Blog Posts

YES, THERE REALLY IS A KALAMAZOO!

6/19/2018

The MEMSPA Summer Leadership Institute, “Literacy Integration: ‘Setting Our Compass for Success” is coming to my hometown of Kalamazoo this summer! You need to come for the learning and to come and find out that Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo! This Summer Leadership Institute has sessions that offer content matched to the needs of our MEMSPA leaders and teams! The Institute is an in-depth and practical learning opportunity for practicing and aspiring principals as well as teacher leaders. School leaders will leave with the knowledge and confidence to implement key concepts and new skills.

The MEMSPA Summer Institute is a dynamic opportunity to jumpstart your learning, networking, and planning for the new school year. Yes, I know, the last thing you want to think about right now, eh? But, you’re a planner, so get the dates on your calendar and get registered! Tuesday, July 31-Wednesday, August 1 at the Kalamazoo Radisson. Register here if you haven’t done so already! MEMSPA Summer Leadership Institute

Do you know an early career principal? Someone on the job for 1-3 years, or perhaps a brand new principal just hired? Then, send them on Monday, July 30 from 12-8pm for the Early Career Principal’s Workshop that Debbie McFalone and I facilitate. Our goal is to provide information to help new and beginning principals start strong and set the stage for a positive and productive year of leadership. Set Up For Success Pre Conference for Early Career Leaders

If you are bringing your family, there is a lot to do in Kalamazoo! We have many free opportunities for families and great eats! Save this Google Doc I created that lists great places to eat and fun family activities to participate in while you attend the MEMSPA Summer Institute at the Kalamazoo Radisson! YES! There Really Is A Kalamazoo!

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What about the father?

4/24/2018

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“Nobody appreciates daddy . . . Nobody ever says, “Hey, Daddy, thanks for knocking out this rent!” “Hey, Daddy, I sure love this hot water!” “Hey, Daddy, it’s easy to read with all this light!” Chris Rock, comedian

When my sister’s son was born, before I had kids of my own, I couldn’t contain my excitement and enthusiasm for visiting her and holding this precious bundle that I got to call nephew! My self-centered, egocentric brother-in-law was a bit miffed and couldn’t stand that everyone in the family was putting all the attention on the mom and the baby and loudly proclaimed: “What about the FATHER?”

At the time of course, we could have cared less about him, but despite his egotism, I have to admit that he was definitely right about something. A boy needs his father!

Whenever I had a long-term emotionally challenged situation with a young boy at school as a principal, 9 times out of 10 the father was absent or not involved. More and more it is becoming crystal clear, that boys not just in the United States, but in all countries are struggling with identity, a sense of purpose, and the skills to succeed in school and in life.

Warren Farrell, PhD, author of the book The Boy Crisis, Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It shares a blueprint for parents, teachers, and policymakers for what we can do to help our boys become happier, healthier men and fathers and leaders worthy of respect.

What Is The Boy Crisis?

It’s an education crisis. Worldwide, boys are 50 percent less likely than girls to meet basic proficiency in reading, math, and science.
It’s a mental health crisis. ADHD is on the rise. And as boys become young men, their suicide rates go from equal to girls to six times that of young women.
It’s a fathering crisis. Boys are growing up with less-involved fathers and are more likely to drop out of school, drink, do drugs, become delinquent, and end up in prison.
It’s a purpose crisis. Boys’ old sense of purpose--being a warrior, a leader, or a sole breadwinner--is fading. Many bright boys are experiencing a “purpose void, feeling alienated, withdrawn, and addicted to immediate gratification.

Farrell and his co-author John Gray lay out clear researched information about why our boy’s are in crisis and what we need to do about it. Consider that dad’s to be are twice as likely to prefer a daughter to a son. Today, young men between twenty-five and thirty-one are 66 percent more likely than their female counterparts to be living at home with their parents. In one generation, young men have gone from 61 percent of college degree recipients to a projected 39 percent; young women, from 39 percent to a projected 61 percent. This boy crisis affects our girls as well, as Farrell points out whenever only one sex wins, both sexes lose.

Farrell describes how less educated boys in the unemployment line creates the drop-out, left-out cycle.

The Drop-Out, Left-Out Cycle

In neighborhoods where marriage is scarce, fathers are scarce, and more than half of boys don’t finish high school. The boy drops out.
The less education a young man has, the more likely he is to be unemployed or underemployed. He’s left out of the workplace.
Women who desire children think of an uneducated young man as undesirable, and an unemployed man as “another child”--hardly marriage material. He’s left out of marriage and fathering.
Some of the women with whom he nonetheless has sex with become pregnant and raise children without him thus, we’re back to step one, the left-out dad and the drop-out son.

As our economy and jobs flips from muscle to mental, jobs require knowledge of the “internet of things.” Knowledge of coding, programming, physics and chemistry will be essential knowledge in the robotic and artificial intelligence job world. Boys need to have their mind developed in boy-friendly ways. The education boy crisis is real. Consider these facts:

Nationwide, girls make up 70 percent of valedictorians, while boys get 70 percent of D’s and F’s.
Boy’s IQ’s have dropped about 15 points since the 1980’s.

In the United States, by eighth grade, 41 percent of girls are at least “proficient” in writing, while only 20 percent of boys are.
Boys scored lower than girls in the sixty-three largest developed nations in which the PISA, a set of international standardized tests, was given.
Worldwide, boys are 50 percent more likely than girls to fail to meet basic proficiency in any of the three core subjects of reading, math, and science.

How Can Schools Help?

Create purpose and a concrete goal for a non academically inclined boy to use his mind. With a concrete goal to become a welder, comes motivation to study the necessary physics and chemistry necessary to become the well paid worker.
Increase vocational education.
Teach emphatic skills- communication skills and empathy training are essential to help boys make the transition from hero intelligence of the past to the emotional intelligence needed for our boys future.
Take notice that the boy crisis is real and is happening not only in the United States, but worldwide. Implement action plans to address it.

What about the father? For too long, we have ignored clear signs of distress with changes in our culture and the impact on the lives, health and happiness of our boys. We must take action to rectify the situation. Our future depends on it.

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WILL YOU FORGIVE ME?

3/20/2018

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“To err is human; to forgive, divine.”—Alexander Pope

Before Oprah went off the air with her show, I always hoped that she would do one with educators who could invite their first class of students that they taught, now all grown up. This would provide an opportunity for teachers to relieve the guilt harbored for years and apologize to them. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing! But, my heart and my passion with doing what I thought was right was sincere! Will you forgive me?”

Likewise, as a principal I often dream about meeting the little ones who were challenging. Those I worked with and cared for just about every day and every hour. I want to find out how they are doing now as adults. It would give me the opportunity to tell them that I didn’t know everything going on with them, but I loved them and did the very best I knew how to do.

All of these kids come with names and I pray each and every day that they will forgive me and in their hearts know that I did everything I could and thought was right at the time. Just last Sunday, I learned something new and yes it was a 60 Minutes segment with Oprah! She highlighted trauma sensitivity and organizations that are doing training for health providers and educators. One of the simple strategies shared was instead of asking a child, “What’s wrong?’ Ask them “What happened?” This shift of not labeling the child through our language, assuming something is wrong, was enough for many kids to open up and actually share what was happening to them.

Goleman has shared with us that so many children present themselves in the classroom as if everything is alright. They look like they are listening, paying attention, and engaged. They know how to look like a learner, when in fact, the insides tell us a different story. Trauma, worry, a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness prevail.

Debbie and I in our Leadership Matters class and other sessions have shared a short film from the Cleveland Clinic called “Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care,” that asks health care professionals to walk in the shoes of patients as they experience their hospital stay. At last month’s Leadership Matters session, Debbie shared information about empathy vs sympathy and how we need to be empathic as we truly learn, “what happened” to each of the children before us. The video “Under the Surface,” asks educators to walk in the shoes of their students as they experience school. The insight that each of us in an organization comes to school with a story, is powerful. It helps us shape how we interact, how we understand, when actions don’t match past behaviors.

While legislators and outside interests keep focusing only on academic achievement as a measure for our success and blame us for failing children, we know we are saving their lives on a daily basis. What if, a child didn’t have a safe harbor? Food to eat? People surrounding them who love them, care for them and provide hope? While others keep hitting home the fact that schools are failing and that we have to get those darn test scores up, we know they are never going to go up unless we address the needs of our children, find out what happened, what their story is and how we can help. Our children are not a number, they are not a score, they are people with names.

My mission is to keep learning and applying what I have learned. Continue being a strong advocate for what educators do passionately each and every day as they change lives of children and make their future better and ever hopeful. I am ever hopeful, that as we learn new and better strategies to help us care for kids, we won’t have to think about those who keep us up at night in worry, knowing in our hearts that we did everything possible for them.

Cedric, Chandra, Tashumba, Betty, Shawn, Robert, Terronda, William, Ricky, Sabrina, Cooper, Matthew, just to name a few, will you forgive me?

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#HUSTLE KINDNESS!

2/20/2018

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"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." -Henry James
Happy Random Acts of Kindness week! Well, RAK Week was actually celebrated last week February 11-18 but it is never too late to celebrate kindness! A principal friend of Debbie’s in East Grand Rapids, Linda Kehm who died of cancer in 2016 had a theme at her school called “Kindness Counts at Lakeside Elementary” that remains as a legacy theme to this day! Nice, huh?

One of our Leadership Matters Cohort 9 principals, David Anderson from Gibraltar Schools has a theme titled “Hustle Kindness!” Think of the definition not as slang, but as in to move or act energetically and rapidly or energetic activity; drive. In other words, the expectation is that every action, every event, every child experiences the kindness hustle! David shared with us that his son was born with the same syndrome and condition as the boy Auggie in the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. His family and school family has used the book and the most recent movie release as an opportunity to inform, teach, and spread the importance of kindness, every child, every opportunity, every time!

If you haven’t seen the movie Wonder based on the book, it’s a must. Through different voices, it tells the story of a boy named “Auggie” who has Treacher Collins syndrome who tries to fit in. He has been homeschooled for several years and his parents decide to have him attend a private academy for middle school. Part of the syndrome presents a rare facial deformity that Auggie has to deal with both physically and emotionally, and socially. He is befriended by a young man at school who loves him unconditionally like his family. The principal scene with parents behaving badly is a can’t miss as you will definitely relate!

Last year, PARADE magazine paired with the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation to make 2017 the Year of Being Kind. Well, given all that happened in 2017 and continues to occur in our world of politics, it seems like we need to make every year the year of being kind. Lady Gaga stated: “Kindness is showing Love to someone else. I believe that kindness is the cure to violence and hatred around the world.” So let’s get our kind on!

Clearly you are aware of the research done on giving and receiving kindness and the medical benefits to be reaped. Our brains are wired for receiving endorphin highs from showing compassion toward others. An Oxford researcher, Oliver Scott Curry, recently analyzed more than 400 studies on kindness and released a report through Kindness.org on the benefits of being kind. The one act of kindness not only benefits you and the person receiving it, but those who witness it as well. A sort of domino effect through one simple act of kindness.

Over 4,500 educators have downloaded the free, Kindness in the Classroom social-emotional curriculum developed by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. To access the curriculum you have to create a kindness profile that takes just a few minutes. Look for the tab labeled educators.
Kindness.org lists several ways to get started being kind, one act at a time!

Set a daily gratitude reminder
Share your favorite uplifting song
Compliment a stranger
Let someone go first
Pay it forward with coffee
Gift a kind book
Help someone carry their shopping bags

Tag someone to tell them “I’m here for you!”

Kindness for Kids, Schools, and Families

Be kind to a classmate
Read a book with a child
Play #ispykindness with a child
Ask kids or students what kindness means to them
Walk your kid to school

Many of you have implemented “buddy benches,” gratitude bulletin boards, and “Million Acts of Kindness” campaigns. I thought that together we could create a Kindness Resource Page filled with free resources. I took some of the resources provided by Parade and others that I have collected. Feel free to add to the resource list and “harvest” them to your heart's content! Remember, there are three things important in life! The first one is to be kind, the second one is to be kind, and the third one is to be kind!

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UBUNTU I Am Because We Are!

1/23/2018

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“One of the sayings in our country (South Africa), is Ubuntu- the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have the quality-Ubuntu-you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity. My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
--Bishop Desmond Tutu

You have heard it said before that the smartest person in the room, is the room. I would like to add to that to say that the smartest person in the room is ALWAYS the children in the room! One of my favorite news segments is On the Road by Steve Hartman on the CBS network. A particular December segment moved me. Last year was marked with division and racial strife, but two beautiful little girls taught us the true meaning of UBUNTU!
Jia and Zuri attend the same pre-school and are best friends. Beyond that they call themselves twins. They are both four years old, their birthdays are practically the same date, and they are physically similar. They insist on wearing identical outfits. To these two beautiful girls, being twins means, “Similarities.” according to their moms.
At a birthday party they both attended, an older child shared that they couldn’t be twins because they had different colored skin. Through tears, little Jia said, “"You don't know what you're talking about, we're twins because we share the same soul." Yes, you heard that right. The same SOUL. This is UBUNTU- I AM Because WE Are!

There are 12 aspects of Ubuntu that directly address what must be valued and implemented during times of broken or strained relationships among individuals or communities. The Spirit of Ubuntu is to be contrasted with vengeance. It dictates that a high value must be placed on the life of a human being, each of whom must be treated with dignity, compassion, humaneness and respect. Ubuntu finds worth in the shifting from confrontation to mediation and conciliation. It dictates good attitudes, shared concern while favoring the re-establishment of harmony within relationships by restoring dignity and being careful not to ruin one another. Restoration is favored over retributive justice, allowing for those who have done harm to be enlightened and led into change of behavior rather than punishment. Conflict is to be handled face to face encouraging differences to be resolved rather than victory being achieved especially for the most powerful. Finally, Ubuntu encourages dialogue and mutual tolerance

At our schools, this is exactly the culture that we are trying to build isn’t it? These are the values and beliefs we are trying to instill in our children through the adults in our buildings. What if we could be as smart as the children and know that we are one because “we share the same soul?”

Ubuntu Song
By Mark Hayes
I am me because of you, ubuntu, ubuntu.
And you are you because of me, ubuntu, ubuntu.
I need you and you need me, ubuntu, ubuntu.
We are one big family.
Ubuntu, ugamuntu, ngabanye abantu
I am human just like you.
But we have differences, it’s true.
I will see the best in you, and I know that
You will see the best in me.
I will guard your dignity, ubuntu, ubuntu.
We will live in harmony, ubuntu, ubuntu.
I will lift your spirits high, ubuntu, ubuntu.
wipe the teardrops from your eyes, ubuntu, ubuntu.
As a chorus we are strong, ubuntu, ubuntu,
when every one of us sings along, ubuntu, ubuntu.
So lift your voice and sing your part, ubuntu, ubuntu.
Let us hear what’s in your heart.

Mark Hayes was commissioned by Shawn Berry, artistic director of The Young Singers of the Palm Beaches in 2012 to write a song for their 2013 spring concert. Access their performance here: Ubuntu Song

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DADDY, CAN YOU SEE ME?

12/19/2017

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"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
- Carl Jung

Each year at the MEMSPA Annual Conference I eagerly await Friday morning’s closing session. I draw on the speaker to inspire me and to awaken within me what I need to learn, reflect on, or think about to change my leadership to improve and get better. This year, my inspiration came from Brian Partin, President of NAESP. His reflection sharing was particularly poignant and shook me to my core, not to mention bringing on a few tears.

Brian started by telling about his younger years in elementary school. He and his brother were raised by their single parent mom who was working two jobs to ensure the boys had what they needed. At school, she took advantage of the free and reduced lunch program to assist the family in having money to put toward other necessities. At Brian’s school, those who paid for lunch got a green ticket and those who had free and reduced lunch got an orange ticket. Brian and his brother were embarrassed and didn’t want to be made fun of so they chose not to eat and get in the orange ticket line! When the school called home to tell their mom that the boys weren’t eating and why, she made a decision that spoke to me. She decided to get a third job to be able to pay the $4 per week extra so that Brian and his brother could get a green ticket and most importantly, eat! What sacrifice, what dedication, what love for her boys!

My principal brain thought thank goodness we don’t put kids in orange ticket and green ticket lines anymore. But then I remembered a recent story where a kid who wasn’t up to date on his lunch account had to get out of line and was given a sack with a sandwich and an apple and not allowed to eat the hot lunch provided for others. I thought about the schools that I visit and my own school when I was a principal. How are we still segregating children? As learners? As human beings? Who is getting an orange ticket? Who is getting a green ticket?

The second story that Brian told, brought me to tears as well as many in the room. He shared that his youngest daughter was born with Down’s Syndrome. They realized quickly that her eyesight was poor and fitted her with glasses early on that eventually she discarded either through sensory issues or she just plain wouldn’t wear them. She is getting close to teen years now and she was recently fitted with glasses that has brought new vision to her life- she can see clearly and in focus! One of the first things she said to Brian was, “Daddy, can you see me?” Brian told us that of course she was literally connecting her ability to see with the question but he pushed us to think deeper. What if what she was asking was, “Do you see me? Do you understand me? Do you know me? Do you get me?” Brian had us reflect and think about our own students and who might be out there asking the same question? “Can you see me?”

Daniel Goleman in his focus on Emotional Intelligence tells of children out in the seats that have developed such a propensity to compensate for the difficulties happening in their lives that we don’t see them. We just think they are doing fine and they really aren’t. Hattie in his analysis of adult language of questioning and interactions with children tells about students wearing microphones to record what they hear each day. The recordings are analyzed and data collected regarding what is shared with students? What level of questioning do they hear? What interactions do they have? This stunned me, but he shared that some kids spent their whole day at school and not a single person talked to them at all! “Can you see me?”

After this well deserved holiday break and rest, I challenge you to sit down and do some reflection and thinking. As you look at your school, the systems, the way kids are treated, segregation of learning, discipline procedures, etc. Who is getting an orange ticket? Who is getting a green ticket? As you think about your students and your staff. Who is asking, “Can you see me?”

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HEY MEMSPA! YOU'RE SO FINE! YOU'RE SO FINE! YOu BLOW MY MIND! HEY MEMSPA!

11/21/2017

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Twenty two years ago when I landed my first and only principalship job, my relationship with the MEMSPA organization began. A friend’s brother was a principal on the east side of the state and he called to invite me to join MEMSPA and attend the summer leadership conference Camp Kett! It was the beginning of building a relationship with some of the most caring, thoughtful, servant-hearted leaders I know. Throughout all of these years, I have been blessed to learn with and from some of the most incredible leaders, many that I call friends. As a newbie practicing principal in a rural community, I needed to learn and be mentored by others. I certainly found that through this organization!

From professional learning offered in the summer and at annual conferences and throughout the year, I was able to build my toolbox as a principal with best practice skills and strategies. The opportunity to network and call on others who served in isolation like me, to think through decisions to be made, difficult conversations to be held, and just know that they “get it” was invaluable.

As a major advocate for educators across our state, the MEMSPA organization has remained a steady voice of reason despite the cacophony of voices who believe they know what is best for kids and schools and those who lead them. Valuable information on legislative information and rule changes shared on a weekly basis, kept me informed and knowledgeable about what I needed to be doing at my school and in my district.

I owe gratitude to my own mentor Dr. Nancy Colflesh who started a learning series in 1999 at the “old” MEMSPA office on Service Rd. on best practices of exemplary leaders. I remember watching her facilitate a session and think to myself, “Hmmm. That’s what I am supposed to be doing with my adult learners!” I “harvested” every trick of the trade, every skill and strategy she taught and applied it back at my school. I learned to teach them to others to build shared leadership and now it is my turn to teach those who are practicing and aspiring principals!
How blessed I am to be co-facilitating the Leadership Matters course for principals that Nancy and my friend Dr. Debbie McFalone co-wrote. Debbie and I just graduated Cohort 8 this last month! I have had the privilege of co-facilitating three cohorts with Debbie and look forward to welcoming Cohort 9 who is so, so fine in January! Almost 200 principals in our state have participated in Leadership Matters! Will you help us make it 225? You can register here: Leadership Matters Cohort 9

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Executive Director, Paul Liabenow. Paul is a well revered state organization director in our state and across the nation. When I work with other organizations and facilitate learning, it is with pride that I mention I represent MEMSPA! Paul always says he is “living the dream!” But, I know the amount of time and tireless hours he spends to support and be an advocate for all of us as members. His passion, dedication, and servant-hearted leadership is exemplary and is aspirational.

Finally, for every great leader, there must be those who complement and strengthen an organization through exemplary organizational and management skills. Doni St. Amour has brought an excitement and enthusiasm to the organization and has provided an opportunity to envision what we can be. Taryn Hurley ensures that all of our professional learning is scheduled, organized and of the highest quality(I am not doing justice to everything that Taryn does.) Annette Erickson who has worked at MEMSPA for over 30 years(she started when she was still in High School, I think!) provides the gift of stability, wisdom, and history that keeps an organization grounded and stable. She is the gift that keeps on giving! Thank you to this talented team!

I am no longer a practicing principal, but I get to learn with and from innovative and talented principals who serve our organization by leading sessions at our annual conference, serving as a President, committee chair, on the Board of Directors or as Region Presidents, providing professional learning by moderating #MEMSPA chats, and for the first time at our annual conference Spotlight on Innovation! I am grateful for and thank all of you who passionately lead schools across this great state. It is with pride that I know the MEMSPA organization will lead on in the future with our current membership of leading learners!

So we are an organization of about 1,100 members. How many elementary and middle school principals serve our state do you think? If we include ALL public, private and charter K-8 schools than there are about 3000 potential MEMSPA members. My relationship with this organization started with a phone call invite. Who will you invite to become a member and share in all that MEMSPA has to offer?

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“Lurk and Learn” @ Spotlight on Innovation #MEMSPA17

10/24/2017

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“Information is abundant: It’s common. What’s uncommon, and desperately needed in today’s education systems, is the innovator’s mindset. -George Couros

A couple of years ago I attended the NAESP National Conference in Nashville, TN. I observed my first Innovation Lab. It was housed in a common open area where principals could just stop by and “lurk and learn!” Mini-sessions were held on Twitter, Twitter chats, and how to create audio podcasts. I have wanted our state organization to host something similar at our Annual State Conference and guess what? My dream is coming true!
Attendees at our December conference can “lurk and learn” at our first annual Spotlight on Innovation #MEMSPA17 on Thursday, December 7 from 12-3pm in the Exhibit Hall entryway area. The idea is for principals to have an opportunity to learn with and from each other. In one area, scheduled learning opportunities are presented with time set aside to play with the technology and get support from others in how to use it and implement it. In a separate area we will have a STEAM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) lab setup. Two teacher-leaders who use innovative teaching materials directly with students will be on hand to allow principals to check out different innovative learning tools like 3d printers, OSO bot coding, LEGO tools and more! Teacher leaders will be available to answer questions and detail how they use these innovative tools with students in the classroom.
We have gathered some #innovativemindset principals like Mike Domagalski, Ben Gilpin, Allyson Apsey, Jon Wennstrom, and Jason Gribble as presenters for our “Lurk and Learn” sessions. Here is the schedule:

12:00 PM       Twitter Live! #MEMSPAchat

12:45 PM       Using green screens for
morning announcements

1:30 PM       Blogging/ Innovative Communication

2:15 PM       Voxer

You will also get a ticket just for lurking and a chance to win a BEAT headphone and Apple Store Gift Card. Fill out your ticket, take it to the MEMSPA booth in the Exhibit Hall and enter your chance to win! Winners will need to be present in the Exhibit Hall to win. Drawing usually occurs around the 3pm time!
The most effective way that principals can promote an innovative mindset is to develop professional learning networks and be knowledgeable and effective users of technology. The Spotlight on Innovation #MEMSPA17, taking place on Thursday, December 7 from 12-3PM at the entry to the Exhibit Hall, is the place for principals to develop their own learning networks, and keep up with the latest educational tech tools.

JOIN YOUR COLLEAGUES THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 FROM 12-3PM JUST OUTSIDE THE EXHIBIT HALL TO BUILD YOUR INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORK AND “LURK AND LEARN” ABOUT THE LATEST INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TOOLS!

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MOVE OVER MILLENNIALS! HERE COMES THE iGENERATION!

9/22/2017

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WARNING: This article contains some sexual content that is not appropriate for young children to read or hear. Proceed with caution.

“We didn’t have a choice to know any life without iPads or iPhones. I think we like our phones more than we like actual people.” -Athena

Just when you thought you were figuring out the Millennial generation-their propensity for displaying confidence, need for frequent feedback, optimism, clarity of boundaries, and sense of entitlement. Guess what? Here come the iGens! A generation that has grown up with staying safe on their mind, where hanging out with parents is okay, where going out and socializing with others is not necessary with the myriad of Smartphone apps, text messages, and social media sites to keep them connected, who don’t care about getting a driver’s license, are delaying adulthood or as they call it “adulting,” don’t like to read, are having less sex, drinking less alcohol, have a lower homicide rate, but have a greater propensity for mental health issues such as depression, and suicidal thoughts and actions.

Jean M. Twenge, PhD, in her book, iGen Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood* *And what that means for the rest of us, paints a graphic picture of what this generation has encountered and how their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are vastly different than any other generation that has come before them.
The iGener’s birth years are from 1995 to 2012. There are about 74 million of them and they are the most ethnically diverse generation in our history. “They grew up with cell phones, had an Instagram page before they started high school, and do not remember a time before the Internet,” states Twenge. The average teen checks their phone 80 times per day. Want to know how iGen YOU are? Check out the quiz here “How iGen Are You?”

Twenge coined the term iGen as this generation has been immersed in the use of the iPhone. As one 17 year old stated, “You have to have an iPhone. It’s like Apple has a monopoly on adolescence.” Twenge’s research shows that the use of Smartphones does not discriminate and teens from disadvantaged backgrounds spend just as much time online as their more well off peers. This generation is also known for their individualism. A focus on equality and what is best for the individual. They are less religious, believe in equality issues related to gender, are pro-choice, believe marijuana should be legalized, yet follow a more Libertarian bent about gun control and health care for all. Finally, income inequality, Twenge states is another main driver that has set the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of this generation. They are clearly focused on doing the right things to become financially secure and want to “become a “have” rather than a “have not.”

The compelling research that Twenge has collected in her book, delivers clear evidence that this iGen generation lacks social connectedness. The average 12th grader spends nearly 6 hours of their day on social media sites, texting, or other means of virtual connectedness. Athena states: “I think we like our phones more than we like actual people.” This connectedness according to all the research she has collected shows a generation very connected with their peers via social media, texting, Snap Chat, etc. but an isolated, sheltered group who unfortunately have a higher propensity to commit suicide and struggle with other mental health issues such as depression.

Some good things about this generation are a trend toward lower birth rates, less use of alcohol- these are identified by the fact that they don’t attend parties in general and if they do go out it is with their parents. This is a generation that has not experienced as much as prior generations and they present themselves as much younger than their ages indicate. They choose NOT to get a driver’s license and don’t care that mom or dad drive them around. They seem to be fine with their parents getting them to class on time in COLLEGE!

Twenge culled research that shows a clear link between media time and mental health. We thought that this generation was communicating more than any generation before it. What the research is showing though is that this type of communication is isolating and that the more screen time teens have, the less happy they are and the more time they spend with non-screen activities, the happier they are. One student Twenge interviewed said, “I feel like we don’t party as much. People stay in more often. My generation lost interest in socializing in person--they don’t have physical get-togethers, they just text together, and they can just stay at home.”

This has led the iGens to resist adulthood, or in their lingo “adulting,” They have taken up a slow life strategy where during leisure time they are alone, well at least physically unless you count the many interactions that occur with their phone. The rise in suicide rates, and depression are alarming and as this generation slowly moves to adulthood, they have no clue what having a job means and for education, reading scores are plummeting because iGens don’t like to read!

Twenge asks, How can we protect our kids from anxiety, depression, and loneliness in our digital age? What can parents and colleges do to ease the transition from high school to college when fewer students have experienced independence? How can managers get the most out of the newest generation in the workforce?
Twenge gives several suggestions for how to save this generation:

Put down the phone! Parents need to assert more control over time spent with devices and total screen time. Twenge suggests resisting middle schooler calls for the need to have a Smartphone and instead provide an old flip type phone for emergencies. Think this is draconian? Consider an interview with Steve Jobs in 2010 by New York Times reporter Nick Bilton. He asked him if his kids loved the iPad. “They haven’t used it,” Jobs said. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.”
Life Hacks for Smartphones- Twenge knows that kids will eventually get a Smartphone, but suggests that parents utilize apps that control the amount of time on sites and keep track of how much time they are using their phone. Teens always say they need their phone to wake them up. She suggests buying them a $7 alarm clock. The addiction and love of phone over real interaction is taking a toll on sleep patterns. YouTube videos abound of teens beds on fire because they sleep with their phone under their pillow and the phone overheats and starts their pillow on fire. The excessive addictive nature of apps to check back for likes have created a generation who see their self-worth through what others think and how many likes they receive. Believe it or not, but if a teen should have only one social media app, she suggests they get Snapchat. Because of its instantaneous and wiping the slate clean nature, it doesn’t carry the same addictive need for checking back for likes which can create depressive tendencies.
No Noodz and Porn- This generation has grown up with seeing more violent porn than other generations. To them, sex is emotionless and something “done” to you. The term “fucking buddies” is used frequently by this generation. Although they are having less sex, because they are at home with their phone, their idea of love and how it relates to sex has been skewed because of their exposure to porn. More teaching of proper posting and an absolute NO NOODZ policy has to be put in place.
Get kids involved in social activities! Although parents felt that being in social activities might be unsafe for children, “the isolation and the time spent communicating electronically is a poor substitute for the emotional connection and social skills gained in face to face communication --and it may be contributing to the alarming rise in teen depression and suicide,” states Twenge.
Help Beat Anxiety and Depression-Researchers have discovered that mimicking the caveman lifestyle can help in counteracting depressive tendencies. The six parts of the program include: 1. Getting more sun exposure. 2.Exercise 3. Eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids. 4. Avoiding rumination. 5. Getting enough sleep. 6. Engaging in in-person social interaction. Sounds like a great lifestyle that ALL of us need to adopt!
Growing Up Slowly- The focus on safety has meant parents not allowing teens to go out together, drive in cars, and get a job because of their worries about what might happen to them. This has left a generation unprepared for work roles and responsibilities. Twenge suggests that parents provide more opportunities for independence by allowing teens to hold jobs, get a driver’s license(stop driving them around) and relaxing curfews and rules so they can hang out together more.
iGener’s in the Classroom-Research has shown that this generation is less confident and don’t ask questions and participate in classroom discussions. They are in it for the grade and will do what is necessary to get it. They are used to finding out the information independently. They only read what has been assigned in class and skim for information. Long reading assignments are not part of their vocabulary. Engaging lessons and visually enhancing learning are a must for them and they need to learn the difference between “real news” and “fake news” so they can think critically. Relevance in learning is key as well.

I find it interesting that the most recent reading scores on the MSTEP statewide have shown a precipitous drop in reading scores. Hmmmm. I am trying to embrace the iGen culture, or at least understand it and keep my Boomer mentality to myself. As always, we will positively take a child where they are and move them forward to be academically ready for the future, loved and cared for, and prepared for being a good citizen of this world. WE have to adapt and adjust. iGener’s present a challenge that we are just beginning to figure out.

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MINDFULNESS MATTERS!

8/22/2017

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“ Mindfulness is about putting down our juggling balls for a little bit. It’s about embracing the beauty of monotasking.” --Mary Elizabeth Williams

Goodbye Summer! Hello Fall! You have hopefully spent some time rejuvenating and respiriting your heart, body, and soul! Crunch time looms as you begin the preparation for another wonderful school year start! I don’t have to remind you, but Peterson in his depiction of work of the principal, reminds us that the work is all about Brevity, Vexation of Variety, and Fragmentation. In other words, we have numerous opportunities for interactions and we have to juggle EQ with IQ. Peterson estimates 2000 interactions a day! Most exchanges last one to two minutes. You can have 50-60 such exchanges an hour. 85% of a principal’s time is spent on tasks lasting less than 9 minutes! “A principal’s job is filled with fragmentation. In the course of a day, new projects, new problems and crises interrupt the cycle of ongoing activities, says Peterson” This continuous barrage of information hacking on the brain to problem solve, make a decision, defer or delegate, or as Peterson puts it, “juggling the completion of tasks against the preservation of relationships” causes stress, emotional upheaval, and the inability to sometimes do anything, brain freeze kicks in! This is why Mindfulness Matters!

Jon-Kabat Zinn, Mindfulness author and instructor states Mindfulness is “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgmentally.” I like TIME Special Edition on MIndfulness author Mary Elizabeth Williams take on Mindfulness as “putting down the juggling balls for a little bit. Embracing the beauty of monotasking!” You know when your phone or computer starts acting up? It has been on and never turned off for awhile? Shutting it down and rebooting often “fixes” the situation and makes it run better and faster. Think of Mindfulness as a reboot for the brain!

As principals, if we have 2000 interactions a day and live a life of fragmentation, variety, and brevity, then we need to be purposeful about ensuring that Mindfulness happens. Health benefits abound. “The American Psychological Association cites it as a hopeful strategy for alleviating depression, anxiety and pain.” A study out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that those who meditate regularly demonstrate different brain electrical patterns that may potentially lead to more efficient attention-paying and learning!” Enough of the why! How do we do this as principals living a life of brevity, fragmentation, and variety? We have to practice being more mindful!

You may have to schedule time in your calendar to shut your door and just be more mindful, breathe and quiet your mind. Mindfulness is about being present and in the moment. A life of brevity, fragmentation, and variety may mean that we are not truly being a listener and being present. I remember my first year as a principal, my daughter was a kindergartner and she said, “Daddy, you are here, but you are not here.” Ouch! Wake up call! That’s what mindfulness is all about, staying present in situations with the people you care about and love, including yourself!

Here are some tips I gleaned from a TIME Special Edition focused on Mindfulness. Pick one or two, try them and see how they work. Start your year out being more present, more mindful which in turn will make you more creative and less stressed!

Here are some Mindful tips:

Do someone a five-minute favor

Volunteering helps people connect to others, which aids in stress reduction. Get
a cup of coffee for someone who is having a bad day. Cover a classroom briefly,
take over for a parapro or classroom aide. Spot a need, and, for five minutes, be
the one to fill it.

Hide your phone

Even if you’re not using it, simply being able to see your cellphone hinders your
ability to focus on tough tasks a pair of 2014 studies found. The mere presence
of a phone also made people trust and like each other less than if it weren’t
present.

Take a break before lunch

People who take breaks in the morning feel more restored and less emotionally
exhausted than people who take breaks in the afternoon, a 2016 study found.
Morning breakers were more likely to say they were satisfied with their jobs, too.

Let yourself procrastinate

In one study, a researcher gave people a task and let some of them play five
minutes of Minesweeper. Those who played the game generated ideas
considerably more creative than those who got right to the task. Their minds
were most likely chewing away at the problem in the background.

Disappear for a bit

Take a 10-minute walk daily--it helps to put it on your calendar--and don’t
ruminate about work while you’re gone. Instead, listen to a podcast, make a
phone call, do a walking meditation or bring a friend to talk about something non-work related.

Be social, visit the Faculty Lounge!

“Social time is really valuable, even for introverts,” says Reb Rebele, a
researcher with the Wharton People Analytics at the University of Pennsylvania.
But to truly detach--and reap the productivity and wellness benefits of a solid
break--you have to keep the conversation office-free.

End the day like you mean it

A 2016 study found that if people think they should be reachable after work, they
feel less in control and have more of the stress hormone cortisol. Meanwhile,
another study shows that as long as your work gets done, putting in more hours doesn’t make you a better worker in your boss’s eyes.

Take the scenic route

Any bit of exercise is a stress reducer, but strolling in nature is ideal. One
Japanese study found a link between chemicals released by trees, called
phytoncides, and lowered levels of stress hormones.

Pull ears, feel better

A trick to try from Steve Kravitz, a Nashville, Tenn., physical therapist: “Hold your
ears midway down with two fingers, in line with your ear canal. Gently pull both
at a 45-degree angle away from your head and hold for 60 seconds. This calms the nerves that surround the central nervous system.”

Turn off the pinging

A British study of office workers found that when they read and sent email, their
heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol level spiked. Before you check Gmail
again, ask yourself, Can it wait? (Yes it can.)

Go to the B-A-R! Breathe And Relax!

Research is mounting that a natural potent, source of stress relief is right in front
of your nose. New science is showing that slowing down and deepening your
breathing can have profound effect on well-being.
Try it yourself!

Sit in a position that is comfortable enough to sustain for a few minutes of alternate-nostril breathing. (Sitting in a chair is just fine.) This is one of many breathing exercises shown to have some health benefits.
Make a “hang 10” sign with your right hand. Hold your right thumb over your right nostril to plug it closed. Inhale slowly through the left nostril until your lungs are full. Hold for four seconds.
Release the right nostril, and plug the left with your pinkie. Slowly exhale. Once you’ve exhaled fully, inhale through the right nostril and then exhale through your left. Do about four rounds on each side--or more if you have time.

Deep slow breathing has surprising benefits. A happier mood, deeper sleep, less anxiety, a healthier heart, and better air intake have all been found to occur through various research studies.

Matt Severin, Region 5 Elementary Principal shared this with me via email not too long ago, “As you know I have been trying to be more intentional with my self-care and focus on gratitude. Each (most) morning, I take 3 minutes to focus on my breathing and meditate for a little time before everything gets crazy. Normally I am able to do this before anyone else is in the building.

This morning, I was running late, but still managed to take a few minutes until I heard Nicky(my secretary) at my door: "Matt, are you ok? I have walked by 3 times and you haven't moved, I wanted to make sure you were alive" Great to be loved, eh?

Mindfulness Matters! And it matters MORE during times of stress and emotional upheaval than peace and tranquility!

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