Aspire.

Take a couple of minutes to watch this video. Listen from the different perspectives you have: teacher, student, friend, community member.

What are your take-a-ways? Here are mine:
 
Dream Big.
"Dreams without goals ultimately fuel disappointment. Have dreams, but have goals." I think this is what makes the difference between those that seem to live their dreams and those that do not. You must work hard to make dream a reality. Having smaller, achievable, attainable, progressive goals help you to achieve your dreams. What are your dreams? How will you get there? How can I help you get there?
 
Fail Big. Don't Be Afraid to Fail.
I talk about being willing to fail all the time. We must step outside of our comfort zone and push ourself. That is how we grow. If we do not increase the rigor, challenge our thinking, stimulate our minds and body differently, we won't grow; instead we become stagnate. We are not adjusting and adapting to an ever-changing world.
 
I will not be upset if you are trying something new to improve student learning and it does not go the way you want it to go. I will celebrate it and help you to trouble shoot what went wrong. I would rather have you miss big trying to improve than stay safe and not grow.
 
Thinking differently.
What a great example of the 9 dots as a part of the IQ test. It required test takers to think outside the box... to think differently. Sometimes we just cannot operate outside of the parameters we are given. That's okay. It does not mean we cannot think differently and take different approaches within the box we have to work in. Be willing to think differently and take a different approach.
 
Don't confuse movement with progress.
Doing a lot more does not mean you are getting a lot more done. I think many of us are guilty of this, me included. We are so busy doing, and doing, and doing that we get to the end of a day or week and we cannot really say what we accomplished. The remedy for this: focus on what needs to be done to get you where you need to be. Take advantage of the time you have and be as productive as you can be in that allotted time.
 
Don't just aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.
As educators, we are in the people business. We contribute to the growth and development of future generations. We are difference makers in the lives of our students. Being a teacher is more than just a job. It is a calling. The work you do each day matters. Aspire to make a positive difference in the lives of each of your students. If you go into each day with that mindset, you will be just fine.
 
I am looking forward to a fantastic 2017-2018. I hope you are too!

Think. Achieve. Succeed.


Jeff