Everyone's got a something they will never sell (Herbs)

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Recently, after finding out I gave up a Principal job to teach him and others English at Hastings Boys', a student said - Eeeehh!!! Sir - why did you do that, to start again at the bottom???

It really was a loud and long EEEHHHHH too.

I guess it does look like that to a student, and from a certain view he's not wrong - I was an English teacher from 1983 to 1989 - the first years of my career. In 1990 I gained a leadership position in an English department and haven't been a full time English teacher for 30 years.  

It could have been a shock being back full time in the classroom but actually it wasn't. It's taken me back to what is vital and important.

I have told many of my former colleagues how much I'm loving the change. I mean it, maan.

As Ryan Holiday says in his book Right Thing, Right Now:

This is a journey that we all must go on too, not just avoiding selfishness and cynicism as we age but making sure we are not hardened by our profession or our circumstances. If time and experience don't make you more generous, less threatened by others and their needs, more openhearted, what kind of life is that? Because it sounds more like a prison, like some kind of curse that an enemy would swear on someone in a tragic play, like the cost of selling your soul.

Last term, I helped a student improve a piece of writing for his writing folio. After he'd finished it, I graded it an Excellence. The honesty of his writing really had a powerful affect on me (the reader).

He will never know how fulfilling that was for me. I never want to lose that feeling.

See me, feel me, touch me, heal me (The Who)

Photo by Maja Erwinsdotter on Unsplash

Brené Brown, in her book The Gift of Imperfection, has this great definition for 'connection':

I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.

There is a lot in there.

I have mentioned before the connection I have felt in some of the staff rooms I've been in. Sadly, it's rare, I've only experienced it twice in my 41-year teaching career, but only for a short time, because in both cases the key leader moved away from the school. 

But, because of that feeling of sustenance and strength I derived from the connection, I recognised it when I saw it, felt it. 

In my experience, it does take that key person, in my case - both males, to cause that connection. Seemingly, it's a rare combination in schools - to come across those leaders with that combination of empathy, vision, purpose, integrity and honesty.

I'm certainly thankful to those two gentlemen from my past.

Smiling in my room, you know you'll be inside of my mind soon (Jefferson Airplane)

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I like this from musician and comedian Tim Minchin on sharing what you know:

"Even if you're not a teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas. Don't take for granted your education. Rejoice in what you learn and spray it."

(Courtesy of James Clear. The source: 9 Life Lessons)

Basically, that's what this blog is all about - sharing ideas from others and from me. And, even more basically, that's what teachers do with each other - share ideas with each other. It's a crucial collaboration that I've been reminded of this term. 

Huge thanks to the English department at Hastings Boys' High School. My colleagues rock!!

Let me hear you say, "Everything's alright" (Steve Forbert)

Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash

School holidays for two weeks - a great chance to catch up with my reading and myself.

Brené Brown's book The Gifts of Imperfection has an interesting list (I love lists) of middle age's big ticket items, or as she calls them - unravelling journeys:

• marriage
• divorce
• becoming a parent
• recovery
• moving
• empty nest
• retiring
• experiencing loss or trauma
• working in a soul sucking job

I wonder how many you ticked off (my tally was 6 - you can guess which 6).

I'm not contemplating the retiring one any time soon. I'm enjoying what I'm doing way too much to give that up.

Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox) (John Lennon)

Dan Rockwell makes some worthwhile points about the paradox of power in a recent blog (whole thing is here)

Paradoxically, I feel more powerful in the classroom that I ever did as a Principal, or even a Head of English in various schools.

The paradox is that the higher you ascend the leadership ladder, the less power you actually have.

Why is that? Dan provides some following thoughts:

• Healthy power is using skills and abilities in service to others.  
• You don’t need authority to have power.  
• The more power you have, the more valuable you are when you serve with humility.

So, if you are truly being a leader, the more you actually concede power to others.

This is something micro managers and control freaks don't get.

As Dan says:

• The paradox of power is it grows when it’s shared and shrinks when it’s hoarded.

Or as I say: if you employ good people, get out of their way and let them do their job.

One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the rickyard when—whack!—an acorn hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" said Henny-penny, "the sky's a-going to fall"

I'm enjoying my current climate where people can (and do) make mistakes, without much angst and stress. Teaching is all about learning, right.

Finding teachable moments is a key ingredient to every classroom. Tolerance, forbearance, perseverance, acceptance of people's strengths and weaknesses are all mixed into the experience as well.

This has been a long week and the final week of the term is coming up so staff and students are looking forward to the break.

A student said to me today that his previous teacher was really grumpy today to which I replied that the teacher was probably really tired, so be kind.

I always remember Brené Brown's belief - I know my life is better when I work from the assumption that everyone is doing the best they can. 

Way up in the sky, little darlin', If you fall I'll pick you up, pick you up (Rickie Lee Jones)

Teachers have secret superpowers

“Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor minimum wage--the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing--but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They think American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.”

A wee reminder from Harry S. Truman