Ahh the curveball. The hook, the bender, the deuce...goes by man names, but pending on it's use and placement, it can be a devastating pitch for either the hitter or the pitcher. In education, we talk about being ready for the curveball, as there is always going to be something that catches you off guard on any given day.
However, just like in baseball, how you handle the curve is huge! I believe that a lot of success or failure in handling the curve lays in the preparation before the curve even has a chance of being thrown.
There are a few things that can happen with a curve ball; You can be taken completely off guard, you can be "sitting" on it (ready and waiting) or you can be prepared in your approach and not get fooled.
What can make this pitch so devastating for hitters is when it is thrown, and thrown well, when the hitter is not expecting it. This comes in the classroom when you think you have the best, most thoroughly planned lesson and then "it" happens. We all know the "it" and whatever it may be, it completely derails the lesson and you've struck out for the day/period.
If you are "sitting" on it, or waiting for the curve to come, it is an easy pitch to hit a very long way. Same can be said in the classroom, if you know that there is a spot coming where an awkward question or mishap can happen, it is greatly satisfying to turn that curveball into a teachable moment and hit the homerun.
And, it what is my favorite response, is being well prepared and not getting fooled when the curve comes. Ok, bare with me here through the baseball talk. If you are well prepared for the situation, you know that there is a chance that the curve is coming, but you're not going to put all your thoughts to that one pitch. You have your approach at the plate, and its to be ready for whatever comes your way of sorts. You are ready to handle the fast ball, ready to drive it back up the middle or even a little the other way. This gives you the ability to keep your weight and hands back to be ready to drive the off speed pitch. Ok, I'm back; in the classroom you know that the lesson is solid and you have formative checks in place and you have a healthy amount of activities for that one kid that seems to fly through everything and get all the answers right, and you know where the possible pitfalls could come, but you're expecting the lesson to sail with no issues. But you're ready if something makes the lesson go sideways.
So, you have the ability to choose how you handle the curve. You have the opportunity to handle it like an old pro, or flounder like a rookie. It's all in your personal preparation. Choose your culture of your classroom or school or district and be prepared for the curve, be ready to crush it and have everyone else sit back in awe of your prepared approach to your day and culture .
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Monday, April 2, 2018
Opening Day
This past week was Opening Day in Major League Baseball, and it is a holiday of sorts for some folks, including yours truly. Opening Day for baseball is likened to New Year's Day, its a blank slate, a new start, everyone's 0-0 and everyone has the same chance to make it to the World Series.
To me, this is just like the first day of school each fall! Every kid, every classroom, every school is getting a fresh start, a clean page to write their history for the coming year.
However, as with all feel good stories, this one has a 'but' too. But each year, prognosticators analyze and predict who has made the best moves over the off season, who has the best staff, who are the best players, who is the best coach, and who has introduced the hottest new food items for the coming year. Having all of those factors in hand, they make their predictions for the coming season and before the first pitch is even thrown, most of the teams' fans feel their team has been eliminated from the playoffs.
We do the exact same thing in our schools every year. We hear the stories from the teacher our upcoming students had the year before. Or if its "that kid", we already know the m.o. before they set foot in our classrooms. These are the kids that will be in the principal's office in the first week, just because they've already earned it with what they did last year. If this were the case for teachers, someone would be on an improvement plan the first week, when that new, experimental lesson bombs--simply based on their carryover performance.
But is this what we want our classrooms and schools to be built upon? NO! Each of our kids and teachers, (and yes, even parents) should receive that fresh start every year. They should have the ability to make you go wow with their progress, regardless of where they finished the year before. Each of us has the opportunity to choose how we welcome our kids and staff into the new school year. What do you choose to carry over from the year before? What do you choose to see those first days and weeks of the school year? You have the ability to choose your culture, for your school and classroom.
To me, this is just like the first day of school each fall! Every kid, every classroom, every school is getting a fresh start, a clean page to write their history for the coming year.
However, as with all feel good stories, this one has a 'but' too. But each year, prognosticators analyze and predict who has made the best moves over the off season, who has the best staff, who are the best players, who is the best coach, and who has introduced the hottest new food items for the coming year. Having all of those factors in hand, they make their predictions for the coming season and before the first pitch is even thrown, most of the teams' fans feel their team has been eliminated from the playoffs.
We do the exact same thing in our schools every year. We hear the stories from the teacher our upcoming students had the year before. Or if its "that kid", we already know the m.o. before they set foot in our classrooms. These are the kids that will be in the principal's office in the first week, just because they've already earned it with what they did last year. If this were the case for teachers, someone would be on an improvement plan the first week, when that new, experimental lesson bombs--simply based on their carryover performance.
But is this what we want our classrooms and schools to be built upon? NO! Each of our kids and teachers, (and yes, even parents) should receive that fresh start every year. They should have the ability to make you go wow with their progress, regardless of where they finished the year before. Each of us has the opportunity to choose how we welcome our kids and staff into the new school year. What do you choose to carry over from the year before? What do you choose to see those first days and weeks of the school year? You have the ability to choose your culture, for your school and classroom.
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