INVEST in People...NOT Programs

So many times in education and in other fields, we have an abundance of programs, initiatives, and new mandates that we have to fulfill in our line of work.  Sometimes it really sucks for multiple reasons; you don't know the, "why" so you feel as if you have no voice in the decision, or it has cycled around multiple times, so you wait for it to pass. We all know what I am talking about, if you have been in education for more than a split second.

The programs themselves mean nothing if we don't invest in the people that we are asking to carry out the tasks and that are in the trenches every day. We as leaders MUST believe in the people that we lead, so they will have faith in us as leaders. If we believe in PEOPLE, anything is possible.

The concept and struggle of "buy-in" can go to the waste side, if trust is established between the leadership team and your valued staff. Without the trust and support of our teachers, we have NOTHING!!! Those relationships must be established, nurtured, and valued. They must be based on trust, open communication, and respect. Again, relationships are at the center of any change that needs to occur. 

I was that teacher. If I didn't understand the purpose, didn't feel like my opinion was valued as a professional, or didn't feel supported or trusted by my leadership, I would nod my head yes, and then shut my door, and do whatever in the hell that I wanted. So, needless to say, "I get it!"

We as leaders need to provide our staff with the purpose of the changes, programs, or mandates through transparency, honesty, and open communication. If we fail to do so, we will not see the effective changes that we want to see, but resistance, resentment, and defiance. It is imperative to set the groundwork and pave the path to success and include our staff in the process. Inform them of changes, adjustments, or feedback so that all of us are batting for the same team at all times. Take time to listen to suggestions, improvements, and complaints, to make whatever it is BETTER!!!!

As always, KIDS must be the center of anything and everything that we do. They are the reason that we have jobs and they are the reason I get out of bed every morning. WE are in the business of KIDS, and they NEED us to show up every single day!

PEOPLE...They are PEOPLE, our PEOPLE, and we need to love each of them, every minute, of every day!

Happy Sunday Folks,

LMR

Leadership...It Ain't Always Easy

What defines a "good" leader? Most importantly, what defines an "extraordinary" leader? How does one become an effective leader that promotes change, stands up for what is right, leads without fear, and fights hard to learn and grow?

Some may say that it is a calling? You either possess the essential skills needed, or you don't?
I remember reading my report cards every year at a very early age with my parents and in the comment section it ALWAYS read:
*Talks Too Much
*Strong Leadership Skills

Lead with style. We planned to rock our fur coats!

What did strong leadership skills even look like I wonder at the ripe age of eight? I don't know, but I do know my teachers saw something in me that I didn't. Trust me, I always knew that the 'talks too much' comment was coming and I always had plenty of excuses to get myself out of the trouble I would be facing and usually the strong leadership saved me every time.


Here are four traits that make extraordinary leaders. Obviously there are thousands more, but these are traits that I feel could help me develop into an extraordinary leader.

Hat Day during Homecoming Week

Extraordinary leaders must be brave. They must fight for what is RIGHT and not stop until they have done everything in their power to enforce the change. That is not always easy, but worth it in the end.

Extraordinary leaders must have moxie. The ability to act with courage and determination, with a "whatever it takes" attitude!

Extraordinary leaders must have grit.  A strong backbone for whatever group you are leading forward. Someone that possess grit, will lead with tenacity and determination.

Extraordinary leaders must have passion. A passion that is so clear, people want to follow you, believe in you, and support your same passion.

Leadership ain't always easy. It is not supposed to be. You are the one that makes the difficult decisions, takes the heat, and reap the benefits of success and failure.

It is not for everybody, and sometimes only the strong survive. I strive to be an extraordinary leader one day at a time. I promise myself that I will be transparent, loyal, trustworthy, passionate, loving, compassionate, reflective and ALWAYS put KIDS first. If all of the decisions I make are what is best for KIDS, I sleep really well at night.

DO WHAT IS RIGHT!!!

Happy Monday Peeps!!!!

LMR

Today, I Cried...

Contentment & peace

It is on rare occasions that I will cry, but today, I cried...

I cried because I missed my Nannie.
I cried because I am scared.
I cried because I can't comfort all people that are suffering.
I cried because I still have faith in this world.
I cried because I believe in change.
I cried because I don't have control of our current situation.
I cried for our youth.
I cried for the future of our country.
I cried for the families that are hurting.
I cried for the victims.
I cried
I cried for the people who think violence is the answer.
I cried for all of the people that don't understand.
I cried  for change.
I cried for people to choose LOVE over hate.
I cried for our police.
I cried for every human on this planet.
I cried.

The innocence of this smile, keeps me going.

I completely understand that crying over things that are out of my control will not fix any problems or change the world. I had a moment of reflection today going through old birthday cards from my Nannie and Granddad and became extremely emotional. I always believe that it is good to have a good ole fashioned cry every now and again, so that I did. I missed the comfort I felt while taking a nap on their sofa, talking about my day and their unconditional love for me. I had no worries or cares, and the world seemed to be so far away from me in those moments. Do people still feel like this sometimes? Does peace of mind and contentment still exist? I know that it is a struggle for me some days, unplugging from technology and the world, to try and clear my head of all of the chaos that surrounds us 24/7.

Pure bliss & no worries!!

I am mainly worried about the future of our young people. What example are we setting for them? My Facebook is blowing up with outraged opinions on the current state of our country, but I am not seeing any action taking place. What are we going to do to change it? How are we going to be warriors for peace? Who needs to ensure the world to still have faith in humanity? I know that I don't have the answers, but maybe you will?

Words to me don't mean anything. It is our actions that define us. I am fully aware that I am writing this blog and going to post it on Facebook which is contradicting my above statement, but I am using it as a platform for reflection, discussion, and insight into our current situation. Maybe because of this post,
people, including myself, will start taking more action for change and peace.

With the new school year approaching I want my students to feel love, security, acceptance, comfort, stability, and a culture of kindness when they walk into our building. How can I create that? I don't know just yet,  but I can promise you, that I will die trying. I made a promise to myself, to do better for each student that walks in our doors!

The bigger question is, how can we ensure that they feel like those same things in their homes, communities, and the world? It starts with us, it starts with one, it starts now!

Peace,

LMR

It's All About the Relationships!!!

When your kids come home from school each day and you ask the famous question, " What did you learn today in school?" and you receive the classic answer, "nothin!" Do you get a little frustrated? I am sure that my parents did, because they asked my brother and I that same question every day after school. Wouldn't you like them to discuss the projects they worked on, the new adventure that their teacher took them on, or how they discovered a new talent or passion? I know that is what I liked to share with my parents. How do we create these experiences for our young people? It starts with building RELATIONSHIPS!!!

In my opinion, building relationships with students, teachers, parents, and the school community is the most important component is a student's success. How do we teach that? Can you teach adults to build relationships with students in a way that they feel comfortable being risk-takers, explores, and knowledge seekers? Is it even humanly possible to teach people how to build meaningful relationships?

I reflect on my life and the relationships that I have and I compare mine to a plant. I must water the plant, pay attention to the plant, and love the plant, if  I want it to grow. I know it is a simplistic analogy, but it makes sense to me. If I don't water it, show it attention, or nurture it, it will not survive. Isn't that true of many of our relationships?

Think about ALL of your relationships that you have in your life that you have built or let go. Your significant others, friendships, family members, clients, co-workers, and so many more. What makes them healthy? What makes them meaningful? What makes some of them withstand the test of times, but others are somewhat easy to let die? You are the only ones that can answer those questions, but I am going to share my thoughts...

If we maintain healthy relationships with people that we care about, it aids us in having a happier life. If there is friction, lack of communication, no compromise, or a plethora of other issues, eventually it bleeds into our everyday lives. Poor or struggling relationships can tarnish so many areas of our lives that we care about, whereas, healthy, loving relationships can improve your quality of life.

So just think about it...If your child has a teacher that can't, won't or doesn't know how to build a solid relationship with a child, how will that year effect them. A teacher sees a student roughly 175 days out of the year for about 6 hours a days in grades K-6, which is 1,050 hours of their LIFE. If that your son or daughter has a teacher that doesn't build a relationship with them, it can be detrimental to their learning journey. That is such a scary thought for me as an educational leader, aunt, and lover of public education.

Long story short...we as adults understand the importance of maintaining healthy relationships and the overall effect it can have on our lives, so why aren't we putting more emphasis on teacher/student relationships?


Think back to the teachers you had in school. Do you remember the ones that you scored high on their tests, or the ones that believed in you, pushed you, and inspired you? In today's society it is so much more about meaningful relationships than it is content. Content should always come second to the child.

After teaching "at-risk" teens for so long, they could tell me the exact day they started hating school. How sad is that? It literally made my heart hurt for them, and then I spent months trying to inspire them to love learning again. Typically a life-changing event had occurred in their personal life, then they got behind in school, and didn't have a strong enough relationship
with their teacher to feel safe enough to inform them of their situation.

I truly believe that ALL kids LOVE to LEARN, WE as educators have to continue to support and encourage them during their journey.  So, if you have strong relationships, remember to nurture them, and if you have a wilted plant, it's never too late to bring it back to life.

With all of the hate in this world, let's be kind to one another and spread the love :)

Happy Trails,

LMR