I can hardly believe my crazy, amazing year is coming to a close! On Sunday evening, I left for Buncombe County for our final Principal of the Year site visit. Congratulations to Marcia Perry from Haw Creek Elementary School for being named the Region 8 Principal of the Year. We had a great day visiting with these wonderful students! I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to travel with Jan and Sonja to visit these fabulous schools. During the long (lots of detours) drive home, the state car thought it was Christmas and began turn on all of the lights! I made it home safely, but knew I had to make an appointment first thing Tuesday morning!
On Tuesday (after calling the State Motor Fleet Garage) I traveled to another youth detention center to talk with three different groups of students about why students drop out of high school. Again, I was intrigued by their responses. No matter how much research you read, the stories from these students bring a new perspective. Again, it affirmed what we already know as teachers: The relationships with have with people are powerful!
Then I traveled to Peace College in Raleigh to talk with future teachers. This was such a great group of future teachers and I enjoyed my time with them. Thank you Ms. Wade for inviting me and for the amazing work you do. Following my visit at Peace College, I traveled to EPFP for our second week of Budget Busters. This has truly been an insightful exercise!
On Wednesday morning, I traveled to UNC Pembroke to talk with the students who are currently student teaching. This group was very interactive and asked great questions! I had a great time and I wish you all the best of luck!
After I left UNCP, I moved out of my second home (Rodge the Dodge - state car) and moved into a temporary state vehicle (Dora the Explorer). I then attended the Blue Ribbon Task Force meeting on the compulsory attendance age. As always, it was an interesting meeting and I was able to share some of the information from my recent youth focus groups.
On Thursday and Friday, I spent time in Cary with the 2011-2012 NC TOY finalists. What a fantastic, dedicated and passionate group of teachers. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to have talked with each of you. Any one of you would be an excellent representative for teachers in NC. I look forward to getting to know each of you a little more this year. I have no doubt the selection team had a difficult time in choosing the 2011-2012 NC Teacher of the Year. See you guys April 6.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
A Leader's Legacy
On Saturday I received some sad news. My first principal, Richard Murphy, passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. I sat in silence for some time to reflect. Mr. Murphy was one of the most amazing leaders I have ever known. He was truly a presence and a leader ahead of his time. He set the standard by which I measure all administrators and he truly helped to shape me as a teacher. One of my colleagues said it best when she said she felt like she lost her professional parent. This is so true.
He was a servant leader who led by example. Everyone on the faculty had the utmost respect for him. He taught us that being "good" was not acceptable. We were inspired to be great because of his vision and instructional leadership. As I have grown as a teacher, I fondly remember some of his most powerful words of wisdom (we fondly refer to them as "Murphyisms"):
1. Be good or be gone. - He expected greatness and led is such a way that you always wanted to do your very best. He did not value average and he expected excellence.
2. Begin with the end in mind. He would always remind us of Stephen Covey's words as we began a school year. Where do we want to be at the end of the year? Where do we want our students to be at the end of the year?
3. No one rises to low expectations. Regardless of the student, the teacher or the situation, he believed that setting high expectations led to great things. How true!
When I began my teaching career at Leesville Road High School in the August of 1998, I had no idea how much of my professional life would be shaped by his great leadership. Even after the very difficult decision to leave my Leesville family to transfer closer to home, I often asked Mr. Murphy's advice as I transitioned into new roles and new opportunities. Even though I was no longer a part of the faculty, he was always willing to listen and offer guidance. When I was named NC Teacher of the Year last May, I received the most encouraging and thoughtful email from Mr. Murphy. It was an email I keep close by and often read as I have face challenges this year. I am saddened both personally and professionally by his passing; however, I feel so fortunate to have began my career with one of the best educational leaders.
As I continue to grow as a teacher and leader, I will often remember his words of wisdom, his vision, and most importantly is expectation of greatness. Thank you Mr. Murphy for all you have taught me. I was honored to work with you.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Week of March 14
As I got out of the car this afternoon, I checked out the odometer and realized I have traveled over 16,500 miles so far in the journey!
On Monday, I spent the day with the Principal of the Year selection team at Cuthbertson High School in Union County. It was another amazing site visit. Mr. Rob Jackson is an outstanding leader and was names the Regional Principal of the Year. We received the royal treatment and had fun talking with students during lunch.
Tuesday evening was our weekly NC EPFP meeting and we began an exercise entitled Budget Busters. It gives us a chance to learn more about the role of the NC General Assembly in creating NC's budget. We will spend the next two weeks continuing this project. It is truly fascinating and folks are taking their roles seriously!
On Wednesday I was so excited to travel to UNC Greensboro to talk with their group of Teaching Fellows. This group was so engaging and I loved their participation. We laughed and talked about the amazing aspects of teaching and the unique gifts this groups can bring to our profession. I am truly looking forward to working with this group in the future!
On Thursday our Principal of the Year selection team met at Grantham School just outside of Goldsboro. When I entered and looked around, it took me back to my years at Midway Elementary School. Grantham is unique because it continues as a K-8 school and reminded me so much of the "old days" when Midway Elementary was K-8. Congratulations to Mrs. Lisa Tart for being selected as the Region 2 Principal of the Year. She does an outstanding job at her school. Her staff and students truly respect and appreciate her very much.
After I left Grantham School, I drove back to Midway High where the Teacher Cadet class honored teachers that had a positive impact on their lives. Sometimes I wonder if we truly grasp how many lives we impact as classroom teachers. It was an afternoon will not forget. Thank you guys for including me.
On Friday I spent some time with students at a juvenile correction center. I had an honest, candid dialogue with these students about factors that influence the decision to drop out of school. It was an eye-opening day and I cried most of my drive home. I am meeting with young adults from another facility next week and I will blog about the conversations and my personal reflections. The rapport we have with our students is so important. Even simple things like saying "hello" or "how are you?" can make a world of difference to a student.
Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day and I enjoyed my drive into Brunswick County. I had the opportunity to work with teachers involved in the Teaching American History grant. I had met this group in November and enjoyed our time on Reconstruction. Today we spent time working on ways to teach the Civil War. This group is so dedicated and I loved every minute! Thanks for your interactions and your participation. It was a gorgeous drive home with the windows down. Spring is on the way!
On Monday, I spent the day with the Principal of the Year selection team at Cuthbertson High School in Union County. It was another amazing site visit. Mr. Rob Jackson is an outstanding leader and was names the Regional Principal of the Year. We received the royal treatment and had fun talking with students during lunch.
Tuesday evening was our weekly NC EPFP meeting and we began an exercise entitled Budget Busters. It gives us a chance to learn more about the role of the NC General Assembly in creating NC's budget. We will spend the next two weeks continuing this project. It is truly fascinating and folks are taking their roles seriously!
On Wednesday I was so excited to travel to UNC Greensboro to talk with their group of Teaching Fellows. This group was so engaging and I loved their participation. We laughed and talked about the amazing aspects of teaching and the unique gifts this groups can bring to our profession. I am truly looking forward to working with this group in the future!
On Thursday our Principal of the Year selection team met at Grantham School just outside of Goldsboro. When I entered and looked around, it took me back to my years at Midway Elementary School. Grantham is unique because it continues as a K-8 school and reminded me so much of the "old days" when Midway Elementary was K-8. Congratulations to Mrs. Lisa Tart for being selected as the Region 2 Principal of the Year. She does an outstanding job at her school. Her staff and students truly respect and appreciate her very much.
After I left Grantham School, I drove back to Midway High where the Teacher Cadet class honored teachers that had a positive impact on their lives. Sometimes I wonder if we truly grasp how many lives we impact as classroom teachers. It was an afternoon will not forget. Thank you guys for including me.
On Friday I spent some time with students at a juvenile correction center. I had an honest, candid dialogue with these students about factors that influence the decision to drop out of school. It was an eye-opening day and I cried most of my drive home. I am meeting with young adults from another facility next week and I will blog about the conversations and my personal reflections. The rapport we have with our students is so important. Even simple things like saying "hello" or "how are you?" can make a world of difference to a student.
Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day and I enjoyed my drive into Brunswick County. I had the opportunity to work with teachers involved in the Teaching American History grant. I had met this group in November and enjoyed our time on Reconstruction. Today we spent time working on ways to teach the Civil War. This group is so dedicated and I loved every minute! Thanks for your interactions and your participation. It was a gorgeous drive home with the windows down. Spring is on the way!
Friday, March 18, 2011
The 3 Ps
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to talk with the Teaching Fellows at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I always love talking with North Carolina Teaching Fellows because they truly embody the qualities we desire in our classroom teachers. The students were enthusiastic so many stayed after the presentation to talk about our profession. Many of these future teachers talked about the negativity they encountered as they were in schools. I was heartbroken to hear that some of the teachers with whom these Teaching Fellows were working this semester were actually trying to talk them out of teaching! Yikes!
Now to be reasonable, I understand that is a difficult time of year (see March Madness blog) and we are all stretched a little thin. We wonder if spring break will ever arrive while we worry intensely about the changes that may happen as we struggle with the economy. Of course our morale as a profession may be down a little. However, I encourage all of us to be careful with the words we choose, the tone we set and the path we walk. The future of education is watching our example. I am not saying that we should "sugar -coat" our jobs. Let's be honest - Teaching is a tough job and those who choose to enter this profession should be aware of all aspects. All I am asking is that we be honest, but not negative.
We all know the 3 Rs of education (say them with me...) Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships. We all know the value of the three Rs and the vital role of each in our daily work with children. However, I would challenge you to add the 3 Ps to your vocabulary: Passionate, Positive and Professional. We owe it to ourselves and the future teachers joining us to embrace these 3 Ps as a part of what good teaching is about. We are passionate about our students, our subjects and public education. We are positive and encourage others to see the glass as half full. We instill hope in our students and we should also work to instill hope in each other and in our profession. We should embody professionalism. Teachers are professionals; however sometimes we can be our biggest enemy as we work to achieve this "status" in the eyes of the general public.
Please don't misunderstand. I am not lecturing or getting on a soapbox. I simply know that the amazing professionals in education can rise above this temporary dip in morale and truly inspire future teachers to continue in this amazing journey.
Now to be reasonable, I understand that is a difficult time of year (see March Madness blog) and we are all stretched a little thin. We wonder if spring break will ever arrive while we worry intensely about the changes that may happen as we struggle with the economy. Of course our morale as a profession may be down a little. However, I encourage all of us to be careful with the words we choose, the tone we set and the path we walk. The future of education is watching our example. I am not saying that we should "sugar -coat" our jobs. Let's be honest - Teaching is a tough job and those who choose to enter this profession should be aware of all aspects. All I am asking is that we be honest, but not negative.
We all know the 3 Rs of education (say them with me...) Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships. We all know the value of the three Rs and the vital role of each in our daily work with children. However, I would challenge you to add the 3 Ps to your vocabulary: Passionate, Positive and Professional. We owe it to ourselves and the future teachers joining us to embrace these 3 Ps as a part of what good teaching is about. We are passionate about our students, our subjects and public education. We are positive and encourage others to see the glass as half full. We instill hope in our students and we should also work to instill hope in each other and in our profession. We should embody professionalism. Teachers are professionals; however sometimes we can be our biggest enemy as we work to achieve this "status" in the eyes of the general public.
Please don't misunderstand. I am not lecturing or getting on a soapbox. I simply know that the amazing professionals in education can rise above this temporary dip in morale and truly inspire future teachers to continue in this amazing journey.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The" Luck "of a Teacher
Today was such an amazing day! The Midway High School Teacher Cadets hosted a reception honor special teachers in their lives. Each student selected a teacher and then spoke about why he/she chose to invite that teacher and how that teacher has made an impact on his/her life. Wow! There was laughter and tears. There were hugs and thank yous. It was truly a powerful, humbling day and I was so fortunate to be a part of this day. Thank you Tiffany Hawley for inviting me and for the kind words you shared.
As I looked around at the amazing teachers in the room and I was speechless. As teachers I don't think we ever take a moment to step back and reflect on the difference we make in the lives of our students. As I was surrounded by great teachers and students who aspire to be teachers, I know that teaching is the most amazing job I could ever have.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
March Madness....AKA the 3rd Quarter Slump
There is a new excitement in the air! My bracket is complete! The march to madness has begun. Well, at least March Madness has begun in my living room! But I must say that as I have visited schools over the past few weeks, I have seen a different kind of March madness. It is the March madness that says, "When is Spring Break?" It is the madness that says, "What do you mean there is no more copy paper?" It is the excitement of hoping that maybe it will snow in March because you REALLY need a break!
We all know that March takes on a different meaning for teachers. It often means the very long stretch from snow days in January to spring break in April. And morale doesn't look like it will make it to the sweet sixteen this year. The rubber band is stretch a little thin and patience is scare! As we celebrate Cinderella stories on the court and follow our favorite teams, remember our colleagues in classrooms across our state who have begun to define March Madness as the 3rd Quarter Slump. To my friends battling the "ugh" of this time of year, hang in there. The sun is shining! There might possibly be daylight when you finally leave school and spring break is just around the corner. Take a deep breath, eat some ice-cream and spend some fun time with your family and friends. I know what a challenge this time of year can be in the classroom! Hang in there and remember to laugh a little every day! Spring Break will get here...eventually!
We all know that March takes on a different meaning for teachers. It often means the very long stretch from snow days in January to spring break in April. And morale doesn't look like it will make it to the sweet sixteen this year. The rubber band is stretch a little thin and patience is scare! As we celebrate Cinderella stories on the court and follow our favorite teams, remember our colleagues in classrooms across our state who have begun to define March Madness as the 3rd Quarter Slump. To my friends battling the "ugh" of this time of year, hang in there. The sun is shining! There might possibly be daylight when you finally leave school and spring break is just around the corner. Take a deep breath, eat some ice-cream and spend some fun time with your family and friends. I know what a challenge this time of year can be in the classroom! Hang in there and remember to laugh a little every day! Spring Break will get here...eventually!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Week of March 7
Such a busy week! On Monday I had the opportunity to speak with the Clinton Rotary Club at lunch. Lunch was delicious and I enjoyed the opportunity to talk about how wonderful our community is and how our roots run deep! Our community has always been so supportive of our public schools and organizations like the Rotary Club continue help our schools excel. After lunch I drove to Greene County to speak with teachers at Snow Hill Primary School. What a great group of teachers! We talked about the dreaded "3rd Quarter Slump" and ways to renew your passion for education even during those difficult and stressful times!
I spent Tuesday morning at Meredith College! Meredith was hosting a teacher recruitment fair and I had the opportunity to talk with some amazing aspiring teachers! With the budget, I realize that everyone is afraid to hire; however, for those of you that need to fill some positions at your school, you will be pleased with the quality of teachers applying!
On Tuesday evening, we had our weekly EPFP meeting. This week we had the opportunity to talk with various lobbyist in education. It was a very informative evening!
On Wednesday, I spent the day in the office catching up on paperwork and research. Then I packed my bags for two more Principal of the Year site visits and off to Mt. Airy I went.
On Thursday I joined Jan King and Sonja Leathers to visit Mt. Airy High School. We spent the day with Sandy George the regional Principal of the Year. What an amazing school! After our school visit, we then toured "Mayberry" like all good tourists!
On Friday, we spent the day at Grimsley High School in Greensboro. We had a great visit and truly enjoyed our visit. Ms. Anna Brady is an amazing leader and is her regional Principal of the Year.
I have really enjoyed visiting so many wonderful schools!
Here are some fun pics from our trip to Mayberry!
I spent Tuesday morning at Meredith College! Meredith was hosting a teacher recruitment fair and I had the opportunity to talk with some amazing aspiring teachers! With the budget, I realize that everyone is afraid to hire; however, for those of you that need to fill some positions at your school, you will be pleased with the quality of teachers applying!
On Tuesday evening, we had our weekly EPFP meeting. This week we had the opportunity to talk with various lobbyist in education. It was a very informative evening!
On Wednesday, I spent the day in the office catching up on paperwork and research. Then I packed my bags for two more Principal of the Year site visits and off to Mt. Airy I went.
On Thursday I joined Jan King and Sonja Leathers to visit Mt. Airy High School. We spent the day with Sandy George the regional Principal of the Year. What an amazing school! After our school visit, we then toured "Mayberry" like all good tourists!
On Friday, we spent the day at Grimsley High School in Greensboro. We had a great visit and truly enjoyed our visit. Ms. Anna Brady is an amazing leader and is her regional Principal of the Year.
I have really enjoyed visiting so many wonderful schools!
Here are some fun pics from our trip to Mayberry!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Week of February 28
And into March we go!
On Monday I had the opportunity to attend the NC Public Schools Forum Board meeting in Raleigh. I also love any opportunity to engage in conversation with members of the Public Schools Forum Board. We were able to hear from Dr. Ross, President of the UNC System, and the Honorable Howard Manning, Jr. Judge Manning talked a great deal about the consequences of House Bill 48 (NC General Assembly) which bans testing in areas not mandated by the Federal Government. As always, he proved to be an interesting speaker. I also encourage you to read his response to HB 48 as it is a very interesting and thought-provoking argument. I also enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy conversation with Judge Whichard. I always learn something new each time I talk with him. I finally met someone who knows more quotes than I could every hope to know!
Tuesday was spent in the office and at my children's school. I have spent a great deal of time on the road this year and I enjoy any opportunity I have to spend lunch time with my children at school. It was also my daughter's 8th birthday and having lunch and cupcakes with her class was extra special!
The State Board of Education monthly meetings were held on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the committees met and great information was presented. I enjoyed the opportunity to be on a panel with Jessica Garner, 2009-2010 NC Teacher of the Year, and Laurie Calvert, a former Buncombe County Teacher and current Teaching Ambassador Fellow in Washington, DC. We spent time talking about what exactly is an effective teacher, how do we measure effective teaching and how do we keep good teachers. I enjoyed the opportunity to talk about effective teaching and to answer questions from SBE members. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the great teachers in our state!
On Thursday morning, we had two incredible presentations during the SBE session. The first was from the Friday Institute regarding student learning conditions surveys. How informative for us as teachers to really look at our student's input! A special thanks to AT&T for funding this project! We are excited to see this in NC! I think we will find the student learning conditions surveys to be as valuable to our classroom instruction as the Teacher Working Conditions survey has been to our school improvement process. The second presentation was from Verizon. It is funding Thinkfinity for use by North Carolina Public Schools. It is such an amazing tool and I am very excited about using this! Thanks to the Friday Institute for the amazing SLC survey and to both AT&T and Verizon for your continued support of North Carolina Public Schools.
On Thursday afternoon, the Governor's Education Transformation Commission met and each subcommittee reported on its work from the previous month's meeting. We also talked a little about the impact of pending legislation on our public schools. It is always interesting to hear different perspectives! I have said it before and I will say it again, Dr. Bill Harrison always speaks with such passion for the students in North Carolina Schools. He is truly an amazing leader in public education in North Carolina.
On Friday, I found myself filing papers, researching and catching up on a few odd and end errands!
I hope you all had a great week!
On Monday I had the opportunity to attend the NC Public Schools Forum Board meeting in Raleigh. I also love any opportunity to engage in conversation with members of the Public Schools Forum Board. We were able to hear from Dr. Ross, President of the UNC System, and the Honorable Howard Manning, Jr. Judge Manning talked a great deal about the consequences of House Bill 48 (NC General Assembly) which bans testing in areas not mandated by the Federal Government. As always, he proved to be an interesting speaker. I also encourage you to read his response to HB 48 as it is a very interesting and thought-provoking argument. I also enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy conversation with Judge Whichard. I always learn something new each time I talk with him. I finally met someone who knows more quotes than I could every hope to know!
Tuesday was spent in the office and at my children's school. I have spent a great deal of time on the road this year and I enjoy any opportunity I have to spend lunch time with my children at school. It was also my daughter's 8th birthday and having lunch and cupcakes with her class was extra special!
The State Board of Education monthly meetings were held on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the committees met and great information was presented. I enjoyed the opportunity to be on a panel with Jessica Garner, 2009-2010 NC Teacher of the Year, and Laurie Calvert, a former Buncombe County Teacher and current Teaching Ambassador Fellow in Washington, DC. We spent time talking about what exactly is an effective teacher, how do we measure effective teaching and how do we keep good teachers. I enjoyed the opportunity to talk about effective teaching and to answer questions from SBE members. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the great teachers in our state!
On Thursday morning, we had two incredible presentations during the SBE session. The first was from the Friday Institute regarding student learning conditions surveys. How informative for us as teachers to really look at our student's input! A special thanks to AT&T for funding this project! We are excited to see this in NC! I think we will find the student learning conditions surveys to be as valuable to our classroom instruction as the Teacher Working Conditions survey has been to our school improvement process. The second presentation was from Verizon. It is funding Thinkfinity for use by North Carolina Public Schools. It is such an amazing tool and I am very excited about using this! Thanks to the Friday Institute for the amazing SLC survey and to both AT&T and Verizon for your continued support of North Carolina Public Schools.
On Thursday afternoon, the Governor's Education Transformation Commission met and each subcommittee reported on its work from the previous month's meeting. We also talked a little about the impact of pending legislation on our public schools. It is always interesting to hear different perspectives! I have said it before and I will say it again, Dr. Bill Harrison always speaks with such passion for the students in North Carolina Schools. He is truly an amazing leader in public education in North Carolina.
On Friday, I found myself filing papers, researching and catching up on a few odd and end errands!
I hope you all had a great week!
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