AI, friend or foe

 

 

As I reflect on the evolution of my career and the profound influences that have shaped it, I cannot help but marvel at the unexpected paths life often leads us down. From coaching basketball to working at Domino's Pizza, each experience has contributed to shaping my perspective and skill set in unique ways. Now, as I find myself immersed in the realm of education, I am struck by how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing not just my field, but countless others, offering solutions to challenges we never imagined possible.

 

 AI, often portrayed as a harbinger of dystopian futures, is a powerful tool with transformative potential across various domains. Just as I learned the importance of motivation and inspiration on the basketball court, AI algorithms are now being deployed to personalize learning experiences, tailoring education to individual student needs and motivations. Imagine a classroom where each student receives customized lessons, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks and every individual can thrive.

 

 Similarly, my tenure at Domino's taught me the value of feedback and continual improvement. In the digital age, AI-driven analytics provide educators with invaluable insights into student progress and learning trends. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can identify areas where students may be struggling, allowing teachers to intervene proactively and provide targeted support. Just as Domino's slogan emphasized the importance of constant growth, AI empowers educators to adapt and refine their teaching strategies continually.

 

But most exciting is AI's potential to foster collaboration and community within educational institutions. Just as we seek a principal who can unite our school under a shared vision, AI platforms facilitate collaboration among teachers, administrators, and students, breaking down silos and fostering a culture of shared learning. Through online forums, virtual classrooms, and collaborative projects, AI technology transcends physical boundaries, connecting learners from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

 

 In a world where success is often equated with control and self-sufficiency, AI challenges us to embrace interdependence and collective growth. Just as Dr. Matthew Moser challenged societal notions of masculinity,

 

As always, your feedback is appreciated. 

Ai wrote this.

Slow down you walk to fast, you need to make college last

 

A student asked me what he had to do in college so that he could get into a top graduate school or impress a top company. He planned to take a rigorous academic schedule combined with joining many diverse clubs. In our modern society, the glorification of busyness often leads people like this student to overload their plates.

I pushed back on the student, telling him that he should try to take classes that genuinely interest him. Then he should examine the different clubs offered at the school and pick one that interested him. Instead of doing many things at a satisfactory level, he could do a few things excellently.

His first response was, “If I follow your plan, I will be bored. What am I going to do with all the time I have?” My response was that I was not telling him to work fewer hours but to devote those hours to excellence.

Instead of missing some club meetings because of a conflict with a different meeting, you can invest all your energy into one club. Instead of skimming the assigned reading for a class, you can read more thoroughly. Taking a deeper dive into the subjects and clubs you genuinely love will be more rewarding and fulfilling than doing a lot of things you do not care about. It will also be less stressful because you will have a manageable schedule.

If you figure out how to do a few things excellently, you will not burn out. People who burn out at work and in school are those whose plates are overloaded and who are constantly under the gun to get things completed.

The challenge for all of us is not to confuse productivity with busyness but instead with excellence. When you find your passion, you can truly unlock your potential and achieve meaningful results.

As always, your comments and feedback are appreciated.

How I became a teacher

 

One of my students recently asked me about the biggest influences on my teaching career. While I have been lucky to have had tremendous mentors, I often think that my path to becoming a teacher had a profound influence on who I am today.

I started my career as an assistant basketball coach for a Division II college. During this time, I learned how to build a program that would attract players to come to our university. At a small school, you do not often get the best players, so you learn to become an expert teacher. I really learned during my coaching career the importance of motivation and inspiring people.

My next stop was working for Domino’s Pizza. I still remember my dad saying, “You went to college to make pizzas?” Domino’s taught me the importance of taking care of the people who work for you so that they can take care of the customers. Feedback is the breakfast of champions, and it was my job to search for the feedback. We had a company slogan that still sticks with me today: “If you are not getting better, you are getting worse.” That provided the mindset of continual improvement.

When I moved from job to job, I thought I was wasting my life away. Now I realize that my past jobs brought me skills and perspectives that have helped me at my new job. Even though I started my teaching career later than most, these past experiences gave me a unique perspective that was helpful.

My point is that most of us do not know what we want in our younger years. College should be about exploring these opportunities and not about building a resume. Take some classes that you might be interested in, do an internship, but do not feel that you must stay in one field. You should not continue to date someone you do not like so do not continue to do a job you are not enthusiastic about.

When you find the job that you love, the way I love teaching, all the skills from the other jobs will give you an edge over those who have just the experience in that one field. The challenge is to be patient with yourself as you find a place that you are passionate about.

Do You Want to be our New Principal

 

Our current principal has decided to leave his position to become president of a school in Florida. Our national search committee has been asking stakeholders what they want in a principal. Here is my reply.

I am looking for a person who wants to be the principal of our school. If they come from another institution, I want them to be so impressed with our school when they visit that they will want to spend the next 20 years here. I do not want someone who has applied to 10 schools and is just looking for the title.

The candidate does not need to be the most qualified now. Instead, I want a person who will be at their best five years from now, someone who has a growth mindset and will grow as the school grows.

They will transition our school into a learning community where everyone from the custodian to the principal will be encouraged to grow in their jobs, where professional development becomes a way of life. It is easy to look good at our school; we need someone who will push us to be great.

We need someone who has a vision for the school and can articulate that vision in a motivating and inspiring fashion. Teachers become teachers to make the world a better place, but sometimes we forget why we joined the profession. I want a leader who focuses on why we do things rather than what we do.

Our school has leaders who sometimes worry just about their division. Athletics might worry about athletics, academics worry about academics, department chairs worry about their departments. We need someone who brings us together so we focus on what is best for our school. When you get this type of constructive collaboration, you can move from good to great.

We need a leader who realizes that the teachers are the face of the school, so this leader's daily behaviors should show that they care and value the teachers. When teachers feel cared for and valued, they provide that same environment for their students.

I want a person who does not think of character as a soft skill but as an important skill, who will push character development into our curriculum and make it part of our discussion—and who values well-being in the same way we value grades.

What is it like to be a man

 This week's blog is written by a guest blogger.  GUEST BLOGGERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.

What Makes a Man 

 

This weekend, I was lucky enough to hear a talk by Dr. Matthew Moser, an assistant professor of theology at Loyola University Maryland. He came to speak about how society defines a great man. 

 

He began by asking us to name some men we saw as role models today. Audience members called out a lot of athletes: Tom Brady, David Goggins, Michael B. Jordan. There was a common thread in most of their stories: All of them seemed to be self-made, hyper-successful, and fully in control of how their lives played out. 

 

Dr. Moher stated that those three things were what society typically used to define a good man—someone who is successful, self-sufficient, and totally in control. 

He continued by pointing out that while these ideals are not bad on their own, many choose to make them the end goal without realizing the process that makes them so great. 

 

He started by explaining success. Many of his own students viewed success as getting an A in their class. What it took to get that A did not matter. This led to cheating, copying, and throwing integrity to the wind in pursuit of success. Moher went on to say that while success is good, the pursuit of excellence and personal improvement is what we should really strive for. 

 

Our discussion led to the topic of self-sufficiency. One student asked if it was a bad thing to be self-sufficient. After all, many high schoolers feel pressured to be their own person and take responsibility for their own lives without aid from their parents after they leave for college. Dr. Moher agreed but emphasized the importance of recognizing our dependence on each other. He joked that none of us hunted for our own food or built the roofs over our heads. No man can live on an island. Part of the process of being independent is recognizing the gifts we’ve been given by others and using them accordingly. 

 

He concluded the talk by discussing control. Almost everyone wishes they could control every aspect of their lives. With control comes certainty. With certainty, there is no reason to doubt or have any fear. Dr. Moher explained that while many see the greats of society in complete control of their lives, they have just about as much control as you or I do. Part of being great means understanding that you cannot control everything. Letting go of that desire and focusing on what you can change rather than fixating on things outside of your reach is part of growth. 

There were a lot more points that Dr. Moher made later in our discussion that I wish I had time to touch on in this blog, but I, for one, am extremely grateful for the experience, and I hope everyone who is reading gets as much out of this as I did. 

 

You Deserve A Break Today

 I was raised to think that demanding work was the price you paid to be excellent. Anyone who took breaks was never going to be great. However, as I read more, I realized that breaks are often the fuel we need to reach excellence. 

Breaks often allow us to keep up our passion. Research has shown that even small breaks of 5-10 minutes can raise your energy. After studying for a while, a wonderful way to reward yourself is with a small break. As a teacher, I try not to give quizzes or tests on Mondays so that students can have the weekend to enjoy themselves

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Spacing has been shown as a powerful way to study and retain knowledge for an extended period. In this method, you might study for 30 minutes a day, taking a break from that particular subject until the next day. This study practice has proven to be effective even though it is extremely difficult to get students to follow it. 

Lastly, breaks allow you to work on problems in your unconscious mind. Adam Grant found in his research that taking breaks can boost creativity. The solution to a problem often pops into your head when you are not consciously thinking about it. 

Do not think of breaks as easing up. Instead, think of breaks as the boost you need to push yourself across the finish line. 

Daring classrooms

 This summer, I had my students watch “Daring Classrooms” by Brené Brown (video here). In this talk, Brené explains that to have a great classroom, students must be vulnerable and not be shamed. For students to learn in your classroom, they must feel free to take risks and learn from their mistakes. 

When students laugh or make jokes about a student’s answer, it can derail this process. The students do not realize the harm they are doing when they make fun of a classmate. But the humor they often use among friends can bring shame into the classroom. As teachers, we can’t allow that behavior. 

When a teacher asks a question, there is usually a scattering of hands raised to answer it. Most of the time, students raise their hands when they know the answer. What we don’t see enough of are students who raise their hands when they don’t know the answer. This way, the teacher will walk through the process or have another student help to get to the correct answer. 

Too often, to prevent embarrassment, students walk out of a classroom without understanding the information the teacher has presented. They fear asking a question because of how they might be perceived by both the teacher and their fellow students. 

Nobody makes more mistakes in my classroom than I do. Each semester, I track my blunders (presently approaching 50) so students can understand that if the “expert” is making these mistakes, it is okay for them to make mistakes, too. 

Learning from mistakes is a difficult yet important skill. If you can learn from your mistakes, you will grow at a fast rate. 

The challenge for all of us is to take off our protective armor and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. We will all be better off if we do.