On The Advent Of A New School Year!

Students, I hope you are planning to have your best school year yet.  You can help insure this by working hard at your job of being a student, and demonstrating respect for all people, all of the time.  If you do these two things you will have your best year.  Please consider the following thoughts as you begin the new year: 

Ÿ  Set high standards for yourself.  Your parents have taught you all you need to know to be a successful citizen:  be polite, be kind, clean up after yourself, share, etc.  Do these things at school too.  

Ÿ  Help others.  Sounds so simple, but it does take effort.  Resist the temptation to make that funny sarcastic remark to your classmate that is not helpful.  When you see an opportunity to help someone, don’t hesitate.

Ÿ  Your worth is immeasurable.  It cannot be quantified and we will never question it.  Now, we may question your behavior if it is less than it should be, but your worth - never!

Ÿ  You must work hard.  Everyone wants to be successful, but will you do want it takes to prepare to be successful?  This means practice and sacrifice.  It may mean giving up an hour of “Facebook” time to do your homework, but the investment you make in your work will pay  dividends for the rest of your life!

Ÿ  Take care of your teachers.  They are important people in your life.  They will be your biggest ally and fan at school.  Be respectful of them all the time.

Ÿ  Take care of each other.  Each of your classmates is a person of worth and they deserve your respect...all of the time.

Ÿ  Take care of yourself.  You are a unique and special person.  There really is no one exactly like you.  Do those things you know you need to do to take care of yourself:  exercise, eat the right things, get enough rest, and avoid those things you know are not good for you.

Ÿ  Don’t give up.  You will face disappointments along the way:  a poor grade, a broken friendship, etc.  But don’t let yourself become discouraged.  If you persevere and keep working, you will get where you want to go.

Ÿ  Dream and set goals for yourself.  Goals give us direction and motivation to work hard to be successful.  Even if we don’t achieve the dream we aspire to, our goals help us achieve more than we would have without them.

Ÿ  It is more important to try your best than to be your best.  You can’t always be your best, but you can always give it a good effort.  Every person that has achieved greatness has experienced failures along the way but they have always kept trying to be their best.

Ÿ  When you are able to admit that you don’t know something, you are free to learn it.  It’s okay if you don’t know something, just don’t let it become a permanent condition.

Ÿ  Your future starts now!  Don’t wait to apply yourself.  Your future doesn’t start when you graduate, or go to college, or get your first job.  It starts now.  Learn all that you can and make the most of every day.

If you will work hard, be respectful, and apply these lessons, you will have an incredible new school year.  I hope this new one is the best school year you’ve ever had! 

America Is Not Easy

Do you remember Michael Douglas’ line from the film, “The American President”?  “America is not easy.”  It was a marvelous message that recognized that while America has serious problems that require serious thought and response, Americans also have remarkable blessings  that include the rule of law, political and religious freedom, economic free enterprise, a representative democracy, and a system of public education.  


This is a hard time for many Americans.  Our economy has struggled.  Jobs and homes have been lost and while signs of improvement are present, many of our neighbors are coping with the stress and anxiety that accompanies the economic downturn. 


What our problems and difficulties tell us about our country is not that we are "evil" as our enemies proclaim, or that our government is intractable as many of us feel, but rather that  freedom "is not easy.”  Other forms of government – monarchies, theocracies, dictatorships and other forms of totalitarian governments, may make life simpler for citizens.  When you have fewer choices, there are fewer decisions to make.  


We have read that many older Chinese are now longing for the simpler days of Mao Tse Tung, lamenting the current government’s fascination with capitalism and the stresses and anxieties, and inequities in income and wealth that come with it.  Life under these governments may be simpler, and in this sense easier, but we know it is not better!


Whether you were born in America or immigrated here, you are part of an on-going, remarkable, social experience in human freedom.  Like us or not, many people around the world want the freedom that we enjoy; our way of life and standard of living; the economic opportunity that has always been an American hallmark; the rule of law that provides unparalleled protection and justice; freedom to live according to our political and religious beliefs; representation in government; an egalitarian social ethic; and, a system of public schools which provide all children with the means to determine their own destinies.  


As wonderful as America is, it "is not easy."  America is not an unlimited "bank account" from which we can make unlimited withdrawals.  America requires every citizen, every day, to sacrifice, invest, and make deposits to protect and preserve our freedoms, our way of life, and our nation. 


The men and women of our armed forces are the most obvious examples of citizens who are making the required sacrifices for America.  Our police, fire fighters, and medical personnel are making investments too.  Many  citizens, from all walks-of-life, are making daily deposits in our country.  
 
The French philosopher Voltaire observed that where you have one of something, you have tyranny; where you have two, you have war; but where there are many, you have freedom.  His observation about religion can be generalized to every facet of our diversity.  Where you have many political beliefs, you have freedom.   Where you have many ethnicities, you have freedom.  "Many" is characteristically American.  "Many" also makes life more complex, and it takes the sacrifice, investment, and deposits of all citizens to protect and preserve this remarkable cultural experience that we have in America.


In a significant way, public school educators also invest in the future of our country.  Every day we see America in our hallways and classrooms - children from families of diverse backgrounds, ethnicity, language, color, religion, political affiliation, social and economic standing, personality, and hopes and dreams.  America's public school educators have helped our nation face and remedy its historical challenges, and there is no doubt that they will help our nation define its future, protecting and preserving our American way of life.  

An Impressive View

Teaching wasn’t an analytical choice for me – it was more of a revelation!  Only once did I ever contemplate doing something different and only because early in my teaching career, my father suggested that I meet with the general agent for Northwestern Mutual to talk about “opportunities.” 

So I did.  I drove to downtown Cleveland and met with the general agent to discuss the insurance business, opportunities, and compensation.  I took their personality exam and wondered what they would think of me.   I met and talked to several agents who were professional, well dressed, neatly groomed, and very encouraging.  I toured their offices at the top of one of Cleveland’s high rise office buildings and took in the views from the glass windows on all sides of the office.

           

The view from their floor was amazing too!  I could see the Browns’ stadium and the Lake Erie shoreline to the north; the distant eastern and western suburbs; and to the south, the steel mills along the Cuyahoga River.  It was very impressive. 

           
As cool as this was however, I knew I had a better view everyday - from the front of my classroom looking into the faces of my students at Olmsted Falls Middle School.  

I knew what my mission was – to teach and help children learn and grow.  I had known since 9^th grade.  My classroom was modest but the work I was doing was vital and the relationships with my students was priceless.  Fancy offices and the lure of more money was not appealing to me.  My linoleum floored classroom was just fine and my $10,400 contract were all the compensation I needed to remain where I could have that better view.

Pete

I met Pete Hassey in 10^th grade and our friendship affirmed my intention to become a teacher.  I was introduced to Pete, another sophomore, because he needed someone to help him on a daily basis.  Pete had Muscular Dystrophy and by then was confined to a motorized wheelchair.  It really was easy to help Pete so I agreed and so began a friendship that lasted until he died 4 years later. 

Each morning, Mrs. Korfant would arrive at my house in the school van, pick me up, and off to Pete’s house we’d go.  When we arrived at Pete’s house, he would usually be sitting in front of the TV sipping apple juice through a straw.  When he was done his mother would hold a bucket in front of him so he could cough the mucus out of his throat so he could breathe more easily – just so he could go to school.  Once he was done his Mom would put his coat on and then I would wheel him out the door and up the ramp to the van.  Mrs. Korfant and I would lock his chair in place before we jumped in and drove to school.

           

I learned from Pete, and Mrs. Korfant, that even though we all appeared to be very different people – a special needs bus driver, an athlete, and a wheel-chair bound student – we had a whole lot more in common than the few differences in our appearance.  These 10 minute rides from Pete’s house to Westlake High School were special times for me – I hope they were for Mrs. Korfant and Pete too.  We must have appeared to be the oddest trio rolling down the road, laughing and talking, teasing each other and having fun.  Mrs. Korfant had the best sense of humor and she could really make us laugh - teasing me and teasing Pete and I think her magic was making us all feel the same, and it felt great. 

           

Once we arrived, I would wheel Pete out of the van and into the boiler room where I’d help him get ready for school.  This meant taking his coat off first. I’d have to bend his arm to pull the coat sleeve over his arm to get it out.  Sometimes I’d bend his arm too hard and he would wince in pain…but he never got mad at me.  Instead, he would smile afterward and I know what that smile meant.  It meant “Thank you for helping me.”  Can you imagine hearing anything better than that?  Maybe, “I love you!” but few things could make you feel better.

           

I would then help Pete get seated properly by pulling him upright and then straightening his legs and making sure his feet were in the footrests just right.  After putting his books on his desktop and moving his hand to the control pen, he was off to class.

           

One day while walking through the main lobby of the school to get to my locker, I saw Pete looking up at the ceiling and for a moment I wondered what he was looking at.  From wherever you are sitting, I want you to tilt your head up and look up at the ceiling.  Now look back at your computer.  Look back up at the ceiling.  Now back to the computer.  You have just done something twice that Pete could not do once.  I quickly realized that he wasn’t looking at the ceiling because there was anything interesting there. His head had fallen backwards and he couldn’t pick it back up.

           

After helping Pete get reseated, I wondered how long he had been like that and how he must have felt.  I wondered how many people had passed by and noticed that he was having trouble?  I wondered how many people even bothered to say hi to him.

           

I knew then that I was destined to be a teacher, not because I was exceptional – rather because I knew that I liked helping others and my friendship with Pete affirmed this calling.

A Shameful Memory

An unfortunate event in 9^th grade was the most significant event in my decision to become a teacher as I witnessed repeated harassment and bullying of a classmate at the end of Health class.  It remains my shame to this day that I did nothing to intercede to help my classmate who had his lunch money extorted from him many days. 

My parents raised me better than that.  They raised me to do the right thing.  And I chose to do nothing!  I could have said something to Bobby after class, even “Hey man, don’t let him bother you!”  At least he would have known that somebody noticed and somebody cared.  As it was I’m sure he felt all alone and that nobody cared. 

           

I could have said something to Greg, "Leave him alone.”  At least he would have known that somebody noticed and somebody cared that what he was doing was wrong.  I don’t know why I didn’t do something – let the teacher know, let my parents know – something.  I guess I was too immature; too selfishly minded; maybe I was just glad it wasn’t me.  It is shameful and to this day I carry that shame because I can’t go back and undo it and I can’t ever make it right.  I lost the opportunity to help someone who needed me and I’ll never have the chance again.  

           

I learned for the first time that not everyone was having a good school experience like me; I learned that for some students school was difficult and unpleasant.  What was revealed to me then was that if I became a teacher I could help students have better school experiences.  I made my decision at that moment.  

This is the memory that fueled my desire to become a teacher and it is the fuel that drives me today to make sure that every student has a good experience in school.  This is why we are investing so heavily in building a culture of leadership among our students.  One person can do a little.  One hundred can do a lot.  By developing leaders through Student Council, Jr. Beta Club, Student Leadership Academy, Peer Leaders, Student Mentors, Student Ambassadors, News Team Members, Basketball, Cheer and Dance Teams, SRP Council, and Special Education Buddies, we are creating a school culture that is kinder and more supportive of each other.  And that is the way it should be.

What Does Your Love Letter Say To The World?

I didn’t know much about Mother Teresa until I bought a book of quotations in the early 90’s and began to read through it.  I knew that she worked with some of the poorest people in the world in the slums of Calcutta and won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work.  When I came to her page of quotations, I was stunned by their power and compassion.  She only had one page of quotes while the other notable leaders had multiple pages of quotes, but her words spoke to me like no one else’s.

           

            “We can do no great things – only small things with great love.”

           

            “I do not pray for success.  I ask for faithfulness.”

           

            “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter  to the world.” 

I got her biography and read more about her and realized that these words were life-transforming…I am not sure if she really was of this earth or not.  It is hard for me to imagine a human being dedicating her work and life to living among people who are among the poorest in the world.  People who were destitute, unwanted, dying.  I found it truly remarkable that a Catholic Nun could dedicate herself to people of other faiths – people of the Hindu faith, the Muslim faith, and even people of no faith. 

Public educators do this too!  We write our own “love letter” to the world by doing the work that we do, serving every child who walks through our door regardless of their background.  What does your love letter say?   

"Holy Workers"

My wife, son, and I attended our church choir’s performance of Handel’s “Messiah” the week before Christmas, 2005.  It was an ambitious undertaking for a small church and a very commendable performance by the choir.  I think King George II would have leapt to his feet in appreciation just as he did during the “Messiah’s” premier.

As I sat in the audience, I scanned the sanctuary observing the diversity among our church family.  Elderly grandparents, sleeping babies, African Americans, Asian Americans, Americans of European ancestry, people of different political affiliations, people representing different economic attainment, and even a range of faith though we all claim to be Presbyterian – and just think about the differences in personalities!  Though our congregation is not nearly as diverse as some, I thought it interesting that people who are so different find grace in the same church sanctuary.

           

Where else do Americans find such welcome and acceptance?  American Public Schools!  Here Americans find a different, but still powerful kind of grace. 

Americans are so different – in faith, philosophy, political affiliations, race, ethnicity, age, ancestry, economic standing, and even sexual orientation.  But it really isn’t so remarkable that we are so different is it?  After all, this is America!  What is so remarkable is our commonality.  What “knits” people of such diversity together?  What commonalities do Americans share? What holds a nation of diverse and sometimes conflicting backgrounds together?

Three major things:  our democratic republic, our economic system of free enterprise, and our system of public education.  While some would argue which of the three is most important, they are all important and despite all of our differences, we all share the benefit these provide. 

           

In America the ability of an individual to secure political and economic franchise is neither automatic nor guaranteed.  It is an opportunity available to Americans and their ability to attain it depends to a large degree on the performance of America’s public schools.  Those people most disenfranchised from political and economic power in our country, by and large, are those people who have been least successful in school.   Those people suffering most have reaped the least benefit that public education can provide.  The performance of America’s public schools is of national importance and of importance for every single child.

           

In the season of Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza, I was reminded that public school educators do what Lorraine Monroe calls “holy work” in “sacred places.”  They impact the life of every child they teach and they change those lives in long lasting measure.  Their work helps our students secure the political and economic benefit that is unavailable without them.

Public school educators deserve honor and blessing for doing the work they do and for serving the children and families they serve.  As individuals and as a nation, we owe them that.