

• "A" is a shy student with poor handwriting but impressed many with her knowledge of cake decorating. She brought in several samples of decorative flowers she made and answered questions to a captive audience.
• "R" is a shy student that wanted to stay home because of her anxiety about presenting. During her presentation (piano playing) she met a another student that shared her passion and they spent the rest of the day playing the piano together and getting to know each other.
• "R" is a student that tops our list of minor & major discipline referrals. Yet on this day, he talked endlessly about his knowledge of his family's business: cutting hair. He talked expertly about the different tools of the trade and impressed many.
• "A" is a student that likes to draw. She draws female models wearing fashions she images in her mind. She thought her drawings were just a hobby until she was told she could study fashion in high school...and learn how to make real versions of her fashions. For the rest of the day she was on cloud nine!

There were many such stories throughout the day...these are just a few I witnessed for myself. Unfortunately there were some not so flattering moments like the 150+ students that stayed home (four times the normal amount), students thinking that the "food room" was a place for free samples, or the large number of presentations that saw student after student walk past without acknowledging the presenter.

During the planning phase we talked about encouraging students to take a risk not knowing what the payoff would be. For some, the payoff never materialized. For others, the risk was met with negativity. But for hundreds of others, the payoff came in the form of positive feedback or the new friends they made. All-in-all it was a positive day in our school. That doesn't mean we can rest easy.

I am troubled knowing that students walked away from Identity Day with a negative experience. Was the risk worth it to them? How do we minimize the risk next time?

When I think about Identity Day, I think about our staff as the man on the beach throwing back starfish. They did a fantastic job of encouraging, modeling, and preparing our students for a successful day....but we didn't get to everyone.

What Color Is Your Tutu?

Last week during our Martin Luther King Jr. assembly, I wore a tutu. I talked about Identity Day.

While I prefer to let my students be the stars of our assemblies, I pushed to bring Identity Day to our school. I needed to share my vision with our students and staff. On the morning of the assembly, Sarah (not her real name) asked me to wear her tutu during the assembly. It wasn't exactly a dare...instead, she skillfully argued that I needed to connect with the audience and make my presentation personal (something I often tell them)...I agreed.

So there I stood, in the middle of the gym with 600+ students and staff, wearing Sarah's designer tutu while talking about my project (a trip to the Berlin Wall) along with five amazing students all dressed for their Identity Day presentation (ballet, soccer, golf, Irish dancing, and Call of Duty - Black Ops). Together we lit a fire in our audience. We gave them a glimpse into our lives and let them hear us talk about our passion. It was a big moment in our school.

A year ago I don't think I could have pulled it off. I wouldn't have believed that it was in anyone's best interest. Now, I don't take myself so serious. I work in a middle school where emotions run the gamut and body language speaks volumes. So if wearing a tutu somehow brings out a smile in a student, demonstrates my humility, or sparks humility in others* I say "bring it on." My only question is, what color is your tutu?

*a few days later another staff member, who students often say is "scary", wore the same tutu during class and posted a picture of himself wearing the tutu as his Facebook status.

Coming Up for Air

I've been busy lately. Oh, I've had time-consuming stretches like this before when I coached football & basketball. This is different. I team with a passionate group of colleagues (two math, a science, and a social studies colleague) and we are in the midst of a renaissance in our building. Sadly, we are far from done. The heavy lifting lies ahead as we prepare to challenge traditional thinking in our building. Before we do, I need some air. The countless hours spent debating our educational beliefs and developing core values has been challenging but has come at a price. I've neglected my PLN. I haven't blogged or enjoyed an #edchat or #mathchat in months. My Twitter time is minimal. That's why I'm here. I need to re-engage my PLN. One semester into the school year I've realized a renaissance of my own. Educationally, things are beginning to crystallize and I need to start making noise.

My plan is to blog more frequently as moments of inspiration move me to action or give me a reason to reflect. The reason is as simple as this...I used to work hard to inspire my students, instead the students and colleagues in my school inspire me to be a better educator, father, husband, and person. Stay tuned...