I had the opportunity to go to Disney World with my family when school ended this year. Watching the joy on my kids' faces as they saw the Disney characters and went on the rides and saw the shows was nothing short of amazing. As a parent, I will never forget it. Seeing Disney World for the first time as an adult I was amazed at the innovation on display, the teamwork and the culture that had been created. Everyone that worked there was always happy, friendly, caring, and genuinely interested in ensuring we were enjoying ourselves. Walt Disney was a true innovator. The vision he had to create such a "magical" place is extraordinary. Everyone that worked there played a key role in the overall success of the park. As I walked around and took it all in I couldn't wait to see what was next. There were quotes from Walt Disney throughout the park that highlighted Walt Disney's vision. One that really stuck with me.... As an educational leader or a teacher, isn't this what we want for our students when they enter our school too? Can you imagine if they walked into your school and felt like they were in another world? A place where they are in awe, filled with anticipation and wonder? Don't we want them walk into a place where they feel cared for, appreciated, supported and the people there go out of their way to make sure that the students' needs are being met? There are many students that come to school to experience the "magic" that can happen and the excitement that awaits them. In order for the "magic" to happen, it begins with creating a climate and culture that breeds success.
I just finished reading the book "Lead Like a Pirate" by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf. It is a thought-providing, motivating book that provides various examples on how to create a positive climate and culture for your students and staff. As administrators, Burgess and Houf share practical real world examples of how they utilized their own leadership skills, and the leadership of others to make their schools places where students didn't want to leave. Leading requires Passion, Immersion, Rapport, Asking/Analyzing, Transformation and Enthusiasm. "Making school a place where students don't want to leave." Wow. It is such a powerful thought and one that as an administrator or teacher we should strive to do for our students each day. I have been fortunate to work with some amazing educators throughout my career that have been able to make their classrooms and their schools such a place. Their classrooms have been based on trust, relationships, common goals, enthusiasm and a commitment to excellence. They immerse themselves in what they do and when they say "I do what is best for kids" they truly mean it. George Couros in "The Innovator's Mindset" said it best when he stated, "If we want to make meaningful change, we have to make a connection to the heart before we can make a connection to the mind." The summer time gives me an opportunity to do much more reflection and to spend time preparing for the upcoming year. As we prepare to set sail on a new voyage, I look forward to seeing my "crew." I know that as we chart the course to "another world" for our students, every second we are with them we have the chance to make a positive difference in their day and maybe even in the rest of their lives. It starts with building meaningful relationships, creating a nurturing environment and showing students that anything is possible when you believe. Now that is "magic!" Yo ho, Yo ho, a Pirate's life for me!
26 Comments
9/5/2022 11:01:55 am
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://freecodezilla.net/electro-v3-2-1-electronics-store-woocommerce-theme/
Reply
9/11/2022 03:01:29 pm
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://kurma.website/
Reply
9/12/2022 04:11:09 am
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://odemebozdurma.com/
Reply
9/14/2022 04:36:24 pm
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://bit.ly/site-kurma
Reply
9/30/2022 02:18:53 am
It's great to have this type of content. Good luck with your spirit. Thank you. https://bit.ly/site-kurma
Reply
10/4/2022 10:02:08 pm
I think this post is useful for people. It has been very useful for me. Looking forward to the next one, thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/yalova-escort/
Reply
10/5/2022 03:03:17 am
It was a post that I found very successful. Good luck to you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/isparta-escort/
Reply
10/6/2022 12:20:12 am
I follow your posts closely. I can find it thanks to your reliable share. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/yozgat-escort/sefaatli-escort/
Reply
10/6/2022 09:28:34 am
I support your continuation of your posts. I will be happy as new posts come. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/corum-escort/ugurludag-escort/
Reply
10/7/2022 05:25:52 am
I think the content is at a successful level. It adds enough information. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/bayburt-escort/aydintepe-escort/
Reply
10/8/2022 03:26:40 am
Thoughtful and real content is shared. Thank you for these shares. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/isparta-escort/yenisarbademli-escort/
Reply
11/23/2022 08:12:57 pm
Tıkla evde calismaya basla: https://sites.google.com/view/evden-ek-is/
Reply
12/11/2022 12:55:42 pm
Uygun fiyatlardan takipçi satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/
Reply
12/11/2022 02:54:14 pm
instagram beğeni satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/instagram-begeni-satin-al/
Reply
12/17/2022 06:52:58 am
takipçi satın al ve sitemizi ziyaret et: https://takipcim.com.tr/
Reply
8/22/2023 09:46:15 am
https://bit.ly/sultanbeyli-cilingir teşekkürler
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Richard M. HayzlerA life long educator and current Principal of Pequannock Township High School in NJ, Rich is excited to share his ideas and thoughts about education and how we can change the world for our students and our staff. Currently Reading
|