Where the path leads….

The Inner Circle

The faculty and staff at Smithfield Middle School are beyond excited about the 2011-2012 school year.  I want to personally thank all of the SMS parents for entrusting us with your children.  As we begin this new school year, I want to emphasize how important it is that each of you continues to be an active participant in your child’s education.  We want and need each parent to partner with us during these crucial developmental years. 

Throughout this school year, your child will hear the phrase, “Stay in the circle.”  Being “In the circle” means that students and faculty are focused on our main objective, which is learning.  As we enter a new year of higher accountability with tougher standards and limited resources, it is imperative that our students stay in the circle of learning each and every moment of the day. 

However, “Staying in the circle” also relates to their personal lives.  Middle school is a time where students gain a sense of self, personal identity outside of the group, and most important, a sense of purpose.  In addition to their educational circle, they should strive to stay within their personal circle. I want to encourage each parent to talk to your children about the vision of the person that you want them to become. You cannot call your son or daughter to a vision that you cannot define. The deeper your commitment to pursue this vision yourself, the better for your children.  Once that vision is established, they must strive to stay within the circle of that vision.

I look forward to an exciting, sometimes challenging, and fun-filled year.

I recently attended a Father-Child retreat hosted by my church.  It was a great weekend full of camping, swimming, eating, campfires, fun and fellowship.  Since there where tons of dads and kids I had never met, the opportunity for conversation was everywhere.  When you get a bunch of men together on events like this the conversations usually centers around sports, the weather, jobs, and of course, the kids.  All in all guys talking to guys is really not much of a spectator sport.  Of course the weekend also provided lots of opportunity to met and talk to a variety of kids.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love kids.  As a matter of fact, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on kids.  As an Assistant Principal at a high school with over 2000 students I have more conversations with kids in one week than most adults will have in a lifetime.  I have had conversations about drugs, sex, grades, girls, boys, bullying, college prep, and suicide.  So talking to kids is part of my everyday life.

However, as the weekend went on I soon discovered that in almost 100% of the conversations I heard between the kids and adults one question was always asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Fireman, Princess, Policeman, Teacher, Doctor…..the answers were as varied as the kids.  Funny thing is, the same question gets asked in schools all across the country at least a million times a day.  The more I think about this repeated scenario the more I realize we are asking the wrong question.

Perhaps the question should not be WHAT do you want to be when you grow up, but rather, WHO do you want to be when you grow up.  In his book, RAISING A MODERN DAY KNIGHT, Robert Lewis states that it is imperative that fathers help their children discover their Transcendent Cause- “A mission that lifts us beyond ourselves, a passion that stirs us to a self sacrifice and causes us to contribute to the larger community.”   There is nothing wrong with helping our kids pursue a career path and all the success and rewards that come with it.  However, if we teach the WHAT first are we not robbing them of their true purpose in life?  Lewis states, “That a transcendent cause is not something we do in addition to everything else, rather it is the one factor that motivates everything else we do.”

As a parent and educator I have a responsibility to turn the discuss to the question, “WHO do you want to be?”  By focusing on the WHO rather than the WHAT I have seen the discussions with my students and my own children take on a whole new level of depth and meaning.  It is not an easy question for a 14-17 yr old boy to answer. Heck, it is not an easy question for anyone to answer because it forces you to take a look into the very core of who you are.  A core that many, even most adults, will find void and missing of something.  If you don’t believe me then give it a shot next time you are dealing with a struggling child.  When I ask a student, “WHO do you want to be?”, no matter how much trouble they might cause or what demons they are fighting on a daily basis, I have yet to  get the following answer. “Well Mr. Pekurney I want to be a person that hurts my family, has low expectations for myself, uses my friends, and desires to be a general pain in the butt to everyone I come in contact with.”  The answers I get from my students when confronted with the WHO instead of the WHAT are very open, honest, and deep.  The answers are often filled with the phrases: Helpful-Liked-Motivated-Honest-Caring-Dedicated-Trusted-Committed-Reliable-Loved.  Now the real work can begin. Now we can examine why the actions that put that kid in my office don’t match match the description of the WHO they just stated they wanted to be.  The internal struggle has begun-and true growth comes from such internal struggles.  Once a kid has discovered WHO they want to be then they have to ask themselves two basic questions:

1. What is your vision for WHO you want to be?
2. What is the Code of Conduct to achieve this vision?

My students soon discover that the Code of Conduct for becoming WHO they want to be is often very far from the one they are currently following.  This response is far more complex than the Code of Conduct response I would have gotten if I would have asked-”WHAT do you want to be?”.  What is the Code of Conduct for a mechanic, doctor, teacher, politician, lawyer, construction worker, etc?  Is not the world is full of dishonorable people working in honorable positions?

The question of WHO becomes even more relevant in our schools today than ever before.  Since the teaching of basic moral values has decreased not only in homes but also across our culture in general, it has increasingly become the responsibility of our school systems to pick up this banner.  In 1987 “CBS Evening News” reported about the problems our school systems face now as opposed to 1940.  In 1940 the the seven major problems reported by schools were:

1. Talking out of turn
2. Chewing gum
3. Making noise
4. Running in the halls
5. Cutting in line
6. Violating the dress code
7. Littering

Today, seventy years later, the seven major problems reported by schools are:

1. Drug abuse
2. Alcohol abuse
3. Pregnancy
4. Suicide
5. Rape
6. Robbery
7. Assault

William Kilpatrick states, “Parents cannot, as they once did, rely on the culture to reinforce home values.  In fact, they can expect that many of the cultural forces influencing their children will be actively undermining those values.”  Thus it becomes the responsibility of all educators to not only prepare our students to answer the WHAT our students are to become but also focus equal attention to the WHO our students are to become.  But where do we start?

The answer lies within.  We must seize this time period of major educational reform to look at ourselves not only in term of WHAT school systems should become but also examine WHO we want to become.  It seems that recently our profession has turned to the WHAT and HOW questions.  What subjects should we teach?  How can we embrace new methods and techniques to teach these subjects better?  These questions are well worth debate and research.  But are they the only questions worth asking?  Parker J. Palmer addresses this issue in his book, “The Courage To Teach“.  Palmer states, “In our rush to reform education, we have forgotten a simple truth: reform will never be achieved by renewing appropriations, restructuring schools, rewriting curricula, embracing technology, and revising text… none of that will transform education if we fail to cherish-and challenge-the human heart that is the source of good teaching.” Parker goes on to state, “If we stopped lobbing pedagogical points at each other and spoke about WHO we are as teachers, a remarkable thing might happen: identity and integrity might grow within us and among us, instead of hardening as they do when we defend our fixed positions from the foxholes of the pedagogy wars.”   It is within these quotes that we can free up our teachers to embrace new techniques (mainly technology) within their classrooms.  As we learn more about who we are, we can learn new techniques that reveal rather than conceal the person from which good teaching comes. We will create a culture that encourages teachers to embrace these techniques as they use them to manifest more fully the gift of self from which our best teaching comes. It is through this knowledge of  our WHO that the WHAT, WHY, and HOW can be answered to the fullest extent. As leaders in the field of education we have to do more to recruit, hire, and cultivate people whose transcendent cause is teaching.  Parker states, “How many teachers inflict their own pain on their students, the pain that comes from doing what never was, or no longer is their true work? ….If the work we do lacks integrity and a sense of the true sense of self within us, then we, the work, and the people we do it with will suffer.”

As we all start the beginning of a new school year, I want to leave you with these final words from the book “The Courage To Teach“.

Trace the word professional back to its origins and you will find that it refers to someone who makes a “profession of faith” in the midst of a disheartening world.  Sadly, the meaning of the word became diminished as the centuries rolled by, and today its root meaning has all but disappeared.  By “professional” we now mean someone who possesses specialized knowledge and has mastered certain techniques in matters too esoteric for the laity to understand and has received an education proudly proclaimed to be “value-free.”

The notion of the “new professional” revives the ancient meaning of the word.  The new professional is a person who can say, “In the midst of the powerful force field of institutional life, where so much might compromise my core values, I have found firm ground on which to stand-the ground of my own identity and integrity, of my own soul-ground from which I can call myself, my colleagues, and my workplace back to our true mission.”

It’s time we lead our children, our students, our staffs, and most importantly-ourselves, on a journy to answer the question-WHO do you want to be?

Sources Sited

Peter J. Parker, The Courage To Teach (John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2007) p. 25, p. 212-213

Robert Lewis, Raising A Modern-Day Knight (Focus on the Family, 1997) p. 63-65

I am recommitting myself to blogging on a continuing basis.  After getting motivated to create my own PLN and take charge of my own Professional Learning I realize the importance of it.  So I am starting back at the beginning. I originally posted this almost 3 years ago. I like to re-post it every school year just so I can keep things in perspective both as an educator and as a parent. 

Yesterday I discovered something about myself-I’m a terrible father. Yep, I said it, I am a terrible, terrible father.  There I was dropping my oldest son off for his first day of Kindergarten and then I realized I was not even concerned about his TAKS test.  After all, the 4th grade TAKS was only 4 years away.  What was I thinking?  Was I the only parent in that room that did not realize that the road to Harvard begins today!! 

As I watched my little backpack with legs walk away my mind flashed back to just 24 hours earlier.  It was Sunday morning and Greg came running in to our bedroom at his regular time of 5:45 A.M.  “Daddy, I think am gonna open up a lemonade stand so that I can help those poor kids you are always talking about”, he said.  “What poor kids?”, I asked.  “The Chinese kids you always say have no food or toys that your gonna send my toys to if I don’t pick up my room.”, he replies.  Oh yes, I was guilty of the age old, “Eat your vegetables there are starving kids in China who would love that brussel sprout” trick.  Apparently my humor is lost on a six year old and now the soft hearted little twerp has me mixing lemonade and standing out in the 100 degree heat so he can raise money for some made up toyless brussel sprout loving Chinese kid.   Somewhere between stacking up little plastic cups and placing exactly 3 ice cubes into each cup I began to see the world through his eyes.  In his eyes the world is a place where a six year old can wake up at 5:30 and make “around 159 million dollars” by selling lemonade.  In his eyes if you have money you should send it to people that don’t have toys and food.    In his eyes a real “science experiment” involves giving the family dog blue crayolas covered in peanut butter then waiting 24 hours to see if we can find the colored poop in the back yard. (Ever since he discovered this trick our backyard has looked like Easter Sunday all year long.)  In his eyes school is a fun place, learning is cool, and teachers are to be hugged at the beginning and end of every class.

I have many hopes and dreams for my son as he starts this school year and I can honestly say that none of them have to do with TAKS, AYP, NCLB, or school ratings.  I hope his teacher loves him as much as I do.  I hope she fuels his passion for learning more than ever.  I hope she laughs at his silly knock-knock jokes, smiles when she sees him every morning, and hugs him everyday.   I hope at the end of this school year he still wants to help the poor Chinese kids that don’t have toys or vegetables. Most importantly, I hope he still loves colored poop!!!!

Our school has decided that one of the issues we wanted to address was the issue of how to better communicate with our students’ parents.  I’ll just never understand why parents feel frustrated or even confused with their child’s school.  For all you parents out there that might be reading this let me put it simply…..

The first step to being an informed parent is to join P.T.S.A.  This will ensure that you are aware of the T.E.K.S. that will be covered in the T.A.K.S., (Formally known as T.A.A.S.)  If your child does well on the T.A.K.S. by learning the T.E.K.S. then perhaps they will be put into G.T., A.P., or Pre-AP. These classes would help on the S.A.T. or A.C.T. which will help B.I.S.D.’s N.C.L.B. rating.   Do poorly and we will call an A.R.D. to discuss the possiblity SP.ED classes after of course we rule out M.R.  Perhaps your child might be ask to take the T.E.L.P.A.S. test so that they can be labeled L.E.P. and qualify for E.S.L. or L.O.T.E. During your child’s A.R.D. we might develop a B.I.P. to include with his I.E.P. which might mention B.R.A.V.O  This B.I.P. should ensure that your child stays clear of A.S.D., S.S., Z.A.P. or I.S.S. Other options include JJAEP and D.A.E.P.  These are located in the S.L.C. building next to C&I and B&G.  To help your child even further every teacher in B.I.S.D. is a member of an A.L.T. which covers W.O.W. and C.4.D using techniques from C&T, A.S.C.D. as well as T.E.A. and even U.I.L.  Teachers sign up for their A.L.T. using the E.R.O. to get credit for thier P.D.A.S.  The T.A.S.C.B. has stated that a teacher’s P.D.A.S. should reflect the goals stated in the C.I.P..  If you have any questions drop by B.I.S.D.’ s F.A.A.C.

You see, its really pretty simple!!! I hope that cleared everything up.

I don’t claim to be the smartest person in the room.    However, due to the recent string of events involving hurricanes I do believe I have a better plan.  It seems to me that FEMA is having a problem convincing people to evacuate a potential danger area.  This undoubtedly leads to many deaths.  Now granted, while most of these people that refuse to evacuate are not the brightest people in the world , we should still be concerned with their well being. 

It seems to me that the problem lies mostly in the naming of the Hurricanes themselves.  I mean who is afraid of these type of names.  When was the last time you got beat up by someone named Katrina?  Ever met a bouncer named Rita?  And unless your Tina Turner your probably not afraid of anyone named  Ike.  If FEMA is going to convince people to leave then they need to look at doing a better job of naming hurricanes.  Yep, if I was in charge of FEMA I would implement the following Hurricane list effective immediately!!!!

A-Attila the Hun,  B-Bringer of Pain,  C-Crusher, D-Destroyer of hope,     

E-Evil Doer,  F-Flattener of Trailer Parks,  G-God’s Storm of Doom

H-Hater of life,  I-Intimadator,  J-Jesus is coming and he is not happy,

K-Killer of cats and bunnies, L-Lucifer, M-Mr. Destruction, N-Nuclear Bomb

O-Oscar the Grouch,  P-Purifier, Q-Quiet Riot, R-Revenge, S-Satan,

T-Travesty, U-Undertaker, V-Violent, W-Widow Maker, X-X Treme,

Y-Your all gonna die, Z-Zeus God of Thunder and Floods

That ought to get those people moving!!!

Yesterday I discovered something about myself-I’m a terrible father. Yep, I said it, I am a terrible, terrible father.  There I was dropping my oldest son off for his first day of Kindergarten and then I realized I was not even concerned about his TAKS test.  After all, the 4th grade TAKS was only 4 years away.  What was I thinking?  Was I the only parent in that room that did not realize that the road to Harvard begins today!! 

As I watched my little backpack with legs walk away my mind flashed back to just 24 hours earlier.  It was Sunday morning and Greg came running in to our bedroom at his regular time of 5:45 A.M.  “Daddy, I think am gonna open up a lemonade stand so that I can help those poor kids you are always talking about”, he said.  “What poor kids?”, I asked.  “The Chinese kids you always say have no food or toys that your gonna send my toys to if I don’t pick up my room.”, he replies.  Oh yes, I was guilty of the age old, “Eat your vegetables there are starving kids in China who would love that brussel sprout” trick.  Apparently my humor is lost on a six year old and now the soft hearted little twerp has me mixing lemonade and standing out in the 100 degree heat so he can raise money for some made up toyless brussel sprout loving Chinese kid.   Somewhere between stacking up little plastic cups and placing exactly 3 ice cubes into each cup I began to see the world through his eyes.  In his eyes the world is a place where a six year old can wake up at 5:30 and make “around 159 million dollars” by selling lemonade.  In his eyes if you have money you should send it to people that don’t have toys and food.    In his eyes a real “science experiment” involves giving the family dog blue crayolas covered in peanut butter then waiting 24 hours to see if we can find the colored poop in the back yard. (Ever since he discovered this trick our backyard has looked like Easter Sunday all year long.)  In his eyes school is a fun place, learning is cool, and teachers are to be hugged at the beginning and end of every class.

I have many hopes and dreams for my son as he starts this school year and I can honestly say that none of them have to do with TAKS, AYP, NCLB, or school ratings.  I hope his teacher loves him as much as I do.  I hope she fuels his passion for learning more than ever.  I hope she laughs at his silly knock-knock jokes, smiles when she sees him every morning, and hugs him everyday.   I hope at the end of this school year he still wants to help the poor Chinese kids that don’t have toys or vegetables. Most importantly, I hope he still loves colored poop!!!!

I really wanted my first posting to be something mind blowing, earth shattering, emotionally moving, or at the very least insightful.  However, I finally realized I have nothing even remotely close to moving, insightful, or mind blowing.  As my wife would say, “Your such a guy.”  She often sees me sitting in my favorite t.v. watching chair with a serious look of deep contemplation on my face and will ask me, “Whatcha thinking about?”  Oh how I would love to tell her I was thinking about world peace, global warming, Marzano’s Nine, or even how much money Phillip Schlechty is hauling in per year.  However, I just have to look up at her and say, “Nothing”.  Sure, I could tell her the truth, about how I was really thinking things like, “I wonder how many pretzels I could get in my nose?” or “It sure would be cool to have a pet pig” or “Dang that cat just licked his own rear, that can’t taste good”.  Women don’t understand thoughts like these-its a guy thing.

However, there has been one thing on my mind this week that might have at least a little morsel of deep thought.  Recently our school district interviewed four of my co-workers for a high school principal position.  Each of these four people are truly amazing in different ways.  The first one is the most child centered woman I have ever worked with and could probably motivate a snail to win Olympic gold in the 100 meter dash. The second one is a middle school principal who has a wealth of knowledge and treats his staff like gold. The third is an elementary principal who is without a doubt a master of creating a positive work culture and has a great reputation as a leader. The fourth one, who actually got the job, has a way of inspiring confidence in those around him and is no doubt going to do a wonderful job.  All four of these people would have done a great job and all four are very deserving.  It was a can’t miss situation for the hiring committee.  However, that can be the bad thing about some decisions, someone is not going to get what they deserve.  Our profession is no different than others in the fact that there is a group of us that work hard, serve others, and do what is asked of us.  In turn we expect to get what we feel we deserve.  I hope these friends of mine get what they deserve this next school year.  They deserve something far more that the title of “Principal”.  They deserve to see the kids on their campuses be successful because of the hard work these four put in.  They deserve to watch that one teacher they have been mentoring finally turn the corner to become a master of the trade.  They deserve to sit across the desk from a parent who is worried about their child’s future and then watch that parent’s face as they show them a report card full of A’s. In short, these four deserve to be reminded each and every day (often it is in the small things that we have forgotten to appreciate) that they are educators that have and will continue to make a difference.

One of these days each one of us will find ourselves in front of those pearly gates in heaven and will have to answer the question, “Why do you deserve to enter my kingdom?”  We will think back about everything we have done in our lives. Has the good really outweighed the bad?  Was God watching when I was in 8th grade science during 6th period?    Can he read my thoughts?  (If so I am sure he is not impressed with the cat rear thing!!) As we stand there waiting for God’s answer we begin to realize that in the in end the sins of humanity are just to0 vast for us to enter into heaven on our own accord. Do we really want we deserve in this case?  As the gates of heaven open up for us to enter we realize that we just received a gift we did not deserve.  We don’t always get what we deserve and sometimes that’s a good thing!