Courage

Seven years ago I learned about the one-word initiative Jon Gordon wrote about in his book, "One Word that will Change Your Life" that encourages people to identify one word that will be their driving force for the year (instead of a list of resolutions that are often hard to accomplish/attain).

My one word for 2022 is courage. I chose this word because I believe that courage has been needed and embraced by all of us as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.  We need the courage to engage in meaningful and honest conversations about our work and our lives. We need courage to actively listen and be open to new possibilities. 

I will keep this word in mind every day. I will keep this word in my mind every day at home and at work with the goal that I am a courageous wife, mom, friend, educator, colleague, and someone in whom you can place your confidence. I will also look for examples of courageous behaviors in different settings and situations in all areas of my life. I will let courage be my focus in 2022.

"COURAGE" by Glen Phillips 

My husband Michael and I have always loved Glen Philips, but we haven't listened to his music for several years.  This week we decided to listen to him while in the car driving to hang pictures in my new school office.  When this song came on it confirmed that courage would be my #oneword2022. Take a listen! 

What is your #oneword2022? This One Word 365 website might give you some inspiration if you need help getting started! 

Look for the Helpers

 

Look for the Helpers

It has been almost a full year that we have been navigating life and education in a pandemic.  We are finally able to welcome students back into our school building this Wednesday.  Some students have not been in our building since last March.  Some have never been in our building.  As a school leader, I have the privilege of reminding and supporting our amazing educators of their ability to navigate this next phase in our work this year.  

This week I reflected on how best to do this.

I found peace and comfort in the words of Fred Rogers, and his message to "look for the helpers". Take a listen (only 1 minute).

I also read Adam Grant's new book, "Think Again" and I'm holding onto the way he differentiates confidence in tools versus our ability to learn. 

And then I took a trip down memory lane and searched my google drive, emails, Twitter posts, and more to tell the story of our pandemic journey to date.  I dropped all of these pieces into google slides and then created this video for our staff.  

My hope is that this "scrapbook of helpers and learners" makes staff smile and feel a tremendous sense of pride and confidence in themselves as learners. 

We are helpers.  We are learners. We are ready. 

 

Hope

Six years ago I learned about the one-word initiative Jon Gordon wrote about in his book, "One Word that will Change Your Life" that encourages people to identify one word that will be their driving force for the year (instead of a list of resolutions that are often hard to accomplish/attain).

I selected the following words over the years: believe (2016), wonder (2017), trust (2018), empower (2019) and see in 2020.

My one-word for 2021 is hope.  I chose this word after reflecting on living and leading through a pandemic and spending several hours watching and rewatching this commencement speech given by William McRaven, US Navy Admiral to the graduates at the University of Texas seven years ago.  I thought about the current needs of everyone in my life- my family, my friends, my colleagues, my students, and my community.  In his speech, Admiral McRaven suggests that one person can change the world by giving people hope. Right now- in the midst of so much unknown- we all need hope.  Admiral McRaven's words have truly inspired me to enter 2021 with a positive mindset despite the challenges and unknowns I am sure we will all face. His words lead me to select hope for my one-word and I am committed to living and leading with hope every day in this new year.

 

Honest Thoughts

I have read and processed these two quotes several times over the past few days and wanted to share my thinking with the hopes that my vulnerability helps other educators feel comfortable enough to share their thinking, too!

3-minute podcast sharing some honest thoughts

How are you getting through? Please share and connect below!  

We're going to be ok!

Today I was reminded of WHY I do this work. I was talking with some teachers about school reopening. There are so many unknowns and so many fears that we all are feeling- all warranted and valid. I am grateful that I work with educators who are willing to share their honest concerns and work together to do what is best for our students.

I am committed to creating a safe space for educators. I want them to remain passionate about their work, love their students, and to grow their practice. This is especially important as we continue to navigate the many unknowns of this pandemic. I truly believe that when educators are in a “safe place” to share their thinking and feel genuinely supported all of our children will get what they need. Educators have such amazing minds and sometimes the many demands of the work can get in the way. I am committed to working through these barriers with educators every day. I lead with my heart and will never stop doing that. This is a blessing and a curse, but in the end, I know that my honesty and love for all things teaching and learning will make a difference someday. We are in this together. We can never forget this. EVER. This is why we're going to be ok.

Below is a brief video I shared with our staff today at lunchtime (that was a part of an update newsletter). I hope it inspires others to do the same.

Be a Moment Maker!

There is a little boy in the classroom that is next to my office that has the brightest smile and gives the tightest hugs. He has the power to take my mind away from the intensity of the problems of the day and remind me of what matters most in my school- relationships.

A few weeks ago he asked to take his earned break with me and I was honored. He came into my office, we played with magnetic shapes and designed a house with a long driveway, and then he gave me a list of supplies to purchase for our next break together. He asked for balloons, straws, and tape (and possibly some glue). I had no idea what he wanted to make and he said he wanted to surprise me.

This past week I finally had all of the supplies and on Thursday he came to my office to create his masterpiece. I already had a “big kid” in my office, so the little boy took on the role of teaching both me and the “big kid” what to do. He instructed each of us to get two balloons and two straws. We helped one another one step at a time, and we ended up making a fidget tool that looks like the drawing below.

This little boy was filled with so much pride and excitement. He was jumping up and down- it seemed like he couldn’t believe it actually worked! Not only had he taught me how to make his creation, but he also taught a big kid (who was otherwise having a tough day).

I am so grateful that I had this experience. This is a moment of “unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am committed to the very challenging work of being an educational leader and I will continue to prioritize moments like this with students (and staff).

#oneword2020

Five years ago I learned about the one-word initiative Jon Gordon wrote about in his book, "One Word that will Change Your Life" that encourages people to identify one word that will be their driving force for the year (instead of a list of resolutions that are often hard to accomplish/attain).

I selected the following words over the years: believe (2016), wonder (2017), trust (2018), and empower (2019).

I have always been a go-getter and a worker.  I decided to take 6 vacation days to enjoy winter break with my family this year and I have to admit that I don't like where my mind is going.  I am exhausted- actually I'm burnt out.  I have always loved education and I have been committed to students, teachers, and families that I serve, but this vacation I have been thinking about my future differently.  I'm not trying to be negative, but I am trying to be honest. I have been missing out on so much of my life because I have been working too much.  I should be able to work hard and still be present for my family and friends.  I don't want to miss any more of my children's basketball games or be cooking dinner at 8:00pm because I was working late.

I need to refocus in 2020 and that is why my #oneword2020 is see.  I hope that seeing will allow me to be more present for others and for myself.

Over the next few days, I encourage all of you to take some time to determine your one word for 2020.

In addition, I suggest looking at this #oneword365 website to connect with people around the globe and to get a list of suggested words or check out this great collection of #oneword2020 from @mjjohnson1216 !

Look for the signs!

Today I was in the cafeteria during third-grade lunch. I sat next to a little girl who I never really talked to before.  I couldn't help but notice that her school lunch looked pretty yummy- ...nachos with a side of black beans.  She was eating the black beans one by one and I wanted to know what else she liked.  I told her it reminded me of my Friday night dinners at my favorite Mexican Restaurant.  I asked her what kind of food she liked.  I did not expect the answer that she gave...and I am still in awe of this amazing little girl.

She was quick to respond that she didn't like a lot of food and then she told me why.  She said that she was a foster child at age 4 (she remembered it was October) and before she went into foster care all her mom gave her to eat was macaroni and cheese and hot dogs.  That is all she can ever remember eating. She was adopted a few years later by her foster mom.  She told me about the other children that live with her...their ages, whether they go to school, work or go to college and how much she likes driving 7 hours to their house in Maine in the summer.

This little girl was my sign today.  She reminded me of the power of relationships...the power of taking the time to sit down next to a student and giving them all of your attention and love.  She opened up to me and she was the gift and motivation I needed today.  She is the true definition of bravery.  I am so grateful to have connected with her today.

Take 5 Breathing- Please Take Care!

This is the time of year when routines and structures are usually starting to click in our classrooms and schools, but sometimes this isn't the case- sometimes it takes a very long time, depending on the classroom dynamics, the complexity of student needs, and so much more.  

How can we take care of ourselves (and our students) when things aren't going exactly as planned?

I recently revisited the book, "Happy Teachers Change the World" and I thought the strategy below might come in handy. 

"Taking 5":

~First, when you breathe, identify the in-breath as an in-breath, and the out-breath as an out-breath. When you use your mind to identify these breaths, there is no more thinking. Pay attention to your breath only, releasing everything else.

~Next, follow your in-breath and out-breaths all the way through, from beginning to end. By focusing our attention entirely on the breath, we cultivate concentration.

~”TAKE 5” mindful breaths every day before school begins to stop our bodies, calm our thoughts, and focus our minds.

~Reflection questions (optional): How do I feel right now? How is my breath (slow, fast?) How easy was it to keep my mind on my breath? How did this practice feel (strange, enjoyable, difficult, boring?)

~This practice can then be integrated into multiple learning activities throughout the day such as sports, assessment testing, etc.

In addition, here is a resource for from "Cult of Pedagogy" about self-care: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/teacher-self-care/

Let's take care of one another! Our students will benefit in the long run, too!

Please share other resources and strategies below!

Creating an environment where it is hard to say goodbye!

How Lucky Am I to Have Something that Makes Saying Goodbye So Hard

This picture popped up in my Facebook memories this week. It is from two years ago when I left my "home" district that I had spent 12 years growing in. During my time there I served as a classroom teacher, grade leader, and school administrator. The relationships established over those 12 years are something that I will treasure forever. It was and is still so hard to say goodbye to what we shared together. I miss this community every day (probably because I put too much of my heart into my work, but I guess that's what makes me me)! I left my "home" to continue my professional growth and over the past two years I have set my sights high- serving as a building principal in a neighboring district and currently as the assistant director of elementary education in a district a bit farther from home.  I'm not 100% sure of where I'm going, but I come to work every day leading with heart and courage, and sometimes it's hard to know the impact of my work.

BUT- it's funny how things work out. I saw this memory on Facebook just before beginning my third day of professional development with some very dedicated educators in my new district on action planning for next year.  I decided to use this quote, to begin my work with the end in mind- I want to create an environment for educators (and students) where it is hard to say goodbye. Where we can be honest, vulnerable and trust of one another.  

I walked into Day 3 of action planning with this mission.  I took a group of educators into a room, shut the doors, and told them that today was a day about honesty.  We talked about collective teacher efficacy, articulating our why, and practiced how to use our WHY to create a school-wide mantra and prioritize goals that support our core beliefs.  

Here is the school-wide mantra the team created!

It was such a powerful day and it was one step taken to create an environment where it is hard to say goodbye. 

Below is a brief video describing the story of our day together. 

In addition, here is the slide deck referenced in the video if there are any resources you'd like to use to keep you strong and grounded, whether you're in a new position (like me) or not!

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!

Please click here to play a brief voice recording introduction to this post!

I was asked to record myself reading one of my favorite books for a third grade class in our district.  I picked "Hooray for Diffendoofer Day" because it was a book I used to read to my third graders years ago right before the state testing window.  As I read the book, I realized that this book really embodies my vision for education- to have JOYFUL schools where teachers are empowered to design learning experiences that help students learn how to think! Our schools need leaders who cultivate a growth mindset culture where everyone is a learner!

Listen to "Hooray for Diffendoofer Day" (11 min.)

Do you have a book, poem or quote that embodies your beliefs about education? I challenge you to share it with your staff and also ask your staff members to share theirs with you.  

Do You Ever Really Know Your Students?

As educators, we recognize the importance of building relationships- relationships with our students, our colleagues and ourselves. We are in a constant state of learning more about people with every interaction we have. There is always something more to discover about a person- their interests, their learning style, their understandings and more.

It can sometimes feel like we're peeling back the layers of an onion, but there are so many layers we never get to the center. I would like to suggest that each layer is important for us to explore and that is worth committing to!

John Hattie's research helps ground educators in the importance of knowing our students.

Did you know that John Hattie's research uncovered that the accuracy of teachers’ knowledge of students in their class can have a 1.62 effect size on student achievement (an effect size of .40 can stimulate a year’s growth)?

In what ways does this research impact your thinking about students? And more importantly, how can you design your learning environment so that you are constantly able to learn more about your students AND they can learn more about themselves, too?

I truly believe Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a big part of the answer! When we design lessons incorporating the principles of UDL we give all students an equal opportunity to succeed. The principles of UDL tap into the different networks in the brain including the affective network (linked to engagement- the WHY of learning), the recognition network (linked to representation- the WHAT of learning), and the strategic network (linked to action and expression- the HOW of learning).

Visit the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) to view an interactive UDL Guidelines chart

Last week Katie Novak ("an internationally renowned education consultant ...Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Massachusetts... designs and presents workshops both nationally and internationally focusing on implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and universally designed leadership."- GoodReads) generously gave up her lunch hour to share her UDL wisdom with coaches in my district...and after listening to her equating UDL to offering dinner guests a buffet vs. a casserole (UDL being the buffet), I made the connection to Hattie's research on educators knowing their students.  If we lean on the UDL principles, we empower students to know themselves as learners and make choices that are best for them (with teacher support as needed). Knowing every layer of every student can feel impossible, but anticipating barriers for students (based on observations, data, learning style inventories, etc.) and offering options for students to choose from is not.  As Katie explains in the video* below, UDL helps students become expert learners (*please note this video is a snippet of the full discussion).

I'm not suggesting teachers stop peeling back the layers of the onion.  It is essential that we continue to gather data and use it to inform our practice BUT the barrier removal and student agency is they key with UDL.

Now the challenge is determining the next steps in our schools. How can we help all educators recognize the importance of knowing every student?  How can we create structures that allow educators to share strategies that are working? How can we reflect on our current lesson design to be mindful of the UDL principles?  Please share all suggestions below!

Two Practices to Keep You Grounded in 2019!

In education, it feels like we have the benefit of having two new years every year- the start of a new school year, and the start of a new calendar year. We are so fortunate!

In preparation for 2019, I have been doing a lot of celebrating, reflecting and goal-setting! I am excited and inspired to continue my work as an educational leader in 2019.  There are two practices that have helped me stay grounded in my work and I am sharing them below in an effort to support YOU as you prepare for 2019!

Practice 1: Start with WHY-  Acquaint or reacquaint yourself with Simon Sinek's work on WHY. Here is a recent blog post about his work for your reference. This year I have tried to encourage educators to find their professional WHY and also to support students in identifying their WHY, too.  The graphic below was created to keep this thinking at the forefront of our minds and is now being added to professional development slides, communications to staff, guiding questions for lesson planning and more.

How have you/will you use WHY in your work with students and teachers? Click here to share!

Practice 2: Identify your #oneword2019-   Four years ago I learned about the one-word initiative Jon Gordon wrote about in his book, "One Word that will Change Your Life" that encourages people to identify one word that will be their driving force for the year (instead of a list of resolutions that are often hard to accomplish/attain).

Interested in a little history?

Link to #believe (my one word for 2016)

Link to #wonder (my one word for 2017)

My one word for 2018 is trust (for just a few more days). I chose this word because I believe that trust is the foundation for all positive relationships, both with others and with myself. I have kept this word in mind every day as a reminder to trust myself, my dreams and my heart. I have kept this word in my mind every day in my work with staff, students and families, with the goal that I am a trusted leader, educator, colleague and someone in whom people can place their confidence. I have looked for examples of trust in different settings and situations in all areas of my life. I have let trust be my focus in 2018.

The video below is a brief 4-minute overview from Jon Gordon that provides the background for "One Word that will Change Your Life."

Over the next few days, I encourage all of you to take some time over the next few days to determine your one word for 2019.

In addition, I suggest looking at this #oneword365 website to connect with people around the globe and to get a list of suggested words!

Lastly, as you pick your one word for 2019, please take a risk and share it on this flipgrid and post your word on Twitter with the hashtag #oneword2019!

Wishing all of my educator colleagues a Happy and Healthy 2019!  

Look for the Helpers

Sometimes it is hard to slow ourselves down to reflect on the good things that are happening in our lives as educators, but it is so important. We're heading into Thanksgiving week.  Our school year is in full swing. We owe it to ourselves to take time to pause and think about the positives!   

One HUGE positive for me this year has been all of the helpers I have been able to find and connect with on Twitter to support the implementation of math workshop in our schools. Check out these helpers! All I had to do was look for them (and ask for help!).

Click here to access the links in the image above! 

Click here to access the links in the image above!

Click here to access the links in the image above!

Click here to access the links in the image above!

Mark Ellis, Cathery Yeh, Jay Billy, Dr. Nicky Newton, and Chris Dodge are 5 helpers who went the extra mile to support the growth and development of others just because they are GOOD people who care.  I am beyond thankful! 

Who are your helpers? Respond below!

Growth Mindset- an essential element in every learning community!

I have spent the last few hours reflecting on a meeting I had with literacy coaches in our district yesterday.  We were sharing the qualities we want our students, our colleagues and ourselves to have along with the learning stances to cultivate growth.

We debriefed our discussions and realized that the root of our work is directly aligned with a growth mindset.  The group raised some very important questions including:
Have we cultivated a culture in our schools where students and educators feel trusted and supported?  Have we taught all members of our school community about the brain science behind growth mindset and explicit ways to put it into practice?

As a "step 1", I have gathered some resources and created a brief Growth Mindset Overview that could be used with educators and families to begin the discussion and sharing!

Growth Mindset Overview for Educators and Families

I welcome your feedback and participation.  Please comment below and share!

We All Have a Story to Tell

I went for a haircut today. I have been going to the same hairdresser for more than 13 years.  His name is Khao. I love spending time with him because he is one of the hardest working people I know and because he always has a story to tell.  Oftentimes his stories are connected to his childhood in Thailand, where he grew up with very little, but today I asked him to tell me about why he became a hairdresser.

Khao came to America from Thailand when he was twenty-five.  He didn't know any English and his first job was working in the kitchen of a Thai restaurant washing dishes and eventually working his way up to cooking food, too.  He was thankful to be in America and to be making some money, but he wanted to have a career.  Khao started taking English classes at the library and once he had some keywords and phrases down, he enrolled in hairdressing school.  While going to school, he continued to work at the restaurant and also found a part-time job sweeping and maintaining a hair salon (the salon that he is still at today). It took him a year to graduate and the rest is history.

Khao's story is really sticking with me today.  In education, we know how important it is to build relationships and actively listen.  Today I experienced this in the hair salon with Khao.  I'm so glad I asked to hear his story and I'm so thankful that he shared it with me.  His determination, perseverance, and work ethic are traits to be admired and treasured.

This experience with Khao also reminds me of the video "Racing for 100 Dollar Bill" (included below).  Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has different obstacles to face and overcome along the way.

I left the salon with a lot more than a haircut today.

The Rabbit Listened (a gift from my mom)

My mom and I

My mother always finds a way to touch my heart.  She knows just what to say and do and she always supports me (both personally and professionally).  Yesterday she gave me the book, "The Rabbit Listened" by Cori Doerrfeld, as an early birthday gift.   

This story is about a little boy named Taylor who is going through a hard time. All of his friends try to suggest things he can do to feel better, but he doesn't want to talk to them. Finally, a rabbit comes and sits down next to Taylor. Taylor talks about his feelings and the rabbit just listens. Having a friend to listen is exactly what Taylor needed and by the end of his time with rabbit, Taylor felt happy and ready to try again.

Everyone needs a rabbit in their life who will listen to them.  My mother is my rabbit. She has helped me through so many challenges, just by listening.  She empowers me to think things through and supports me to come up with solutions independently.  I am so thankful for my mom.

Today I decided to make a read aloud video of "The Rabbit Listened" to share the message of this story with others.

Who is your rabbit?  Please comment below!

Being Open to Change

I have spent the last hour searching Google for quotes and images that will help me put into words the emotions I am juggling today.  I have been presented with an amazing opportunity to do something I have always dreamed of doing, but I have to leave behind a group of educators who are some of the most talented and committed educators I know.

I joined Stall Brook School as their principal last year. We spent the year creating an authentic, supportive culture in our school that was honest, supportive and encouraged the growth of everyone in our building.  Near the end of the year, we drafted the 2018-2019 school goals, redesigned our co-teaching teams, created a professional development plan, determined the next steps with student interventions, and so much more. Several teachers moved classrooms over the summer and they were excited about the new year in their new roles and spaces.

And then I saw an irresistible position posted on School Spring in another district- Assistant Director of Elementary Education.  I have always wanted to be a district leader, supporting and developing building principals and teachers in this capacity, a role aligned with my passions and strengths.  At first, I wasn't going to apply, but then I couldn't get the position out of my head. Over the course of a week, I applied, was called for an interview, interviewed, was offered the position, accepted the position and resigned from my current principal-ship.  So very exciting and so very overwhelming all at the same time.

I am in a transition period- still at my old school completing schedules, creating a guide for the new principal and other summer tasks. It has been so hard to look at the staff- custodians, teachers, and others with tears in their eyes.  They are mad, sad, disappointed, and scared. I went into school over the weekend (when no one was there) to clean out almost everything from my office to avoid any uncomfortable interactions.  I know everything is going to work out for the best for them, but I just feel terribly guilty right now.

As for my new district- everyone has been fantastic so far!  I had my ID taken, filled out all of the HR paperwork, and even moved in some essentials into my new office.  I won't officially start until the end of the month (and a BIG part of me wishes I could just start tomorrow!).

So here are the quotes I found today during my Google search.  I'm sharing them with the hope that they will inspire others who have had to make tough decisions, too.

We don't always have control over the WHEN!

Oh, this is so important!  Our dreams need to be BIG and we need to follow them!

Martin Luther King, Jr. is an inspiration and his words help me realize that it's ok that I took this step!  

This quote helps me remember what I am teaching my own children by taking risks and following my dreams.

Start With WHY

I hope with all of my heart that I inspire others. 

Being an educator is truly a gift in my life.  I love getting to know people (of all ages) and supporting them through the process of learning new things and recognizing their own talents and abilities. 

In my role as an elementary school principal, I have found myself feeling overwhelmed by the list of new initiatives students and educators are being asked to coordinate and participate in.  I have immersed myself in Simon Sinek's work this summer in an effort to find additional ways to continue the growth of a positive and authentic culture in my school and to help our educators identify their passions, prioritize their work, and reflect on what is most important.  I want educators to be able to use their WHY to stay passionate in their work, inspire their students and contribute to the learning of their colleagues.  (There is an endless amount of research that shows the impact of a positive school culture and student achievement, like this.)

One of the things that validate starting with WHY is that it is rooted in brain science!

Taken from a presentation I'm creating for PD with administrators linked here.

There are a lot of educators who have used Sinek's work to inspire them. I came across a blog post from Three Teachers Talk entitled, "Starting With WHY" , that explains the importance of educators communicating their WHY to students.  Look at how powerful it is:

-Three Teachers Talk (2016)

  I was so impressed and moved by the Three Teachers Talk blog post that I wrote the following comment.

As you can see, I wrote this response on July 2nd and I have not been able to get it out of my mind since then.  I am so concerned that talented educators are going to leave education because of the added demands and I am committed to building a trusting school culture where students, staff, and families feel safe to take risks in order to learn and grow.  Regardless of my role in education, I will always stay connected to my roots as a teacher.

I decided to reach out to educators on Twitter to see what their WHY was!

Click here for link to this tweet.

The amazing Tracy Cramer responded with a Ted Talk she made explaining how she found her WHY in 54 words!

Other educators shared their WHY on this padlet: Start With WHY Educator Share

So, here are my next steps!  I am finalizing two professional development experiences- one for the district administrators in August and the other for staff on opening day.  BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN PD.  I need your help.  We need to find a way to use WHY to guide our work more directly in education, to keep passion in education and to prioritize our initiatives.  Please share your suggestions, experiences, and comments below!

End of Year Stress

I always feel like this is the time of year that we run 100% on adrenaline- there are so many things to do and we're balancing several things at once. The last month of school is filled with so many to-dos, and sometimes we let the tasks overwhelm us and change the way we react and support the students who need us most.  I sent the following message out to staff this morning with hopes of supporting them and our students through this end of year transition.

I am going to make an assumption (based on some observations) that our students are beginning to sense the end of the year is near. We may see students exhibit behaviors that we haven't seen for a while OR new behaviors that leave us wondering. I found an article (linked here) that reminds of WHY this happens and how to support students through this transitional time. 

"These students may begin acting out, appear less focused, and possibly shut down. Also, to adults, youthful fear and anxiety may look like anger."

In addition, the article reminds us of what stress does to the body.

"Under significant stress, the brain becomes hyper-vigilant, hyper-focused, reactive, and emotional. When stress hijacks the emotional limbic brain, we are left in a survival response as the prefrontal cortex shuts down and turns off. The frontal lobe allows us to think through choices and consequences, plan, prioritize, problem solve, and emotionally regulate with focused attention. When a continuous stream of fear, anxiety, and worries seizes our frontal lobes, our ability to think through experiences and challenges is compromised."

I want you to know that I recognize how frustrating behavior management can be at this time of year, but I also want to remind you how important it is to dig deep inside yourself to monitor your response, stay calm (at least on the outside), and ask for support from colleagues or myself if you need it.

I hope this is helpful to all of you. I support you and know how hard you are working. We've got this!

As a follow-up to this message, I am going to begin this week's staff meeting by having them write a letter to their most challenging student.  They will not have to share this letter with anyone, but I'm hoping this process will give educators some quiet time to connect with this student. How do you help staff and students with the end of year stress?