Shhhhh...did you hear that?

The beginning of school year brings so many wonderful things: fresh new kicks, pristine paper, newly sharpened pencils, glue with absolutely no dried gunk around the nozzle, and plenty of smiling faces (child, adolescent & adult faces)

Classes begin with rosters names, proper pronunciations, classroom rules, syllabi, expectations, blah, blah, blah. Teachers help give directions for lost students, console both students and frightened parents, there's almost a sense of over-communication...yet there also never seems to be enough.
Forms, upon forms, upon forms are filled out. Usually they're crinkled, crumpled, stained messes by the time that they are collected.

During the beginning weeks, I took the time to walk around my school as much as possible and I took away this:
Good teachers are on it. They were organized, getting the tone set, dusting off the old summer habits and breaking kids in before the calendar turned to September.
Great teachers LISTENED. They did all the above but they began collecting data.

Data?  (Please, not another read about data)

Ok, instead of data...clues, information, hints, etc. about their learners.
See GOOD teachers know their content. They know how to effectively deliver it, etc.
GREAT teachers learn how to best deliver to the unique individuals in their room. How do they do that?  They LISTEN
They ask personal and probing questions. They have them write about their interests or draw about something they enjoy. They let them use technology to create and let their minds go wild. They let them choose where they want to sit...maybe just a day or two. GREAT TEACHERS listen even when students don't talk. And this begins on DAY 1.

I observed, that this act of listening is not in just GREAT TEACHERS, but simply GREAT PEOPLE. I saw in meetings where people know all of the answers, know all of the Ins & Outs don't check email, don't text...they ACTIVELY LISTEN.
They make eye contact. (I asked a student to look at me when I was disciplining him. What was that a power play on my part? Nope, I wanted to read him. Hear what he was saying while I was talking. He was angry at me...but he did look at me, & he didn't want to. Good for him)
How well do I learn? Later that evening I'm reading Twitter while my wife is trying to tell me about her day.  So the "Suspendee" is teaching the "Suspender". I should have made the eye contact, and ACTIVELY listened. Not to stay out of trouble, but because she and her story deserved me to be present. I saw GREAT TEACHERS listen to angry kids swear and yell and scream horrible things at them (yes, already) and you know what they heard? Change is scary for me. I don't like myself. I don't trust adults. I feel awful and can't explain it. GREAT TEACHERS hear things that aren't spoken.

Great people, great leaders, listen to those who are sharing and collaborating. Sometimes it's for the value of what's being shared, and sometimes it's to value those WHO are sharing. Ever been in a team meeting and not everyone on the team shares? Why is that? It's funny how there are things to listen and hear when nothing is said. I'm fortunate to work for a fabulous listener. One of the best in the business. He listens to parents, teachers, community members, administrators, custodians, everyone...even the person getting fries next to him at McDonalds. He taught me that listening and hearing is NOT AGREEING, Chad. I listened to that.  I can't wait to learn more from those I work for, from those I work beside, and from those who sit across from me even when they're in trouble. For everyone deserves to be actively listened to when they speak. And the ones who don't speak, probably need to be heard the most.

So on this early Friday Eve of the new school year, I raise my wonderful beverage on this beautiful late summer evening to all those GREAT LISTENERS out there...and I'll raise it one more time to the ASPIRING ONES like me :)

HELP!!!: I Can Swim & I'm Drowning

Life preservers can come in all different forms. They can be rings, buoys or jackets. They could be be just metaphors or symbols. For me, I experienced a very real rescue. My life preserver was EMPATHY, & it saved me. Not metaphorically, but literally. I can't wait to use this lesson in my life to be a better husband, father, friend, educator & servant.

EMPATHY is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

I participated in my very first triathlon on Saturday, 6/24. I was ready! There are of course 3 stages: Swimming, Cycling & Running

I've been running for years, so the 3rd stage was not a concern. The cycling, the 2nd stage, was another challenge. I would be using the good ole' Schwinn Sprint model from the late '80's. Didn't quite fit w/ the veterans of the triathlon circuit. It's pretty humbling to hear "On Your Left!" over and over, mile after mile as all kinds of athletes zoom by you. You see numbers like 23, 42, 68, 75, etc on calf muscles as they race by. Those are the ages of the participants who leave myself and my Schwinn in the dust. However, with several practice mornings and afternoons, I felt ready for the 2nd stage.

The opening stage of the Sprint Tri was a 1/2 mile swim in open water (a small lake). I can swim. Heck I can swim multiple strokes if necessary, but the 1/2 mile took some training. Several mornings and afternoons were spent swimming laps upon laps in the pool. Before long I could easily swim well beyond the distance required. I even learned to breathe comfortably on both sides so I could handle traffic and other issues. FORESHADOWING: Swimming in a pool is NOT swimming in open water. Especially when the open water has a visibility of less than 1 foot.

RACE DAY: Perfect weather, the sun was rising. The sky was bright blue. It was cool, but the lake water felt warm. I was in the 2nd wave of contestants: Light blue caps!  (Hadn't worn a cap before...didn't much care for the look) The 1st wave were royal blue caps. They were the younger guys. Beyond me were the orange caps, these were the older males. Behind them, were the various waves of women: White caps, yellow caps, etc.

The starter counted down for the second wave; the horn blasts...we're off!  I'm not running in the water like most, but I'm moving more than a trot. Man, the mucky bottom of the lake is gross! Within seconds, I'm swimming in the lake. Moving inward on the arc so I can cut down on swim distance; Man I'm smart! I've maybe taken 3-4 freestyle strokes and I'm out of breath; race adrenaline and excitement. No biggie, I planned for this. 
"Calm down, Chad...breathe" Go retired-swimmer-style, I tell myself...sidestroke. Get you bearings and breathe; then swim and get in this thing.
Done! Sidestroke over, and I start swimming. I've made 2 strokes...I can't see!  
I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G. 
My goggles are not fogged, but I can't see. The lake is black as night. I can't see down, I can't see forward, I can't see my hand in front of me during my stroke. I can't see...and I can't breathe. "Oh my God, I can't breathe"  ~ Can't stop running and start walking like in stage 3. Can't pull the bike over and walk...this is open water. Deep? don't know and don't care. You can't see my crappy light blue cap over 1 foot below the surface. "Oh my God, I still can't breathe" 
That's because I wasn't breathing...I had no rhythm, I had no cadence. I was not breathing out underwater.

Regroup #2: Side stroking again...I'm about 75m-80m into the 800 m swim (That's like 3 laps of the 40 in the pool; but this isn't the pool)

Ready to swim again; side stroke over. "Besides, I can't swim sidestroke for a half-mile...that's too long"-I tell myself. Head goes back in the water, breathing out...bubbles flow past my face. I can see those, but not my hands. As the bubbles stop I can't even complete the stroke. "I can't see and I can't breathe" I swallow several ounces of lake water! I stop. Am I drowning? Is this what it feels like? How you go from fine to deep trouble? There are only a few light blue caps around. An orange cap plows into me as I just sit idle in the middle of the lake; more ounces of the lake water go down. I have to move, so I begin to swim. I can't put my face in the water. When I do, I feel as though someone is holding my face underwater and drowning me. "Oh my God! I can swim & I'm drowning!"  More orange caps go by and sprinkled in them are some white caps. 
I put my hand up and paddle towards a life guard in a kayak. She's in red. 

The guard paddles over and tosses me a buoy. I'm pissed! I yank my goggles off and swear. She calmly talks to me; I'm not so calm with her. I say, " I can swim! What the hell? I can't even get my face in the water! #@$#!"
She says, "You can't see can you? It's normal. Relax. Breathe."
I do just that.
She then asks, "Can you backstroke? Can you breast stroke?"
"Yeah", I spit out. I'm still giving her a look of...umm I can't do this. I can swim, but I can't swim now...I'm drowning. 
She looks at me as says this (And it's magical! It's the preserver of all preservers. It did more than the buoy I was holding on to.)

 "Look, same thing happened to me. It took me 2 years to swim in the lake. You keep your head out of the water. You backstroke, you breaststroke, you do whatever you can. You get your bearings and you'll be fine. If you feel like it roll over and swim. If not, back & breast until you're done"

IT WORKED. Stage 1 wasn't perfect. I struggled for the entire 1/2 mile. I ingested way more of that lake than I had planned. But I lived...more importantly I grew. I changed, evolved the teacher had been taught!

Today, 24 hrs later, I know it was her EMPATHY that saved me. It wasn't the buoy, it wasn't the suggestions, the strokes, or any plan. And before you argue the contrary. I agree that her BEST PRACTICES; her suggestions were essential to my survival. Those wouldn't have mattered without her EMPATHY. Those two magical sentences saved me. See I could swim. That wasn't the problem. The problem was in that moment, I couldn't. I was afraid, ashamed, embarrassed, and ALONE. All of the best practices in the world couldn't help. She could tell me different strokes, etc. Those solutions couldn't and wouldn't have worked. She could tell me to "Relax and breathe". 
Yeah, I could do that, just not on my own. And clearly not for the remainder of my swim.
The second she said, "Same thing happened to me. It took me 2 years..."  I was saved.  
I wasn't alone!
She understood me and shared my feelings, related to my real fear and danger. She, the guard; my savior had been vulnerable too. Her empathy in the middle of this dark lake was the life preserver that I needed.

So as an educator, how many of our students can perform but for some reason or another they can't today? Maybe they've mastered skills, standards, etc. But today or this week or this month something has happened. "Yo!!!  I CAN SWIM, BUT I'M DROWNING"
Do they ask? Do they say that? Or do they sink and can no longer be seen 1 foot below the surface?

Many times if I noticed them struggling, the educator in me would spout best practices, or here's how, or here's the technique...Do this, do that. That may not be the help that they needed. Maybe they needed me to truly understand and share their feelings. Maybe they needed EMPATHY before the best practices could even take root... "Same thing happened to me" ~ She saved me with that sentence, thank you  whoever you are!
As a spouse or a father; maybe it's not mine to fix. Maybe the suggestions or the here's how or what to do is not needed. I'm talking about the types of strokes to use. "yeah, I can do that, but I ain't letting go of this buoy. That's not what I need" I need you to understand and share with my feelings first, before my face goes back in that water".

You never know when life lessons will present themselves. I'm a believer in that's why you take risks, that's why we need to continue to evolve and change. Yesterday I took on risks but had no clue what life lessons were coming my way. I mentioned earlier that I can't wait to use this lesson to help me evolve and grow. I hope this true story plants seeds in those who lead, educate and live with others. Either way, my next thing to do is find my savior and teacher of empathy from Saturday, June 24th 2017. She may not know she was a teacher that day on the lake; but she deserves a sincere thanks. She was my savior. And if I don't find her, I will thank any volunteer or local/employee at the YMCA or state park. That's who ran my event. I will pay it forward. Here's to understanding and sharing the feelings of our students, our colleagues and family in the days to come~Be Empathetic & SAVE LIVES

Stump Speech

The Stump Speech

Students need extra help, time before or after school

Parents call or email; they need that response now!!!!!!!!!!

Here, you say, Swing from my branches, eat my apples & sleep in the shade

Your child has on the same clothes all week; they smell

Students have no supplies; they sleep during most classes

Here, you say,Take my apples to the city and sell them. Have some money & be happy

The principal emails and asks for more of your time. More is added to your full plate...should have grabbed two plates at the start of this buffet line

Your students struggle at home. This school is the safest, cleanest place they have

Here, you say, Cut my branches and build yourself a home. Take what I have for your comfort and shelter

Grades are due, emails are piling up, students hands are raised, and the bell is about to ring.

Assignments need regraded, assessments are around the corner, stop all learning kids...it’s ISTEP time

Here, you say, Take my trunk. Take my heart and soul so you can build a boat and sail. Sail away to reach your hopes and dreams

Awards are written and signed. Programs are dedicated to children. You have positively and professionally promoted all that you can for students and colleagues.

You have shared, cried, bled, collaborated, and sacrificed.

You are a forest of trees. You are shelter, safety and sources for all who enter. You are the GIVERS of all time. You are stumps.

I stand here and look out at a forest of stumps. It is time for you to rest, replenish and grow again. As life-long learners it is time for you to grow so you can provide again. For to be an educator, is to be a provider of shelter when there are no branches left, a provider of knowledge when all fruits of labor have been plucked, an enabler for dreamers to sail when know materials are left...You are GIVERS, when there’s nothing left to give.

Rest, replenish & grow.  Thank you teachers

NAME IN PRINT: How will you do it for those you serve?

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

If you are a teacher, you recognize this unbridled enthusiasm on the first day of school!

I don't care if you are an elementary, junior high or high school teacher; all our students bring this energy on day one. Yes their energy "presents" differently. Some students actually jump around screaming excited about seemingly nothing like the character in the video. Other students are more reserved, but their exuberance is still there. It's obvious when you think about it, even though most try to be all cool They have these overly coordinated FIRST DAY outfits. They have new kicks with no scuffs or are so vibrantly white they burn your eyes. They have crisp shiny folders with labeled tabs, notebooks with actual paper inside, writing utensils with caps, and they smile. (check that paragraph again in February)

The first day of school is a special day, but so are all the rest of them. As educators, how can we try and make everyday as important as the first day of school? And the harder part is that the students won't be as enthusiastic as they were before. Every single kid is wanting to be the best they can be on that first day. They are going to "do all their homework", "take better notes", "not get in trouble, etc.It's just like Steve Martin's character in the Jerk. His name is in print. He's somebody.

For some students, day one is their peak. So the questions remain. 1.) How can we capitalize on that?
2.) How do we create more "First Days of School"?

And think about that first day. In elementary schools, students have names on desks, fun colors or themes are everywhere. They have names on tasks, jobs or whatever the creative teacher has provided. In junior high and high schools, their names get called each hour. There's acknowledgement of them being somebody.

"Your name in print. That makes people...Things are going to start happening for me now!"

So teachers, ride the emotional wave of excitement as long as you can. But find as many ways to get your students' names in print beyond the FIRST DAY. Acknowledge successes, celebrate and learn from failures. Social media and other forms of communication make it easier than ever to celebrate the wonders of young learners.
Go old school. Put their name in print with a small letter, post-it note for the locker, anything recognizing them for the efforts or accomplishments. Do that and watch them truly BE SOMEBODY then, watch as "THINGS STARTING HAPPENING" after that.

Administrators, same thing. Look at your teachers on day one. They have that Johnson, Navin R. enthusiasm as well. They love school, they love kids and they too deserve their name in print. And not just on the FIRST DAY of school, but throughout the year.

So for those who have started, I am jealous. For those about to start, I salute you. Please share and comment in ways that you may put your student's or colleague's NAME IN PRINT!

BIRD SET FREE: How sharks & Sia turned a life long learner's summer of relaxation into a summer of reflection

How can an educator who loves all things sharks go to a summer blockbuster; hear a song at the end of the movie and be moved to share reflections in a forum that he's never used?

It’s the power of song. It’s the power of passion. It's a powerful mixture of self-reliance & grit wrapped in emotion. When that's just right, it resonates. Feelings inspired by music combine with reflecting lead to ideas which causes me to have a bird that must be set free.

SHARKS & RELAXATION?!?!

SUMMER: It’s awesome isn’t it? For me it’s backyard BBQ’s. It’s late nights with family and friends. Summer is full of sun tea, sweet corn, golf stories, fiction novels, blockbuster movies & sharks. Sharks? Yes, sharks.  

No summer is complete in the Rodgers’ family without piling around the tv on hot summer evenings with a bowl of popcorn surrounded by our kids in pj’s ready on to tune in to the yearly summer ritual: SharkWeek. Thankfully, this week has traditionally been AFTER we come back from our beach vacation. So fears and nightmares are not a problem as we sleep safely in the heartland of the midwest. I’ve had a fascination with sharks since I was a kid. Another new rite of summer Shark-Passage is now the SyFy original Sharknado movies. These pop culture phenomenons fit right into my crazy repertoire of B movies that capture my interests just by the title alone: Two-headed Shark Attack, Dinoshark, Ghost Shark, & my personal favorite Sharktopus! I mean how can you NOT tune in just to check out what these things might look like?

So clearly this summer, the summer of 2016, was exceptional on the Shark scale. It had Shark Week a bit early and Sharknado is due to release this week. [Invitations are in the mail btw.]  But what put this over the top was the smash summer hit The Shallows.

I can remember standing in line in 1977 at the age of five to see Star Wars. Bitterly disappointed when we waited for over 30 minutes only to find out that it was sold out. I did get to see it the next night, and it was well worth it. So I was smitten not only by the magic of the Star Wars movies, but by the excitement and anticipation of the summer blockbuster. The blockbuster ritual has evolved since 1977, but the essence is still much the same. Going to highly anticipated movies still has a Christmas Eve type feel; a “time stands still” vibe. It’s much easier now. More shows, more tickets, they have entertainment before the show, etc. Yet, even at my slightly more advanced age...I still love it, & even as an adult, I still get those same feelings as that five year old kid waiting for Star Wars tickets. 

Which brings me to this summer. July 3rd. My wife and I are on a pseudo date at a matinee showing The Shallows - yes, a shark movie. The kids are in one theater watching BFG and we're across the all in an empty theater with our bucket of freshly popped popcorn waiting for the film to begin. (It's also 10:00 am...I mentioned cheap, pseudo date!)

SIA & REFLECTION
On July 3rd, the day my wife and I saw the movie, I heard a song, THE song! The song, a Bird Set Free, is played at the end of the movie. Perfect! The song is sung by Sia. Sia Furler to be exact.  So there I am loving my summer movie, googling the song, and purchasing it before we leave the parking lot. 

I listen to it and I’m transformed back to the movie. I think of the grit and determination that Nancy (played by Blake Lively) displays in the movie. (There’s also a great movie trailer for the Shallows that has an old fashioned 1950’s style PSA for self-reliance)

I share the song with my kids. They look at me funny, but they do like the song. The funny looks are because I have my hands stretched out like a plane listing side to side with the rhythm of the song. These are my fins & I’m a shark. “Just in cruise mode," I say. I replay the song over and over.  But now the words go far beyond the battle of wills displayed in the movie. I listen closely as Sia sings, “No, I don’t care if I sing off key. I find myself in my melodies. I sing for love, I sing for me. I shout it out like a bird set free” Powerful!

1st DAY of SCHOOL, the HOOK, TEACH ON!

My education hat is on now as I listen. I’m no longer extending my pectoral fins. I’m no longer in “cruise mode”. Life challenges, life lessons are flooding my mind. (The song is immediately added to various playlists on my phone) I'm hooked!

As educators don’t we always look for ways to integrate what we teach with real or current life? I’ve been listening to this song fairly regularly or at least every time I run ?!?! Within the lyrics is a message that speaks to me differently each time I listen to it. It adapts to my mood, to the present, and to the past.

As an educator, I’m like...this is GOLD! How could you not hook a kid with the song, the movie, the trailer, the MUSICIAN.  But oh man there's more: the messages, the intangibles, the symbolism...GRIT. In education we need kids to try, to fail, to want to try again. We want them to never give up until they get it. How do we get them there? How can we bring these values to life? My educational mind is on fire!

NEW MEANING

During that same week, the week of July 4th, Indiana released our high stakes test results. “Had a voice, had a voice and could not talk” took on new meaning.

Frustration, poor organization and political agendas, attack on teachers and attack on public education. My blood was boiling and Sia was speaking to me more than ever. “You held me down, I struggle to fly no...Oh”

I’m so proud of what we do in public education from the district level on down. Our country is great because of public education. Times like these, I do feel that public schools are under attack. I do feel like it could go away if we don’t speak up. I don’t want public education to die. T

“Yes, there’s a scream inside that we all try to hide. We hold on so tight, but I don’t wanna die, no I don’t wanna die…”  

I whistle and hum it out loud. Sia, you have struck a chord. 
Her lyrics are wrapped in passion for what is right. Speak up, find your voice! That's self-reliance and grit. Watch out, this bird is gonna fly!

“I have a voice, have a voice hear me roar tonight!”  

What bird will you set free? I have one.

NEW PERSPECTIVE, Bigger People = Bigger Problems

As I was mired in anger and frustration with the punitive pendulum of public education...shootings in Dallas and Minnesota occur.  Sia belts out on my playlist as I run miles faster than I’ve run before...I hit replay. New meanings flood me about grit & self-reliance; about BIRDS SET FREE that represent real life and death. Seriously, I’m mad about test scores for my teachers and schools, but nowTHIS is happening!  “I don’t wanna die…” This is no longer a figurative verse; it’s a literal one for many. New PERSPECTIVE achieved.

As an educator, I think how can we teach this? How can we delicately discuss & debate? #BlackLivesMatter #BlueLivesMatter #AllLivesMatter  

This is tough. It’s real. It’s painful. But it's so important.

Too often we get caught up in RIGHT & WRONG. Like there’s a clear winner and loser. Basically we’ve moved to all or nothing in areas of conflict. No middle ground, no compromise, no empathy. Even highly educated adults will debate facts in a point-counterpoint fashion, almost ignoring FEELINGS. 

Here I am, pounding the pavement on a hot summer day in July, hearing my own words to parents and kids: FEELINGS ARE REAL. Feelings may not be accurate. Video evidence or testimony may speak to the contrary to an emotional account but how your child felt was real and must be dealt with, too. This is school conflict. It’s not life or death. Our big issues are bullying, discipline, grades, etc. But we are in the human business as educators. I hear the song again...Sia's lyrics talk to me about the FEARS of many teenagers in America: body image, fears of peer acceptance, bullying, identification of oneself. I flashback to events of hatred and fear in Dallas, Minnesota, and Orlando in June. Tragic; life altering events. Misunderstood feelings wrapped and warped with FEAR. These are birds not set free. 

I listen again to Sia’s song and lyrics. How do we act when we feel held down, unable to fly, unable to have a voice? Frustration and fear take over. Misunderstandings, misconceptions are never bridged because maybe our voice could not talk, could not sing.

I don't know where I heard the phrase "Bigger kids, bigger problems", but I use it all of the time. It seems to fit seamlessly with reflecting on issues facing our youth and the issues facing us as a society. The bigger we are the bigger the consequences, the bigger and more permanent the damage. Education of our youth, what is happening in our country, and in France is all intertwined. I hope we can work toward listening to others and asking "why" instead of constantly pointing fingers and casting blame.

I pray that as educators we allow the voices of our students to be expressed. I hope we encourage them to write, to sing, to create and to find who they are and how to express themselves. As a society, there are times that our voices are not heard. Birds are not set free, just parroted voices of fear and prejudices. These voices are not genuine or unique to the individual. It's a mob mentality that fosters hate and feeds on fear.

Originally I was listening to Sia’s BIRD SET FREE and it spoke to me about standardized test scores.  Now , those same lyrics turn my thoughts larger moments with heavier consequences both here at home and abroad. Who will “..fly and hit the high notes..?” These are lyrics of a genius. Sweat stings my eyes as miles are pounded away as I get lost listening again and again.  This is my escape, my time for reflection & perspective.

BIRD SET FREE

So what’s the purpose, what’s the point?  What is my bird set free?

Simple: It's what's on my mind. It's what I am driven and passionate about. It's a story to tell. It's an educational itch that should be scratched. If you are in education, maybe there’s a great lesson in this story to start the year. Instead of rules, policies, syllabi, etc, on the first day possibly conduct a turn and talk or reflective essay/tweet about any of the topics shared. Anything from popcorn movies to the events of Bastille Day in France. These could be great ways to start the year and begin to learn about one another.  Highly effective teachers will recognize that there’s a wealth of hooks, topics, and content embedded in this artist, her words, her song and the movie in which it was featured. TEACH ON, I say  Ideas or thoughts, please share. Set those teaching birds free!

For all of us, what are we passionate about that we can share and that others can learn from? It would be listened to and learned from. Isn’t that the beauty of education? Isn’t that the beauty of a free country? As it was stated in the end of the PSA trailer, " a little dose of self-reliance can do wonders. But that's just the beginning of the story". So SET YOUR BIRD FREE. It’s not about always being accurate. It may just be about being a voice. A voice that is heard; that’s validated and nurtured.
“...I don’t care if I sing off key...I sing for love I sing for me”

So sing today. Sing loud and set your BIRDS FREE, whether or not you have comments about my taste in movies or my limited knowledge of Sia...or your heart aches with the concerns that face children, our country or our world. I hope you all enjoy what you love most about your summer. 

Teachers TEACH ON. Parents PARENT ON. All Americans from every walk FREEDOM ON. And those of us inspired by the words and musical talent of Sia, LISTEN ON. I look forward to listening and learning from all who SET THEIR BIRDS FREE.