perpetual beta 2

Sunset in Lespinasse, Haiti - cc photo by J. Delp Many who read this post will be aware that for the past several years I have been making regular trips to work with schools in Haiti. This September, I will be returning to assist with the beginning of the school year at Good Neighbor Orphanage and School in Croix-de-Boquets, as well as schools in the extremely poor, and rural, communities of Lespinasse and Marre Roseau. I am going to be very honest and tell you that I am not exactly sure what I am doing in Haiti -- just that I know I am supposed to be there. With every trip that I take to this poverty stricken Caribbean island, I strengthen relationships and learn a great deal from my Haitian friends. In addition, when I am not in Haiti, I do a lot of reading about development and education in the third world. Through a combination of my experiences, and my reading, I have become keenly aware of the potential damage I can do to individuals, or even a community, in spite of havi...

cc photo by J. Delp I recently had the opportunity to attend a couple of summer cross-country practices for my hometown high school team. My brother is the coach, and I wanted to see how things had changed since my running days. In addition, I was curious to see what could possibly motivate a high school kid to get up at six in the morning, during their summer vacation, to run. I watched the kids run a few miles at an easy pace (one that would have been gut wrenching for me), and then proceed to run a series of two-hundred meter sprints, jogging two-hundred meters between each repeat. It was clear that there had to be a number of factors that would contribute to their ability to stick with such a grueling morning routine. Normal kids just don't do this to themselves. So, at the risk of writing another tired sports analogy, allow me to share a few ideas that I believe allow us to persevere ("us" being athletes, students in school, educators, or anyone who is in purs...

cc photo by J. Delp On Monday, our students return to school at Willis Junior High in Chandler, Arizona. Each year I try to share something encouraging with our staff to consider as they approach the first week of school. For what it is worth, here is this year's message. As we begin our first week of school, we are provided with an incredible opportunity. For each of us, and for each of our students, it is a new beginning--a chance to get a fresh start. As you prepare to meet our kids, please consider these five essentials (one for each day of the week) for our educational community. 1. Kindness Guard within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, and how to acquire without meanness. - George Sands The majority of our students will come to school on the first day a bit anxious. They will be focused on each interaction with an adult, listening to our tone and seeking reassurance. Let’s be certain that every student...

cc photo and quote by J. Delp It has been a challenging week in America. Recent events in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, and Dallas have been deeply disturbing and these tragedies have me reflecting on the role that our education system plays in preparing young people to interact with others with respect, appropriate consideration, and empathy.  First, let me say that I am FAR from being an expert on racial issues, or diversity. I grew up in a very small town with limited exposure to other races and cultures. It wasn't until I began my career in education that I really began to consider how our unique experiences (based upon race, culture, family-life, and socioeconomic status) impact our perceptions, education, and daily lives. We all bring our own "experience" bias to our work, socialization, and interactions with others. It is important that we each recognize that our reality is likely much different than that of others we encounter. Based upon my observations ...

I recently finished reading Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning that Teachers, Students, and Parents Love by Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis . It is a great book for educational leaders -- filled with sound advice and "ready to implement" strategies. A significant part of the book focuses on the critical role of developing (and maintaining) a positive school culture and then sharing the story of your school with your community. The book really resonated with me, validating some of the work we have been doing at our school, and it gave me some ideas for improvement. In Hacking Leadership , the authors discuss the importance of connecting with your school community in the places they frequent (i.e. social media). For some time now, our school (Willis Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona) has had a Facebook page and a Twitter account, but this year we became very deliberate about our use of Instagram to tell the story of our school. We post...

  cc photo by J. Delp Coming to school each day can become a hopeless task for some children unless they succeed at what they do. We teachers are the sentries against that hopelessness. — Robert DeBruyn As educators, we all bring our own memories and school experiences to our work and into our classrooms. Undoubtedly, those experiences are a wide variation of success, enthusiasm, trepidation, motivation, disdain, inspiration, and indifference. It is important to remember that our students are no different. They come to us with a wide array of feelings about school, based upon their individual personalities, home life, and past experiences. Not all kids will see the value in what they are asked to do. Many will lack motivation, or enthusiasm, and some will even be anxious, ambivalent, or even angry about school. There is no lack of emphasis given to differentiation in the classroom. Much of this discussion revolves around meeting the individual academic needs of students,...

cc photo by J. Delp In a few weeks (our school begins in July), I will begin my sixth year as a junior high school principal. In my opinion, the job has gotten progressively more difficult, but I think it has less to do with the requirements of the position and more to do with a clarified understanding of my roles and responsibilities. I remember my first year as principal being less busy and stressful, and I honestly believe that was because I didn't really know what I was supposed to be doing. Each successive year I have learned more and discovered more opportunities for improvement. With that knowledge has come an understanding that successful educators never truly arrive -- there is always room for growth and improvement. Lately, we have heard a lot about fostering a growth mindset with our students, but as educators we need to model this for their benefit and for our own professional growth and learning. It is so easy for us to push our kids to challenge themselve...