Happy Monday Moanin to all of you. Many of you may be returning from a much needed spring break. While others of you have already started your last quarter of the 2018-19 school year. Wherever you are in the school calendar it is important to realize that these next few days can set the tone for the final stretch of the school year. It is a great time to focus on those actions that lead to a spring cleaning or better yet, a renewal. The final weeks of spring are filled with many distractions: school wide testing, increased field trips, early dismissal for rescheduled athletic contests, and end of the year activities. All of the above  issues may lead to reduced instructional time and increased pressure for teachers to cover the essentials of their curriculum through a  more narrow window.  This is why the spring may feel like the most difficult and challenging part of the year. Listed below are five suggestions that may help finish the year strong and successfully. I encourage you to focus your energy and get to work on your renewal! Read more

Happy  Monday Moanin to everyone. To assist you with your work this week, consider focusing on my top five tweets from December 2018-February 2019. All of these had a minimum of 4000 impressions. They will serve you well as you begin the challenging weeks of late February through the tunnel month of March.

Thursday thought from from @ToddWhitaker; “It is the people, not programs, that determine the quality of a school.” #reachout #reinforce #validate

Friday thought from @DavidGeurin; “Be a difference maker…

1. Getup 

2.Dress up

3. Show up

4. Lead up

5. Lift up

6. Never give up

#lead #model

Thursday thought from @SteeleThoughts; “Great teachers don’t always have the best lessons.  But they always have the best relationships with kids.” #connect #respect #lead

Monday thought from @SteeleThoughts; “Great teachers can look past the bad attitude.  They realize there’s always something else going on.” #payattention #respect #SEL

As you plan for next week, be reminded that Monday the nation  honors Dr.King. Let his quote guide your work. Dr. King wrote; “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education.”

Have a great week and keep finding the good stuff. MMT will return on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2019.

Happy frigid Michigan January 2019 Monday Moanin to all of you. Today we celebrate the American federal holiday marking his birthday  Let’s honor Dr. King’s memory as we begin our work this week. The following Dr. King quote can help us reflect on the work we are doing in our schools.

” The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The above quote raises some questions for all us to think about. Reflect on the following questions.

Does your school have high expectations for all learners?

Are there the same opportunities for all learners?

Is critical thinking reinforced in your classrooms? Is it taught?

Is character education a focus in your school?

Is there a culture of acceptance and respect in your school?

Are you serving others in your school community?

As you begin your week, keep the above quote in mind as you reflect on your practice. Consider using one of these questions at your next staff meeting as an opener. It could lead to a very rich discussion on best practice. Have a great week, lead with compassion and keep finding the good stuff.

“True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that a system which produces beggars needs restructuring.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Happy December 2018 Monday Moanin to all of you. We are so close to a well earned Holiday break. For many the first 4 months of the 2018-19 school year has been filled with many challenges and yet it may also feel like it  has flown by.  With 2019 a few weeks away let me share 4 of my doable wishes for the New Year. They are:

Less focus on compliance in classrooms and in offices throughout your school district. Everyones voice is essential to future growth. Encourage the conversations.

Keep principals and teachers in their buildings during the school day. Professional development and training is critical but not at the expense of teachers not in classrooms and principals doing the big picture work of the district and not focusing on leading their building.

Focus more on social emotional learning. Our students are getting more and more anxious. Provide more support and action dealing with this growing challenge.

Improve and enhance communication across the building and district. Work at it everyday. It is essential in providing clarity, direction, and action.

Enjoy your well deserved Holiday break and attack 2019 with a renewed spirit and energy. Keep finding the good stuff.

Happy chilly Michigan Monday Moanin  to all of you. This is also Thanksgiving week 2018.  I wish all of you positive energy and hope as you celebrate later this week.  Listed below are several thoughts from educators about leading with gratitude.  As we celebrate Thanksgiving 2018, consider using them as a reminder as you prepare for a productive week. They are: Read more