Pope Francis--Trampling Expectations

In the Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis continually reminds us that Aslan is “not a tame Lion”.  Aslan, who (spoiler alert) represents God in the series, is beyond the expectations and limitations of “civilized” society.  Whereas a typical king would conform to expectations, Aslan is unpredictable, powerful, and unrestrained.

I can see how God is like that, and I see how that is unfolding in the mission of Pope Francis.

The Pope's recent visit to the United States left me feeling hopeful and grateful that we have a transparent, spiritual leader in a time when our Church and our faith needs a "spiritual awakening," a jolt of enthusiasm and inspiration!  A fresh approach that remains true to our Catholic teachings and traditions.  As I followed his United States pilgrimage I enjoyed the exuberant welcomes, the outpouring of people, and the proof that our Faith is Alive and well!

I also watched intently at how the media covered much of the visit.  Often flipping from channel to channel and I observed that the media likes (loves) to slot people and movements into categories of “liberal” or “conservative”.  They do this because it makes writing easy.  You are either this way or that way.  It also sells advertising.  Viewers or readers like to choose sides i.e. are you a “liberal” CNN viewer or a “conservative” Fox News viewer.  

Putting people into these categories also creates division and debate free from the troubling difficulties of nuance or discernment.  Once you’ve chosen your side, there’s really no need to listen to the other side at all, expect maybe to ridicule their ideas. Once you choose a side there's also no reason to continue to grow, learn, and educate one's self on issues or topics.  You have "your side," "your rules," "your orders," personal growth and life-long learning stops.  The closed mindset begins.  

All of this of course is very troubling for educators who believe in the power of sustained, life-long learning.  Educators who believe that each experience changes us, helps us to improve and helps us to better our understanding of our own beliefs and a deeper appreciation for the belief of others. 

Pope Francis is putting the media in a difficult position.  He is merciful, kind, humble, and wise.  He loves children and the poor, judges no one, and admits he is a sinner.  At the same time he remains ardent in his defense of the unborn, the definition of marriage, and the role of the Church.  He is breaking down barriers that the media has erected and they are not quite sure what to do with him.  God has given us a leader who is not a tame Lion.”  Since he is not concerned with the “labels”, he runs roughshod over them.  He is trampling people’s expectations with unfettered love for God and others. 

So what does this mean for Vianney?  

We need to be more like Pope Francis; allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, humble, forgiving, and sharing our faith with the unfettered enthusiasm of a child. We need to let go of our fear and embrace a Christianity that goes beyond political correctness and inhibition.  What would this look like?  How would it change us?  How would it change our community?

We Get What We Expect

You don’t get what you want, you get what you expect. 

This phrase was shared with me several years ago at a beginning teacher's workshop.  In the workshop we were taught how to unlock the power of our imaginations to change how we see the world and ourselves. We learned how to seriously envision ourselves succeeding in this or that area of life. Once we had that picture in mind, we worked on using affirmative statements to reprogram our subconscious to help us achieve our vision.

I know it may sound like way out in left-field thinking (No, Coach Brown this is NOT a baseball post). Trust me, it’s not. Our imaginations are truly powerful and the evidence is all around us. Successful people, whether they do it consciously or unconsciously, use the power of their imaginations to achieve their success.

Think of some successful people you know. How do they talk about themselves? Rarely will you hear a successful person talk about how terrible they are or how they expect to fail. Successful people say things like “I can do that!” and “I can’t wait to make that happen!” By repeatedly affirming themselves both inwardly and outwardly, these people program their subconscious to find ways to make that dream a reality. They keep working, trying new ways to get things done, and never give up until they reach their goal.

On the other hand, think of some of the less successful people you know. How do they talk about themselves? Usually they have low self-esteem and low expectations. They say things like “I wish I could do that” or “That’s too hard” or “That’s too expensive.” Like the successful person, they are using their imaginations too, but in a negative way to affirm their lack of success. Their subconscious, thus programmed to fail, will find ways to make sure success never comes. They will give up, make excuses, and ignore opportunities until they fail.

In the case of both the successful and unsuccessful person they will get exactly what they expect.

Nowhere is this mentality of using the power of your imagination to unlock your potential more important than in education. Students need to envision themselves being successful. They need to have positive self-talk, both inwardly and outwardly. As with adults, imagining and affirming success will set students on a positive course in life.

Think of the teachers your son's have had over the years. Which ones made the biggest difference? I am willing to bet my career that the teachers who made the bigger difference in your son’s life were the ones who affirmed them and made them see how great they can be. Knowledge of content and good pedagogy are important, but are not necessarily life changing.  I was blessed to have several life-changing teachers in my life. I am blessed to work with many such teachers at Vianney. 

If we want to better our society then we truly must be the change we want to see in the world. We need to constantly lift up our students, reminding them frequently of their awesome potential! 

Reminding them that failure is merely a stepping stone to a greater success. This is not an excuse for laziness or to allow our students off the hook for adolescent mistakes, but it puts these behaviors in a different light. Ultimately we need them to understand the dignity and awesome plan God has in store for them on their path to becoming Men of Character & Accomplishment! 

The importance of Learning vs Learned

“In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”-- Eric Hoffer

Wednesday morning one of our veteran teachers shared a reflection centering on how he

LEARNED to be a GREAT teacher by LEARNING from the MANY great educators that came before him and worked beside him during his time at Vianney.  It got me thinking about not only the difference between LEARNED v LEARNING, but the gap that can exist and widen if we are not cognitively aware of the importance of being a life-long learner.

Medical doctors and physicians are certainly viewed as learned in our society. They possess an incredible amount of knowledge and their practice is unique. Their medical degree certainly suggests that they are learned. But how satisfied would you be with your doctor if she did not engage in further learning beyond her degree? Would we not want our own doctor to learn about the latest research, most effective practices and prescribe the best new drugs? It would be unacceptable for doctors to be simply learned, they must also be learners.

The same must be true for educators. Although it is not often recognized universally, educators do possess a unique body of knowledge that satisfies a professional designation. It is easy to criticize educators because all of us have gone to school but the fact is unless you’ve been in the classroom you have limited knowledge of the real work of a teacher. However, receiving that education degree only enables educators to be viewed as learned.

There was a time in education when being learned was all that was required. We held the knowledge and delivered it accordingly. But today’s classroom is far different and far more diverse than ever before. Now, educators must still be learned to a high degree but to be truly effective, educators must be learners through and through. Just as we would expect our doctors to engage in the latest practices, we must expect that of our educators too! Today’s educators must be lifelong learners throughout their careers.

There are two critical drivers of being a learner in our educational system. The first is internal and is a necessary component for learning to be activated. Attitude! Educators, new or experienced must first have the attitude to be a learner. There needs to be a constant desire to improve one’s practice, to hone one’s skills. This is a difficult task because it requires honest self-reflection on the part of the teacher and high levels of feedback from supervisors and peers.

“Teachers who set high goals, who persist, who try another strategy when one approach is found wanting – in other words, teachers who have a high sense of efficacy and act on it – are more likely to have students who learn.”
(Shaughnessy, 2004)

Classroom doors need to be flung open to expose our many strengths and also the areas requiring improvement. While that may sound to be a common attribute for educators, like most people in society, I can attest that our faculty at Vianney is welcoming and embracing the idea of trying something new and moving beyond their own comfort zone, not all schools are as fortunate as we are to have not only LEARNED educators, but PASSIONATE educators interested in continuous, lief-long learning. 

“To teach like a professional or teach like a pro is a personal commitment to rigorous training, continuous learning, collegial feedback, respect for evidence, responsiveness to parents, striving for excellence, and going far beyond the requirements of any written contract. But teaching like a pro, day in , day out, cannot be sustained unless your colleagues teach like pros too.…"

“Professional capital is about collective responsibility, not individual autonomy; about scientific evidence as well as personal judgment; about being open to one’s clients (students/families) rather than sitting on a pedestal above them; and ultimately about being tough on those colleagues who, after every effort and encouragement, fall short of their professional mission and let their peers as well as their students down (p. xv)”. (Hargreaves and Fullan)

The second driver must be support. This driver comes from multiple sources but it must

begin with an environment of support. A sense of trust must be established to allow for teachers to step out of their comfort zone. The ability for teachers to “try and fail” and risk take with the use of high yield strategies without the threat of outside watchdogs is central to a supportive environment. The support default (time and resources) tends to fall as a responsibility of the school. There is little argument of that! Schools  need to create opportunities, time and resources for educators to engage in learning. Additionally, educators must seek out other educators to collaborate and share and engage in professional dialogue about their professional practice. To suggest that this can only occur within the confines of the school day, while students are present is unrealistic and limiting.
We recognize that a love of learning must be a goal of any 
educational system since learners will be those who inherit the earth. We also understand that while students are in school, their greatest impact is from their teachers. They have the ability and possibly the responsibility to act as a role model for the love of learning and the importance of being not just learned but a learner! It is no longer permissible to be just learned! Educators must be learners! 

Great Leaders Dive in the Deep End!

" If you want to change you have to be willing to be uncomfortable."

Now there’s a statement for leadership! There’s a statement for challenging the status quo! And finally, there’s a statement that must be part of our education vernacular, everyday and all the time!

It is pretty easy to sit and watch the race go by. Our lizard brain likes it that way; no stress and no potential for danger. But also… no chance of greatness! Earlier this week,
I re-read the blog, Don’t Go In The Water! 

 It is an excellent piece of writing that challenges leaders to go into the deep and unknown. Little scary! Not quite sure what is below and what might come up and bite you! But leaders need to take that plunge into the unknown and become uncomfortable. They cannot ask their staff to go in ahead of them. They must be willing to enter first, change first and be uncomfortable first.

Every expert or so-called expert makes the claim that education must change. Even most educators, unless they’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past twenty years believe the same. It is well understood and agreed upon that the purpose of education is far different from when the education system was founded. Yet, the change seems to be glacier in movement. Why? Because it is far easier to do what we’ve always done comfortably than to try something different that makes us uncomfortable. It is human nature and how we are wired!

Leadership is uncomfortable and it is messy! Even when the vision is crystal clear, the pathways to that vision are many

and often blurred. We don’t know what lurks around the bend, which detour is ahead or which hill is worth dying on! But unless leaders take that uncomfortable step, choose a detour and pick a hill, we won’t impact change in ourselves and worse in the peers we lead.

Great leaders don’t have all the answers. In fact, they probably have more questions than answers. Great leaders are bold and patient! They understand that there is little comfort in challenging the status quo. They relish in the deep and the uncomfortable! Achieving the goal is to be celebrated but not for long because it is time to push onward. Impactful leaders invite you on the journey rather than sit on the sidelines. 

Each day that we lead we must be prepared to stretch the

norm. We must stoke the flame of passion to change and to

grow. We must learn and accept being uncomfortable in the

deep water and the shifting sands. And when we have accepted this, we will be on our journey of great leadership and monumental change!  

Preparing for the future!

When I graduated from Mehlville High School in 1997 I did not have the slightest inkling of where I was going, and there was no way I had an understanding of how much the world around me was going to change. Have you considered that the that the kindergarten children entering school in Fall 2015 will begin retiring (assuming an age of 65) in the year 2075! Even if the rate of change remained constant over the next 60-65 years, this will be a very different world then the one they know today!

Even with all the changes in my own world, education has always been the saving grace. The ability to be a learner, to problem solve, to articulate a critical response and to adapt has been instrumental in navigating this ever changing world. Education from early learning to post secondary, informal and formal, and inside and outside of the school building must continue to be our saving grace. In order for education to lead us through future generations, schools must continue to evolve and teaching quality must always be a priority.

Few of us could have imagined the world we currently exist in when we were in high school. In terms of technology itself, we are miles ahead of any of our dreams from those years(I just wanted to avoid dying of DYSENTery in Oregon Trail). I would venture to suggest that even our current high school students have only the faintest glimpse of how much the world will change throughout their life to retirement. Yet, our role in education is to prepare students for that unknown and unexpected world.

Dylan Wiliam in his article, “Teacher quality: why it matters, and how to get more of it” articulates that schools in the past have been talent identifiers. We sorted students in a factory model based on students’ current talent without any acknowledgement of future growth or potential. Today’s world requires extensive talent and skill and therefore we must work with all students to create potential and that can only be accomplished with high teacher quality.

In essence, teachers need to see the magnificent diamond within each student. They must be able to seek the inner talents hidden within every student and let them grow and prosper. They must be able to recognize that what you see may not be what you get! While we may not be able to bring every student's s dreams to reality, we must never take the potential of dreaming away from anyone. The potential that exists in our students must not remain untapped!

The unknown world of tomorrow will not require students who can simply regurgitate knowledge. They will need to be able to create knowledge. In order to problem solve effectively, they will need to be precise in the identification of the problem. We will need divergent thinkers who challenge the status quo, creative minds who think outside the box and innovative risk takers. These kinds of students will only be developed under the tutelage of high quality teachers and transformed systems.

Even an unknown future can be prepared for through education. Classrooms that engage prepare for that future. Teachers, who question and stretch the box, prepare for that future. Environments that support risk taking and growth mindsets develop potential in our students, a critical competency for the 21st century. Understanding that “if you can’t be wrong, you can’t learn” prepares students to recognize that failure is an essential part of the learning process. Committed learners, who understand hard work and are willing to explore multiple pathways to that learning, not just compliant students will be successful in tomorrow’s uncertain world.  We may not know what the future holds in store for us or our students. But we know that our educational system with high quality teaching will be our best strategy and our saving grace to prepare our students for that future.

Connected Educators

There are times in our careers that we use the term professional judgment as a license to do whatever we believe is right! We’ve earned our degree! We’ve “practiced” our skills! We’ve been inducted into the profession!

The very definition of a professional supports our “right” to trump any disagreement of practice. Quite honestly, a rigorous pre-service program and a Bachelor of Education should allow for some latitude in our ability to deploy professional judgment.

However, the world has changed at an alarming pace and as educators we need to be continually seeking to heighten our own informed professional judgment.  As many of you know I am a big user and supporter of Twitter.  I find twitter provides a terrific avenue to celebrate the MANY success of our students, teachers, and Vianney Community.  It also serves as a valuable professional development tool!  Through Twitter I connect with educators and administrative leaders from all over the world! Twitter allows me to learn what new, innovative, and effective practices are working in other schools and serves as a resource for professional development that never existed before.  It is transformative, powerful, and reliable!

Occasionally I'll see a quote, idea, or conversation and it will spark me to reflect more on my personal practice or our school practices. Recently I was part of a twitter chat that provoked my own reflection on how informed professional judgment is linked to both the art and science of teaching and overall confidence required.

When I began my career, I was convinced that teaching was ONLY an art. Although I “enjoyed” my university experience at Southwest Missouri State, I really didn’t see the direct connection between theory and practice. While some of my professors were highly engaging, others didn’t seem to have a good sense of the real world in the classroom anymore. Those professors may have known the theories, but they lacked the art so significantly that I was often tuned out, disengaged--bored!

Furthermore, I was a coach and teacher. And so, the art of teaching came very close to what I did coaching football or basketball.  My professional judgment was more based on the successes I had as a coach and how I was able to transfer it  to the classroom.

Being nostalgic and looking back at my own experience in school, many of my favorite teachers were coaches. They weren’t necessarily athletic coaches, but they certainly employed sound coaching methods in their practice. I was a relatively average student who, because of my sports upbringing was also fairly disciplined. Today, I would probably be considered as a compliant student because as an athlete back then, you just did what the coach told you. Style or art works well when your players or students are compliant and/or engaged, but what happens when they aren’t? Today, with our correct move towards inclusion and overarching goal of student success for all, we can no longer just “coach” the compliant or engaged.  

The art of teaching must be married to the science of teaching. There is considerable uniformity in the belief that students are very different today as compared to when most of us started this profession. We can provide numerous reasons why or lay blame until we’re blue in the face but it doesn’t change this fact. Given this, educators must become more learned than ever before. The professional judgment we gained in our undergraduate degree is simply insufficient. The soft skills we employ as educators may be an art, but strong, effective and engaging pedagogy is a science. Educators today, now have the benefits of the latest brain research to inform practice. It changes our perspective from “he won’t do his work” to possibly, “he can’t do his work… in this way.” It pushes us away from the factory model of education and truly highlights the uniqueness of each student in our classrooms.

Secondly, the student of today requires far different teaching practices for high levels of engagement and learning. In order for students to develop their own creativity and innovative talents, our educators must demonstrate those same qualities in their classrooms. It is understandable that some educators shy away from those practices for a number of reasons. Often, the barrier of an accountability system that numerically ranks schools, teachers and students can be found to be at fault. When only test scores rather than true learning are measured, there is a disconnect. Additionally, many educators are being asked to engage in practices that initially are out of their comfort zone. It makes sense that until educators build some confidence in a different pedagogy, it is likely to remain on the “practice” court only. Informed professional judgment is defined through actions in the classroom. More than ever before, educators need to be innovative in their practice utilizing a skillful art and science to reflect informed professional judgment. And stakeholders and administrators need to be patient and supportive by creating and/or maintaining environments to allow the development of these skills. 

Informed professional judgment is a non-negotiable for today’s educators. Educators need to stay informed not on a yearly basis but on a daily basis. Schools and districts will never be able to offer the amount of learning opportunities required to keep our professionals up to date. That is the reason why educators must become connected within their school, their department, and with the use of technology. Educators of today are unable to provide informed professional judgment on an ongoing basis without being connected personally or virtually. Connected educators build up their own confidence levels. Connected educators are supported by others who act as reference or sounding boards. Connected educators find ways to ensure that their professional judgment is always informed.

We know that the classroom is very different today than it was even ten years ago. We also know that education is one of the only saving graces for many of our students and for society as a whole. With that in mind, it is critical that leaders and teachers continually strive to provide their most informed professional judgment and in order to achieve, they must be connected!!!

Some Perspective

This extended Labor Day weekend was a GREAT time for me to pound the pavement and increase my running mileage.  These three days away from school afforded me the opportunity to shed some of the pre-Christmas weight I've already put on and help me get over the disappointment I was feeling in myself. While running this weekend I decide to take my route through Jefferson Barracks Cemetery.  It's quietness, herds of deer, and calmness seemed like a good running destination.  It also afforded me a long overdue visit to the graves of my two grandfathers and grandma.  As I paused to catch my breath and pay my respects, I noticed the grave of a young soldier who had lost his life in battle in 2011 at the age of 22.  As I turned I also noticed a young man in a wheel chair praying over a grave and a mother with her small child at another. Perspective!

Often my exercise regime is far less about keeping in shape and far more about clearing my head and aligning my thoughts. In essence, it allows me to regain perspective! During my workout, I reflected on the many gifts that have been bestowed on me and the many reasons that I should be far more grateful. And, I also reflected upon the many times that we as a society are not nearly as grateful for our own blessings. We have allowed our society to value ME over US and MONEY over MORALS. 

Unfortunately, the one place where this thinking should not be commonplace, the education system, has too, fallen under this trend. Too often educators complain about workload issues, work stress, limited budgets and other challenges that we “face!”  I myself at times, get frustrated with managerial aspects of my role, inappropriate actions of staff or students, and unrealistic demands of some parents.  Even with all the challenges we face, it is important to put things into perspective.  Vianney is still recognized as one of the best Catholic high schools in the nation! A 2014-16 National School of Excellence, awarded to the top 5% of Catholic High Schools in the country!  

We receive incredible financial support from our parents and alumni who support our mission!  Our endowment is growing, our facilities improving with the addition of the NEW

$1 million STEM labs and soon to be completed North Athletic Field Complex that will house a NEW all-turfed baseball stadium, with lights, and stadium seating.  A field large enough for soccer & lacrosse to also practice or play games on if they choose.

But, if that is our ONLY perspective, we will always want more! Our perspective cannot focus on the monetary piece of our school or the bricks and mortar that provide our institutional foundation. Our perspective must revolve on the giftedness of each of us and the gift of being in a Catholic, Marianist school. Our perspective must be that we hold the future of children in the palms of our hands each and every day. Our perspective must be that we have the ability to change a world to value “we!” Our perspective must be on knowing that we can make a difference in EVERY young man's life who walks into our room. Our perspective should give us pride in knowing we have highly skilled, innovative, passionate, and dedicated teachers. We have great supports for students. Our technology program is unique to our school and develops students to be critical and creative thinkers in an ever changing world. Our high school is safe and caring and our working conditions are well beyond adequate--they are exceptional! Most importantly, at Vianney we don't just talk about Faith or Family Spirit, we live it and model it! The Living Rosary, the multitude of prayers, making 100's of sandwiches to feed the homeless each Monday, our daily communion services, our retreat programs, our community Masses like this weekend's Grandparents' Mass or the Mother-Son Mass later this fall, and on and on and on.  At Vianney our Faith is lived!

Today we celebrated our Honors Convocation. An opportunity to recognize all that exemplifies Vianney.  Days like today make me proud to be principal as we honor our students for their academic, extracurricular, leadership, and service accomplishments.  The actions of our students model our aim--to develop Men of Character & Accomplishment!

And yet, somewhat poetically it occurred today on September 11th and recants in mind the horrific loss of life that was experienced 14 years ago on our own soil. When I pause to think about Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, the tragedy of 9-11, and the celebration of this morning's Honors Convocation it seems so easy to gain perspective on my own life when I am surrounded by tragedy or celebratory events. During these times, it is quite simple for most of us to recognize that the crosses we bear are far smaller than many others. But what about when those tragedies become only a faint memory? Do we still have the right perspective? What happens when the calendar turns to September 12th or November 15th, or the days just become another day with no Honors Convocation, No lab dedications, or Marianist awards?

In our lives we are surrounded by people who may have sacrificed much, carried burdens for a long time and have suffered silently! If our perspective continues to focus on the “me” we will never recognize those who truly need and deserve our support. If our perspective continues to be on what I don’t have instead of what I do have, we will never be happy.

Today and tomorrow and the tomorrow after that, look at all the blessings we’ve been given not the burdens we face. Welcome the opportunities we’ve been afforded. Seize the gifts of each day because that’s the right perspective!