Week 1 - What Does Your Garden Grow?

"What is honored in a country will be cultivated there." - Plato

Each school has its own unique culture.

A small school will look and function differently from a large school. An inner-city school may look dramatically different from a rural or suburban school. Elementary is different from secondary; private is different from public.

Where the differences lie are not just in the structures themselves but in the value and beliefs of the inhabitants.

Look deep into a school, and you can see what is cherished. Walk the halls, and you will see what they value.

Walk into a school that looks sterile - white blank walls with no adornment and complete silence - and you will feel as if you have walked into a hospital. This school's leaders believe that students are there to be cured by their teaching.

Walk into another school with colorful walls covered with students' artwork - where teachers' doors are adorned with their personal style - and you will see a school that values students' creativity and teachers' personalities. It is a welcoming atmosphere, one that fosters growth.

Where do creative minds prefer to flower? They prefer a place where there is light, warmth, and plenty of food.

Is your school a place for growth? It could be, if you choose to be a tiller of the soil in your school.

Prompt:
Some of the ways I would like to make my classroom and school into environments that encourage growth include . . . 

Week 43 - Jimmy

"Education is helping the child realize his potentialities" - Erich Fromm

Jimmy challenged his teacher day after day.

The lesson was always interrupted to deal with some outburst or rule infraction. Mrs. Jenkins tried strict adherence to her discipline plan. She tried ignoring his behavior. She even tried bribing Jimmy. All these solution were short-lived. They were Band-Aids when only holistic care would do.

As all teachers do, Mrs. Jenkins knew her students quite well. She knew Jimmy's likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, gifts and talents. And she decided to try a combination approach that would address the whole child and not just his behavior.

Since Jimmy was artistic, Mrs. Jenkins gave him the responsibility of making posters. Since he worked better alone than in a group, she assigned him specific tasks at group times. And since he liked attention, she called on him for answers even before he could raise his hand.

In time, Jimmy's outbursts decreased. His productivity increased. Mrs. Jenkins had found a better way for Jimmy and for herself.

Try to always remember, your students are more than a set of behaviors. They are people who have needs, desires, and preferences. When problems arise, look past the situation and into the child.

Know your students well enough to identify what they need. Then give it to them.

Choose not to label your students by their behaviors. Help them evolve into someone better than they thought they could be.

Prompt: Recall a time when you were able to use a troublesome student's strengths to empower him to be successful.

Week 42 - Laugh

"A good laugh is sunshine in a house" - Thackeray

Justin was the class clown. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't interrupt some lesson with his quick wit. He saw "funny" written all over everything.

You have to be careful with the class clown; however, he or she can easily take over your class, and Mr. Watkins had decided early on that this would never happen in his room.

But is became a challenge to Justin to make Mr. Watkins laugh. Justin realized that it had to be carefully planned. He also realized that it could happen more easily if he completed all his work so Mr. Watkins wouldn't have anything to complain about.

What Justin didn't know was that Mr. Watkins was struggling every day NOT to laugh. He didn't want to give Justin the satisfaction.

But Justin was hilarious! The more Mr. Watkins avoided eye contact, the more Justin attracted attention to himself. It was becoming a stressful situation for Mr. Watkins. He began getting tension headaches and would end the day in a grumpy mood.

Then one day it happened. Mr. Watkins let go and laughed out loud!

The class was shocked; the clown was jubilant! The teacher was relieved.

Headaches gone, Mr. Watkins realized that laughter really was the best medicine. He decided to take a dose each day.

If handled well, laughter can be used to your advantage. Let students see you laugh, and you let them see your heart.

Prompt: Things that make me laugh are. . .

Week 41 - Order! Order!

"A place for everything, and everything in its place" - Samuel Smiles

Teaching is one of the few professions that requires an immediate replacement for you if you're absent.

It takes more than written lesson plans in order for a substitute to effectively teach your class in your absence. It also takes organization.

Do you know a teacher whose room is one big pile of papers and books? Whose desk isn't evident to the human eye? Whose supplies spill into crevices and corners and whose files are files in name only?

That teacher puts a substitute in peril when he or she takes over a class.

How can a teacher help a substitute? Leave direction and detailed lesson plans. Let the substitute know where the teacher's manuals are. Where the grade book is. Where the supplies lay hidden.

When substitutes have to rely on students in order to find things, they aren't able to adequately cover the material. They appear helpless and lose control of the classroom. They feel frustrated and may never come back.

Many teachers complain that they are not considered professionals by the world. By the world's standards, how professional is your classroom? Remember, your room is a direct reflection on you.

Need help getting organized? Find someone whose classroom you admire and ask them for help.

Prompt: I admire the classroom of a colleague because. . . I would like to ask them for help in . . .

Week 40 - The Gardener

"You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go" - Jeannette Rankin

Susan learned long ago that not every child will achieve on grade level. Teaching severely learning disabled middle-schoolers gave her a chance to take students far, just not as far as the state was hoping for. By the time students had gotten to her, their fourth-grade reading level was probably as high as they were going to go. Instead of looking to see how well they scored on the standardized tests, Susan concentrated on individual skills and learning strategies. She knew they could improve, but she wasn't going to disappoint herself and her students by expecting more than they could give.

"Aren't you being defeatist?" her intern asked.

"Not at all," Susan said. "I've just learned that it doesn't matter how lovingly you plant a seed, nor does it matter how rich the soil is or how well it is watered and fed; some grow only as tall as we imagined they would."

"Doesn't that disappoint you?"

"It used to. But now I've learned to see the beauty of each one, no matter how tall it grows or how glorious it blossoms," Susan said. She knew her intern didn't understand this flowery talk. But she knew that those who don't achieve as we hope are not weeds to be plucked out so the garden looks perfect. If you've ever tried to transplant a weed, you know that it doesn't survive. It grows stronger if allowed to stay right where it is.''

Set your students up for success by setting realistic expectations for them.

Prompt: How does my attitude compare to the one portrayed?

Week 39 - Reach for the Stars

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Barb was used to having children with special needs in her fourth-grade classroom. She knew how to modify the curriculum to fit her students individually.

Parents were appreciative of her open-mindedness, and their children succeeded in her class.

One year, Barb was faced with a child whose needs she had never encountered before.

Chris had one of the highest IQ's she had ever seen. He score four years above his grade level on standardized tests. But Chris had become lazy and would only do the bare minimum of work. Even so, his bare minimum was still higher than the rest of his class. He got straight A's but Barb knew he could do more.

Barb decided to raise the bar for Chris. She defined for him a separate list of expectations. At first Chris balked at the change. His comfort level was threatened. For the first time in his short academic career, Chris wasn't sure he'd get an A. He had to work for it.

After a few weeks of careful monitoring, Chris had regained his passion for learning. He began to crave challenge, and Barb gave it to him. She kept him on his toes, and he kept her on hers.

Never let your students accept the status quo. Push them, let them taste the satisfaction and exhilaration that come from a hunger for knowledge.

Teach your students to reach, and they'll never stay on the ground.

Prompt: One way to raise the bar for my students is . . .

Week 38 - Say It Isn't So!

"Nothing fruitful ever comes when plants are forced to flower in the wrong season" - Bette Boa Lord

The caller's question made Junetta sigh. So often when she did these radio shows, parents would call in with questions that made her look like a hero. But this question always made Junetta nervous. She knew her answer could make many parents angry with her. Yet she couldn't avoid the truth. It would be wrong for her to reinforce wrong thinking.

"My son's teacher wants to hold him back in second grade, but I don't agree with her. How can I convince the principal that the teacher is wrong?"

Junetta chose her words carefully but then said them with confidence. "The truth is that principals discourage teachers from recommending retention. It doesn't look good on a school's record if they have retentions. But if this principal is standing behind his teacher's decision, I would take heed. She wouldn't have made this recommendation unless she was sure."

"but his sister did so well at this school. He can, too, if we just move him forward," the caller said, sounding desperate.

"I understand your concern, but I am more concerned about your son's future. Just because his sister did well in this school doesn't mean he will. What works with one does not always work with another. Instead of forcing him into something before he's ready, why don't you give him the gift of time?" Junetta waited through silence for the caller's reply.

"I never looked at it that way. Thank you."

Communicating the truth to someone without alienating them is a difficult job, but the truth will prevail.

Prompt: I have found that the best way to communicate the truth effectively is to . . .

Week 37 - Defensive End

"School is the marketplace of possibility, not efficiency" - Susan Ohanian

Denise couldn't believe she was involved in this kind of conversation once again. Outsiders have no clue as to why schools make the decisions they make, she thought. Although an insider herself, Denise frequently didn't know why they made the decisions they made. Regardless of that fact, it was time once again to defend the public school system to her friends.

"What I don't understand is why they use a math program that clearly doesn't reach that many children."

"I want to know why there aren't enough textbooks so my daughter can bring one home to do her homework."

The problem was that Denise had no answers for these questions. She knew that districts made decisions that sometimes made no sense to her or to any other teacher. She also knew that she and many others like her had dedicated their lives to public education because they believed they could make a difference in their students' lives.

She answered with confidence. "It's true that there are plenty of problems with the system, but let me tell you why I think the time I give to public education is important." Denise then shared with her friends her passion for teaching and some experiences from her classroom which kept her believing that she was touching lives and that learning was happening, even with the system's imperfections.

The best asset of any school is its dedicated teachers. When people complain to you about what your school doesn't have or isn't doing, gently remind them of what, and who, is does have to offer.

Prompt: Some of the most important assets I believe I offer my school are. . .

Week 36 - Success

"The rain falls on all the fields, but crops grow only in those that have been tilled and sown" - Chinese Proverb

Teacher in-service is a necessary evil.

With so many changes being implemented, it's difficult to stay up on what is expected. Training is demanded and budgets are crunched in order to meet the needs.

Workshops take up almost every free moment. When you sit in an auditorium full of hundreds of teachers (many of whom would rather be somewhere else) and learn about a promising new strategy, have you ever noticed that only a few actually carry out the recommendations?

That's because it depends on whether or not a teacher is returning to a school that values innovation and embraces change. It depends on whether there is an administrator who frees up teacher time so they can employ new approaches. It depends on the needs of the teacher.

How similar is this phenomenon to what happens in your classroom every day? You teach a new concept and only a small percentage latch onto it right away.

The future success of your students will depend on whether or not you have created an environment that welcomes questions. It depends on whether you give them the time they need to master topics. It depends on whether you're meeting the needs of your students.

Set your students up for success.

Prompt: I can create an environment conducive to success by . . .

Week 35 - Involuntary Transfer

"Take the attitude of a student. Never be too big to ask questions. Never know too much to learn something new" - Og Mandino

Jan's involuntary transfer to an elementary school was difficult. Not only did she prefer middle school, but she felt inadequate to teach at the elementary level. Just because she was certified in that area didn't mean she wanted to teach it.

Teaching in a self-contained classroom all day was quite an adjustment for Jan. Her first method of coping was to keep to herself and observe .

After the first grading period, she realized there was more to being an elementary teacher than wearing theme jewelry and giving out stickers. Her demands on her students were too high and she knew it. She could tell that from the looks on their faces when she assigned research reports. She could also tell it from their parents as note after note came in with complaints. She just didn't know what to do about it all.

During her third grade team meeting, Jan sat and listened to Kathy, a first-year teacher. Kathy's student loved her. Her room was bursting with energy and creativity. Even her discipline problems were minimal.

How does she do that? Jan wondered. Then, in a moment of utter humility, she said aloud, "How do you do that?"

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and a successful school year.

Don't be afraid to ask questions of team members you admire or to share tips with someone new.

Find someone who is already doing well what you want to be doing well, and then ask them how they do it.

Prompt: Some questions I have in an area I feel weak in are . . .

Week 34 - He Said, She Said

"If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens at school, I'll promise not to believe everything he says happens at home" - Anonymous

"My dad says I don't have to listen to you!"
"You can't make me!"
"You want me to do what?"

Day after day, Sandy's ears stung with words of her seventh graders. She was beginning to wonder what went on in the homes of these students. No wonder kids didn't respect their teachers. In the first place, it surely sounded as if their parents didn't have any respect for teachers. One child in particular, David, shot remarks at Sandy almost daily. A conference was set up with his dad for the next day. Sandy cringed at the thought of what she'd hear from this man as well.

A sullen Mr. Rankin slipped quietly into the seat of a student's desk. Sandy had positioned it so that she could look down at him from her own desk during the conference. Both began the discussion with hesitancy.

"Mr. Rankin, your son is very bright. So much so that it surprises me you've told him he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to do," Sandy said.

"That's not how I heard it," Mr. Rankin said. "David says you refuse to help him when he doesn't understand his work."

"Obviously someone important is missing from this conference," Sandy laughed.

"I can take care of that," Mr. Rankin said, opening the classroom door. "Won't you join us, David?"

Make sure all parties who are involved attend a conference.

Prompt: Some problems I am seeing that may be due to incomplete communication are. . .

Week 33 - Why?

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Learn Critical Thinking Skills in 100 Easy Lessons?" Sammie asked. "What kind of book is this?"

"The one from our Critical Thinking Skills workshop, remember?" Judy said with a yawn.

"Even if they are easy lessons, I don't have time to teach one hundred of them, do you/" Sammie knew she sounded negative, but she was tired of being told what to teach and how.

"Did anyone think critically about including this in our daily lessons?"

"Doubt it," Judy said.

"I have an idea. Let's figure out a way to encourage critical thinking without using this book," Sammie suggested.

"You don't need to tell me," Judy explained. "I've always taught my students to think about why they do what they do, and how to use what they learn in their everyday lives. It's a matter of attitude."

Sammie realized that Judy didn't need this textbook. But at the same time, she knew that she did. "How can I have that attitude?" Sammie questioned.

Judy could see that Sammie was serious now. Concern was written all over her face. "You already do, just by asking the question 'why.' They key is to encourage your students to do the same."

To think critically is not being critical - it's being smart.

Prompt: A 'why' in my life that I am pondering is. . .

Week 32 - The Ah-Ha Effect

"My heart is singing for joy this morning. A miracle has happened. The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil's mind, and behold, all things are changed" - Anne Sullivan

Not covered in any college textbook is the sensation of "Ah-ha!" when a student finally understand what was once an incomprehensible concept to him. Judy learned that firsthand when she tutored a boy diagnosed with a math disability. It wasn't her student's discovery that changed her, however, it was her own.

She had learned how to break the learning of a new concept back down to the concrete level if a student was having trouble. So when it came to fractions, a trip to the pizza parlor seemed in order. Not just because it would be fun, but because Judy herself had always struggled with fractions. Teaching the lesson step-by-step (including consuming the prop) led Judy to an amazing discovery - she finally understood fractions! For the first time in her life, she really understood them! This made teaching them not only easier, but more exciting.

Should it have taken Judy until she was twenty to fully grasp fractions? Unknown. What is known to her now, however, is the power of the Ah-ha effect. She knows that it doesn't really matter how long it takes, as long as it happens. Maybe a student just needs more time. What are you willing to do to ensure your students' success? Your work is not done until you hear, "Oh, I get it!"

Do you know which students 'get it' and which don't? You should. Take the time and give more when needed.

Prompt: Reflect on a time when you clearly saw a student grasp a difficult concept. . .

Week 31 - Did He Pass?

"Start a program for gifted children, and every parent demands that his child be enrolled" - Thomas Bailey

Rob looked at his list of students to be tested and cringed - twenty-four kids to test in three days! Rob's testing was only the first step in a very long process to qualify for placement in the school's gifted program. Only about 25 percent of those tested would actually qualify. And many of those tested were referred by their own parents. Dealing with the disappointment and sometimes downright indignation of parents was the least favorite part of Rob's job.

Rob could usually tell within the first few minutes of testing whether or not a child would pass his screening test. It was obvious that this second grader wasn't going to make the cut. After testing he met with the parent privately and relayed the results. He could sense her frustration. Rob thought, Another parent who is absolutely convinced that her child is gifted.

"Please, there must be some mistake," she said.

Rob responded with his all-too-familiar speech about how this test was not a full IQ test; it was only a screening instrument and her son could take it again next year.

"You don't understand," the Mom continued. "Mrs. Wickers is the best teacher here. She's our last chance to motivate Jon."

It's funny how some parents flock to one program or another. It's not always because they are an elitist or because the program is the popular place to be. Sometimes it's because a teacher has made it clear to all that kids are important.

A program is only as successful as its teacher.

Prompt: The way I want to make it clear that my students are all important is. . .

Week 30 - "Bear" Minimum

"Let early education be a sort of amusement; you will then be better able to discover the child's natural bent" - Plato

When Vanessa enrolled her five-year-old daughter, Kaitlin, in kindergarten she chose a private school. This school had a three-year waiting list, and Vanessa had put Kaitlin on it when she was two. She was excited to finally be able to meet the teachers and tour the facility with the eyes of a kindergarten parent.

The rows of desks could not have been more perfectly aligned. Each prospective child's name was displayed on his or her future desk. The bulletin boards were color coordinated, and the discipline plan was in plain sight in the front of the room. Each child had a construction paper bear with his or her name on it. Vanessa read the plan in horror.

• Talking out of turn = take bear away
• Moving out of seat = take bear away
• Dropping pencil = take bear away
• No homework = take bear away
• Tardiness = take bear away

On and on it went. Vanessa's blood drained from her face as she asked, "But how do they get their bear back?"

The teacher looked at her in disgust. "Not until the next day when it starts all over again." This is the teacher Kaitlin would have in kindergarten? Vanessa politely thanked the teacher for her time and sprinted to the office to take Kaitlin off this hit list!

In discipline, break the will but preserve the spirit of a child.

Prompt: I try to preserve the spirits of my students by. . .

Week 29 - Satisfaction Guaranteed?

"People need to see how much agreement is possible between seemingly intractable opponents" - Robert Redford

Janice sighed heavily as she hung up the phone. Mrs. Baxter, the mother of a student with special needs, wanted a conference - again.

It seemed that she couldn't please this mother. Although their meetings always ended on a positive note, Janice was beginning to wonder what she could do to avoid them altogether.

This year had definitely been one with unusual challenges in Janice's classroom, and to be truthful, Mrs. Baxter usually had valid concerns.

This conference began just as all the rest - Mrs. Baxter restating her son's needs; Janice restating her desire to meet his needs. But this time Mrs. Baxter had a new question ready. "What level of satisfaction should a parent expect from your class?"

What a loaded question! Janice was speechless. Mrs. Baxter continued, "We both know that 100 percent is not realistic. Nothing and no one is perfect."

Mrs. Baxter went on to explain that after some soul-searching she knew that her own unusually high expectations had created some of the frustrations she was feeling over her son's school year.

Mrs. Baxter's humility struck a chord with Janice. She turned her question around. What were her expectations of parents? Were they realistic? Janice knew she had some soul-searching of her own to do.

A willingness to put forth the effort to understand each other opened the door for a wonderful relationship between Janice and Mrs. Baxter.

Make understanding your priority before trying to be understood.

Prompt: I need to make understanding my priority in the following situations. . .

Week 28 - Pass or Fail?

"Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm" - Abraham Lincoln

Stan taught social studies at Melham Middle School for fifteen years and had the reputation of making history come alive for his students. They always seemed to thrive and do very well.

But each year he discovered more and more students were lacking basic reading skills, hindering essential comprehension.

How did they get this far? he wondered.

Two days before final grades were due, Stan had a conference with the principal. It seemed that two boys were failing not only his class, but every other class they were taking. The principal asked if Stan could see his way clear to pass them.

This seemed stronger than a request; it seemed to be an expectation.

"I can't do that," Stan said. "They didn't pass. They didn't come to class. In fact, they did nothing!"

His principal still pressed. "They are too old. We need to pass them."

"Then someone else will have to do it," rebutted Stan. "It's not fair to them or to the other students who worked so hard."

Although another teacher decided to give the boys a passing grade, Stan knew that he had done the right thing.

You may someday have to be the teacher who cares enough about the future of your students to keep them at the same level until they really learn.

There will be times when you stand on principle, even when it's against your principal.

Prompt: Recently I've felt called to stand on the principle that . . .

Week 27 - Inclusion

"Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time" - Rabbinical saying

Jan waited patiently as her department head worked his way through the team meeting agenda. It was the second time she had been scheduled to speak, but she had the sinking feeling they wouldn't get to her this time either.

Jan's students with learning disabilities were struggling in the regular classroom environment - not because of their ability, but because there was a definite feeling of exclusion.

Jan needed to address this issue as an advocate for her students. After all, who else would speak up for them. Jan was willing to do whatever it took to change the way the needs of her students were perceived, but unless the team gave her a chance to talk, she wouldn't be able to make that needed difference.

Finally, it was her turn. Jan stuck to the facts, but not without emotion. Revealing her compassionate heart, Jan demonstrated to the other teachers what it was like to sit in a class where students were ignored, everything sounded garbled, and much of it looked like nonsense.

As she made her final statement and returned to her seat, her team looked at her as if they had seen her for the first time. They were finally able to understand the helplessness her students felt.

Never allow an opportunity to pass where you might be able to be an advocate for your students.

Remember that you speak for your students. And also remember that silence can be seen as agreement.

Prompt: Ways I feel I am being called to speak for my students are . . .

Week 26 - What's Your Passion?

"A dull teacher, with no enthusiasm in his own subject, commits the unpardonable sin" - R.C. Wallace

"Who was your favorite teacher, Diane?" Julie asked her friend as they watched their children play together on the beach.

"That's easy. Mr. Danker, my tenth grade Biology teacher. He was strange, that was for sure. But I still remember everything we did in his class. He was also into taxidermy, and above each of our desks hung some sort of stuffed animal!" Diane excitedly explained.

"Oh, how gross!" Julie was horrified.

"No, it was cool. Each week we had a test, and it was difficult. But we could improve that grade if we dared. We could gain extra credit if we ate, without gagging, something he brought in - like oysters, squid, or even pig's feet!" Diane was quite animated now.

"I remember that we created a huge animal collage all through the year. You could only put something on it if you could identify it and tell one defining characteristic. At the end of the year, part of the final exam was to find a particular animal on that collage, identify it, and remember that characteristic. You know, I haven't thought about that in years. Why don't our children's teachers teach like that?" Diane's joy ended abruptly.

Are we teaching like that? Can your students see your passion in what you teach? If you don't have passion, find it! Only then can you light that same flame in your students.

Prompt: How can I show more passion for what I teach to my students?

Week 25 - Creature Feature

"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn" - John Cotton Dana

Carol Dome's classroom was noisy, crowded, and sometimes even smelled! But it wasn't her students' fault - it was the animals.

Carol believed that elementary school is a time for exploration and discovery. Creation was up close and personal for her students, and they used any spare moment to observe and comment on their surroundings. The circle of life included them, and Carol's teaching helped connect them all. All except her principal, Mr. Dawsey.

All he saw upon entering her class was chaos. He didn't even know where to begin to conduct her teacher evaluation. He knew the students loved this teacher; he just wasn't convinced much learning was going on. Until one day. . .

The children were unusually reticent and calm when Principal Dawsey entered that day. One of the baby chicks, newly hatched, had died suddenly. Carol Dome was sitting in their midst on the floor, her hands cupped around the now still chick. Each child quietly opened their journals and wrote their reactions to this event. Then one child moved to the bulletin board and adjusted the growth chart of their animal nursery. Finally, another child fetched their book on hatching chicks and read aloud the section about problems during hatching.

Mr. Dawsey saw these children apply a myriad of skills that day, even in the midst of tragedy. Carol Dome's evaluation was a much clearer task to him now. Learning was indeed occurring - even for him.

There is more than one right way to teach!

Prompt: How would you evaluate the learning going on in your classroom? What can you do to create an environment that helps your students apply what they have learned?