The Last HarvestLast week we closed the month of September with Jimmy Casas. His message had many points that ring true of the work we do as educators. From the challenges we face meeting diverse and growing needs to the importance of relationships, his message spoke volumes to the work we do each and every day. A core component of his message centered on the "why" of our work. In 2009, Simon Sinek presented a Ted Talk on the importance of "why." He shared that many organizations make a fatal mistake of starting with the "what" of their mission, rather than starting with the "why," or the heart of the organization. Millions of views, several books, and many keynotes later, the power of why described by Sinek is now a common conversation within organizations. On Monday I shared the why for me as an educational leader. I want to share another "why" connection. In a few short weeks the farm that has been in my wife's family for over a century will go to sale. My wife has vivid memories as a child, growing up at the top of the hill above the farm and tending the garden with her grandmother. Beside that garden, along the drive, is a grape vine. As my wife and her grandmother would harvest tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, and squash, they would snack on as the grapes of that vine. Three weeks ago we drove to the farm and stood in the rain for hours picking grapes from that same vine. As the rain fell, my wife asked why I was so insistent on harvesting each grape - my response was that she would see in time. Over the next 48 hours we cleaned, peeled, mashed, cooked, and processed each grape we had to make homemade concord grape jelly with our daughters. Throughout the process she shared pictures and stories with relatives and friends on Facebook, talking about the smell of the jelly as it cooked, harkening memories of grandma's kitchen each fall. At almost midnight on Sunday, my wife, tired from the process, looked at the large stack of jars on the counter and asked me why we did what we did. My answer was simple. The garden is gone, the fields have been cut, and the farmhouse will soon be home to someone else's memories. The jars on the counter let us sustain a connection for our daughters to the farm they have known since they were born. The jars on the counter help my wife to preserve her memories as she processes saying goodbye. The jars on the counter represent her family's last harvest. Jimmy challenged us, as educators, to stop and revisit our why. He summed up this conversation with our leadership team in the afternoon by discussing how others would know what makes up your core. He introduced himself as a community builder who champions for all students, expects excellence, and carries the banner - that is his core. I asked each of you on Monday to revisit your why. I want to rephrase that question. In each career there is a beginning and an end. Our legacy is found in the students we work with each day, who come back to visit, share their successes and failures throughout life, and know the impact you had on them as a person. I challenge you to think of the last harvest. When we reach the end of our career, what memories will be preserved in the hearts of your students? What will you look upon and see memories carried on? Our greatest impact is the passion, the purpose, the why that guides us in our work. When we can stay grounded in our why, we can have our greatest impact on our students. Digital Learning Corner Technology has the potential to be an impacting force in education. One of the drawbacks is the balance between screen time and students engaging when technology is not supportive. The video below highlights one strategy entitled "professional courtesy," which supports developing expectations in the professional world with our students. APL In PracticeThis month our focus is on the start of class. Utilizing agendas with our students reinforces the importance of organization and helps the student to understand the learning process. The bell ringer serves as quick formative assessment and a bridge strategy between concepts. Starting on time emphasizes the importance of the time we have together as a class. SAMPLE AGENDAS PBIS FocusThis month our focus is on perseverance. We have all been there. You are working with a student who is struggling and just gives up. You know that if he just keeps working and asking questions that he will find success. Amongst today's students, giving up sometimes seems more common that not. Perseverance is a trait that serves our students beyond high school. The ability to stay the course and work hard to meet a goal is critical in today's world. The word "grit" has taken on a life of its own in education. Angela Duckworth's research and resulting book, Grit, has sparked an important conversation on the importance of perseverance in today's world. Her Ted Talk Education video is below. Professional LearningIn your mailbox next week you will receive a copy of Culturize, by Jimmy Casas. We will be launching a book study over the bulk of the school year later in October. We will be discussing the structure of the book study later this month. October also brings parent-student conferences. We will be sharing expectations and structure in detail the week before conferences during our CLC time. Conference signups for parents went live on Skyward earlier this morning.
#WeAreDover MomentsWe had a very active month at DAHS! The pictures below highlight the following:
October CalendarOctober 8th School and Office Closed
October 9th - 12th Homecoming Week October 9th Pajama Day October 10th Dynamic Duo Day October 11th Tourist/Hawaiian Day October 12th Spirit Day; Parade (6PM); Game (7PM) October 13th Homecoming Dance (7PM - 10PM) October 24th 3 Hour Early Dismissal October 24th/25th Parent-Student Conferences October 26th FLEX DAY (Conferences) October 31st Technical College Fair
1 Comment
John Williams
10/8/2018 01:32:32 pm
Jared,
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