Can I change my attitude?

Over the last few months I have spent a great deal of time at the University of Chicago medical campus as Jenna was receiving her inpatient and outpatient chemotherapy. During that time I explored different places to eat as the hospital cafeteria food got old real quick. My travels usually took me past the entrance to the DCAM building which is kind of like Grand Central Station. Patients are being dropped off, picked up, the valet attendants are busy moving cars, and it feels a bit chaotic. I would always see the same security officer directing traffic and what I noticed was not the fact he was doing a nice job of directing traffic but he was doing it with joy. I saw him smiling, singing, whistling, and being kind as he directed traffic. What he was doing was noticeable and in some small way made a difference. It made me think if he could bring joy to his job of directing traffic and bring a smile to someone than what can I do?

This quote has resonated with me for a long time. We can't always control our circumstances, but we can control our attitude. Authors and speakers Andy Andrews and Jon Gordon touch on the idea of choosing your attitude. Jon Gordon talks about taking a daily gratitude walk and listing the things you are thankful for (shelter, food, relationships, job, etc...) and Andy Andrews talks about making the switch of complaining about your circumstance or situation to being thankful for it (high electricity bill vs. being able to have a comfortable home that has air conditioning, having to clean the toilets  vs. indoor plumbing, doing laundry vs. clothes to wear). This change in perspective is a daily battle, takes practice, and time. Our world was rocked when we found out Jenna was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. It still is rocking our world. The best way I can it is it sucks, but not every second or every minute has sucked. In fact, when I think about it I have been blessed to have been able to spend more time with Aleigh and Caitlin, I have been able to witness Jenna's toughness and fighting spirit, I have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support, and I learned more about what is means to be understanding and patient.

Merriam-Webster defines joy as a state of happiness or felicity. I am not trying to be Pollyanna abut this idea that you simply should have a sense of joy or be happy all of time. However, I do think we can make a difference in our schools, with students and teachers, and in our relationships if we looked at circumstances differently and instead of seeing the negative or complaining look for the positive. On Twitter the hashtags #dadsasprincpals #momsasprincpals #Joyfulleaders #Liftup101 #CelebrateMondays  #principalsinaction are filled with examples of educators bringing a sense of joy to their schools. We have a choice on how we will be remembered and it won't be for completing all of your items on the to do list, rather it will be how you impacted the lives of others. If we are too busy complaining about our circumstances then we miss the opportunity to make a difference.


Here are two resources I have found helpful as I continue to work on changing my attitude -

The Butterfly Effect 

More Than I Can Bear

Are you ready?

Are you ready? This question often gets asked between teachers and administrators before students arrive for the first day of school. The exchange often goes something like this - Teacher is walking down the hallway and is approached by another teacher or staff  member. The teacher approaching asks Are you ready? The second teacher responds something like as ready as I'll ever be. The two share a laugh and continue on their way. This exchange is repeated over and over again in hallways of our schools across the country. It is almost the same as asking How are you doing? It is a friendly exchange between two teachers that is meant as a hello rather than really wanting to know if someone is ready for the start of school.

When I really think about this question I end up reflecting about my hopes, dreams, and goals for the year. I think about being ready for all of the students that will be in our building. I think about the teachers and staff. I think about the parents and community. I stop thinking about my to do list and think about how we will make those all important personal connections with students. I think about how I can support teachers in order for them to grow professionally and I think about how I can build partnerships with families. I think about building a community. A place where teachers, students, and families want to be, a place that is special and unique.

At our school we worked long and hard at creating our mission and vision as we desire to become a great school. Through the process of developing these statements we realized how important community and building a sense of belonging is to all of us. This year we will focus on building positive classroom environments where students feel a sense of belonging, where they are valued, and where they believe they can make a contribution. I recently watched a video where the speaker repeated the idea that it is about the process not the product. The process of creating a community of learners and investing in our students leads to student growth  and when we focus on the process not the product we stop being overwhelmed with those things that we can't change like curricular changes, mandated assessments, and increased accountability. When we spend our time and energy focusing on the things that we cannot change that becomes draining and we loose our energy to create or innovate. However when we spend time focusing on the process of improving student learning through building relationships and community then we become energized to continue to connect and create.

This year when I think about the question Are you ready? My answer is yes, you bet that I am ready.