Is this what we meant with "All-in"

Sometimes we lose why we have mandatory education.  It is not to lead the world in test scores but to develop students who will help our society move forward.  When I think about what we praise our school for it is usually high test scores, winning athletic teams, or scholarship winners.

Here is a short clip of what I think is an important outcome of any great school which is to develop great citizens.  Watch the clip and let me know what you think?

http://www.upworthy.com/watch-an-entire-team-of-teenage-football-players-do-something-very-unexpected

How hard it is

It is snowing and we are missing two more days of school.  I have used this time to reflect on how hard school is from a students perspective.  You wake up earlier than your body wants to and then for the next 6 1/2 hours you are asked to do things mostly out of your control.  At best it is frustrating and a struggle, at worst it is just totally boring.  The reward for working hard all day is that we give you homework so that this process continues onto the night.

What this blog is really about is how appreciative I should be for the job students do on a day in and day out basis.  Does everyone perform at a super level?  Of course not, nor do I.  What is rather amazing is how good students are at this most of the time.  When you think how many hours students are at school, how little choice they have about what they need to learn, how tough it can be to sit still for 45 minutes yet six plus hours, it is amazing to me how great our students are.

So, the next time I get frustrated with a student, or I hear another teacher who gets frustrated with a student, I will remember how great students are most of the time.  They have a difficult job in which some students make look rather easy.

outcomes

What should we be able to say about a student that graduates our high school.  After spending four years in our school should there be somethings that everyone (okay most) of our students share.  If we can identify the outcomes we want to see, it would make it easier to focus in on what we want to do each day.

For example when I worked for Domino's Pizza every manager could make a pepperoni pizza in 40 seconds, had taken certain classes, and had a mastery of customer service.  So what does that diploma represent and more importantly what do you think it should represent.

Character in adverse times

It is easy to show character when things are going well.  However, i think real character is shown when adversity hits.  I was never a Peyton Manning fan, since he ruined many Sundays for me.  I  was impressed however last year after a heart breaking loss for him, that he waited to congratulate Ray Lewis on the victory.  It showed me that while Manning is one of the great competitors of the game he is also a very classy man.

This year his team was crushed in the Super Bowl.  You might enjoy this article on how this man handle adversity.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/peyton-manning-leaves-crushing-super-bowl-loss-with-reputation-intact-065205260.html;_ylt=A0LEVxZFyfBSIHIAj.NXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEycDQ0N3A1BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1FJMDQ5XzE-