I'm back, trying to connect with folks online to share my learning process with American Sign Language.  The video below is me trying to sign the first verse of a song that I hope some will recognize and try to guess.  I will also share the answer to last weekend's video challenge.  Scroll past my video to see the music video from Week 1.

If you have trouble watching YouTube, please see this week's video on Vimeo by clicking HERE.

I heard an interesting line recently:

I won't care if you aim high and miss.  I will care, though, if you aim low and hit.
(source unknown)
​
I have been on a learning journey ever since I stepped into the role of a learning leader.  I have had really exciting moments, but also periods of feeling frustration and futility.  As I walk this path, I have tried to be clear about what I believe learning can and should be.  My vision for this, and my messaging of that vision, have grown and evolved over time.  They will continue to grow and evolve in the future.

Being an agent of change keeps me thinking, processing, questioning, and learning.  I am driven to improve the conditions for learning for students.  I believe young people can be agents of their own learning path.  I believe we can learn from and with each other.  I believe when the conditions are set for these things to be possible, young people can and will rise to the challenges presented to them.  I believe that I still have more to learn and share.

I am feeling excitement as 2017 draws closer to its end.  This was a tough year.  I am still aiming high.  I haven't hit, yet.  I keep aiming high, sharing the message for changing school, building a tribe of people that believe we can do better.  I believe we will get there.

What do you believe?  Have you made a difference for someone this year?  Are you taking risks and trying new things?  Are you aiming high?

The work continues, friends...

I had an amazing day with young people at the District 1 Make-A-Thon at PS 15 Roberto Clemente School yesterday.  Families from the host school and others within our District were shown a student made video about pinball machines.  They were also given a brief description of the Design Process, from Planning to Presentation.  And then they were set loose.

I watched these young Maker families create plans for their design of an arcade machine.  Some chose common machines like pinball and skeeball.  Others tried to combine ideas like skeeball with a special basketball hoop.  Some created their own new game.

The young designers took their plans to the supply table and found cardboard, used plastic water bottles, duct tape of various colors and designs, and other miscellany to bring their ideas to life.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  In three hours, we had a cardboard arcade.  It was pretty magical.  I have shared some of the magic in a slideshow below.

Experiences like this always have me wondering.  

• If we give students a big question, some parameters for their thinking process, a little guidance when needed, and some time, can't we expect that they will be able to come through with powerful results?  
  
• What stops us from releasing our control of a learning path to those that are doing the learning?  
  
• How do we fight that fear and celebrate their ability to forge their own path of learning based on interest and passion?  
  
• How do we still incorporate a shared, co-created, learning path knowing that young people don't always know what they don't know?

Another day of rest and recuperation as I try to rid my body of the flu that afflicts me.  The biggest benefit to days like these is that I get to read more.  There has been a book that I have been working through for a little while as part of one of my special "rituals".  

Some people say I'm a little OCD.  I like my rituals and routines.  I have been trying to start some new ones this year - especially around learning.  Some have taken, like my desire to learn ASL; others have floundered, like my desire practice one new thing every day from a selection of six new skills to learn (ASL, building Raspberry Pi projects, Spanish language, 3D CAD design, painting, and banjolele).  Honestly, how do kids do this every day?!?  I can barely take 30 minutes on something new and making in meaningful enough to remember, but six just seems impossible.

One new ritual of mine is taking time on the weekends to make a cup of coffee, and stay in the kitchen, sit in a bar stool, and read a book by the window to the landlord's backyard garden.  Normally, I'd find myself in front of my computer within 5 minutes of the first cup.  This was a habit I wanted to break.  So I picked a good book that I had been wanting to dig into, set it on the counter top, positioned a chair at the ready, and spent some quiet time to myself with coffee and the morning sun reading a book.

Beyond my desire to use @CarlosAGLive 's work as a basis for my work with young people, it also took me on a journey through my own stories.  The questions I wrote to ask students, I also asked myself in that quiet moment with my coffee and sunshine.  I remembered the first time I realized what "race" was.  Moments when "manhood" was defined in positive ways and negative ways.  I was reminded of stories where I presented myself as a male role model in positive and negative ways.  I looked inside myself:  at my stories of who I am, where I came from, where I have gone, and the steps and missteps I took along the way.  There were tears and giggles.  There was awe and shame.  And there was some really good poetry.  I must re-read and dig even deeper next time.

On this day, I think what speaks to me most is the idea of forgiveness.  Thinking about all the reasons you must forgive yourself for your mistakes and regrets, and all the others you must forgive for the wrongs they may have intentionally or unintentionally visited upon you.  We are imperfect creatures.  I am happy to be more aware of myself, how much I've changed and grown, and an awareness that there is still more to do.  The work continues...

Some days you just need to play catch up - whether that's for work, for personal projects, or just for rest.  We all need to take "Ketchup Days" every once in a while.  And that was my day.

I happily spent the day lazing around the couch, watching Netflix/Prime/Hulu/Crackle, cooking, resting, healing this nagging cough, and catching up on some reading.  A story I read in Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold has me thinking.

There is a story in this volume about a homeless guy, very down on his luck, who is about to take up with the Clown Prince of Crime and begin his life of dastardly deeds.  Upon breaking into a house, he finds a magic token that was being used by a kid that turns the user into a superhero.  He steals the token and uses it to become a super-powered hero called The Star.  He was even lucky enough to team up with the Bat and foil the Joker's deadly plans for chaos in Gotham.  Batman lived; the Star died in a moment of glory.

There were a few lessons form this story.  The kid who had used the token before was a hero that could see the future, and he knew that the next person to use the token would die.  The young man knew it would get stolen, and he knew the next user was doomed.  He felt terribly guilty.  Batman assured him that there is never a good reason for a young person to have to die.  

Lesson 1:  Young people should not suffer or die for the right thing to be done.

The man that stole the token was given a chance, perhaps his only chance, to do something good in his life.  It was better to die a hero saving others than on the streets as a drug user or criminal.  He redeemed his life.

Lesson 2:  We can be redeemed if given an opportunity to be a hero for someone.

This story also has me thinking about another statement I have heard over and over again in my time as a teacher and education leader:

Doesn't that sound like a statement made by a supervillain who is making a hero choose between the death of a friend and the death of a group of strangers on a train? 

We educators are not superheroes.  But we are heroes to some.  Being unable to save every child from the unfairness of the world we are a part of doesn't make me want to stop trying to bring a little light and understanding to their lives. 

We don't need to be saviors and superheroes to give people understanding, kindness, and forgiveness.  

​I think this is all the catching up I needed for one day.  I'm feeling stronger already.  Time to get back to the work.

Today was Christmas.  I typically celebrate this holiday by spending time with and sharing gifts with my friends.  But ugh, this year, I am sick.  I spent a lot of time in the previous week with students, teachers, and families, working closely together to bolster the strengths of a school community.  But in the process of this work, I took on someone's germ and became sick.  

Because I was sick, I spent the holiday alone at home.  And even though I was snotty and hacky, I still had a pretty good day.  I read a book that was recommended, but I'm not sure I'm going to like it.  I cooked something from scratch.  I learned some new signs in my ASL journey.  And, because of a gift from a friend, got a chance to learn something new.

Can I start one from seed?  What if I went to a local nursery, could I pick one out of the crowd and craft on my own?  What bonsai style do I like the most?  What about that style speaks to me?  How do I create a space in my apartment with better lighting so I can do work like this?  Oh jeez, do I actually have time to add this into my day?

The gift has me learning and questioning.  I have also been thinking about my gifts to others.  My gifts to my friends and family often bomb.  I've really never been good at gift giving.  I try to listen over time to things people bring up in conversation, but I never feel sure about what I am gifting, relying on the old adage, "It's the thought that counts."  

This year's gift-giving got me to thinking about the gifts we give each other on occasions like holidays, birthdays, and other special life events.  I find the things that mean most to me are memories and ongoing experiential learning and doing.  How can I give more experience and learning opportunity, rather than just things?  Isn't that more important?  The time together and time spent doing something worthwhile?  

Learning and rethinking the act of giving a gift helped me to identify what I find important in that act.  What's important for you when giving a gift?  The look of joy on another person's face?  Creating a gift yourself?  Something deeper, more meaningful?

I skipped a day.  I know I promised to write about every day.  But I was really sick this weekend.  I didn't think that writing about being a couch jockey that spent his day hacking and snotting into a tissue would make for a good story, so I decided not to write about that stuff.

I'm not back to 100% just yet, but I thought I could share something that I have been working on for a little while now - American Sign Language (ASL).  I asked myself how I could take my learning from this solitary activity that I do at home to something that is more social, and the video below is what I came up with.  So enjoy, and please play the game.  Take a guess.  And help me find some ASL buddies.

If YouTube is a problem, you can also watch the video on Vimeo by clicking HERE.

Today, I made a special point to bring my smile to my game.  You can feel energy in a school, and it can tell you a lot about what to expect from a day.  I wanted my energy to help anyone who wasn't in that centered place to try and find their way into a smile.

When your days are/have been tough, I know how important it is for a leader to help staff and students know they are able to trust that you are there for learning and for them.  After a week of getting to know a staff and group of students at a school, I think some amazing trust was developed.

Students learned I am a man of my word, even when that means that they must take responsibility and face some consequences.  They also learned that it can be a good thing, like calling home when I promise to call to let Mom know they had a good day.  Students shared stories with me about their favorite Super Heroes, and then relied on my presence to help them through a moment of crisis.  Students reminded me that there are multiple ways of learning, and that even when they aren't learning content, they are learning something, and that "something" is up to us.  Will they learn safety and trust and taking responsibility, or will they learn snark and sarcasm?  Will they learn the importance of leaning on adults, or are they learning that they have to try and fix all their problems alone?

These questions can be framed for the staff, as well.  Staff asked for help, and I, or a member of the team, were there.  Staff shared a lot of "the way it used to be", and I met them where they were right now, and talked about moving forward into change together.  Staff that at first seemed disengaged met me with a compliment at the end of the week, "Your presence with the class has made some real improvements for them.  Thank you."  And a even bigger compliment was not made about me, but my being told by staff that they are going to find time to meet and think about how they can help facilitate change on their own.  I reminded them that as a team, we are in this together, so please share and invite me to your meetings to learn about your ideas.

​I brought my authentic self to this work.  It helped me to connect with people and start new relationships with students and staff.  It helped me to build trust in a way I did not expect to happen as quickly, and seamlessly, as it did.  Now during the our Winter Recess, I will spend the time reflecting on my experience, and then bringing more questions back with me in the New Year so I can partner with their leadership team, staff, and students to help their community grow into a more vibrant place of learning.

Thinking about these moments as I write is surely bringing a smile to my game again today.  Thank you for the experience and opportunity to learn at your site, I look forward to more learning next year.  

I was supposed to write last night, but man I was exhausted.  This has been a particularly taxing week for me.  Being a Principal is a tough job, folks.  It drains you.  You are always wanting to do what's right for young people.  And you want to do what's right for their families, and for your teachers, and for your support staff, and for your larger District and School System colleagues, and the list goes on...

Yesterday, I was thinking about why certain issues were being observed.  "Why?" is an important question to ask. It can be used to guide a vision and provide a frame for your work, a connection to your core values that drives you forward in the toughest of times. 

Yesterday, though, I found "Why?" to be a distraction.  I needed to start finding out who was ready to change so that young people could have the safe learning space they needed to become their best person.  I started asking other questions:

• Who is ready for change?  (build a tribe, both students and staff)
• Who already has ideas about how things can be better?  (brainstorm, with students and staff)
• What do you think could be a good first step for immediate improvement?  (guess what goes here?  that's right, as students and staff)

It's one thing to see an area that needs some growth and/or improvement.  But we are not in this work alone.  We need the help and support of those we lead on staff, and the help and support of those we lead in learning. 

We are in this together, friends. 

All voices to the table. 
All ideas on the board. 
All possibilities to be considered.

During my days of learning to ask more questions, I have found myself wanting to celebrate some small, but important, moments.

As a believer in the power of student-driven inquiry, I could not have been happier to share a video conference with students and staff from schools in Scotland.  We have been in regular contact about establishing MakerSpaces in schools and what that looks like when put into action.

The students from Scotland met myself and the amazing teacher, Ms.Sacks, on a Zoom video conference to talk about how to create a MakerSpace in their primary school.  Their questions were thoughtful and driven, and they made me smile knowing that young people have owned the process of designing a new type of learning environment for their school.  Squint in the picture below, and you might catch a glimpse of me.

I love talking with my Scottish friends about making school a better place to learn.  But it is not just new learners that inquiries that guide my day and my life.  I also had the honor of being invited to try the food baked by a former student of mine.  She entered baking school (read some of her story HERE) and is nearing completion of her program.  Part of this work includes inviting friends and family to taste your work.  Talk about authentic audience...

Ami made an amazing dish called a Chocolate Mole Tamale.  This thing had a beautiful plate presentation, and was not a typically hyper-sweetened dessert.  It was paired with a subtly sweet ice cream and some candied fruit and nuts that when taken together were an explosion of flavor.  I tasted chocolate from the subway to my door home.  It was wonderful.  And it was her.  She brought her personal flare and culture to a plate.  I couldn't have been more proud.  I was lucky enough to share this experience with her mother who was nothing but smiles the whole time.

Maybe my most memorable moment this week, though, was the most unexpected moment.  The type of moment you can't count on or plan for.  The one that makes you question your nerve and tenacity.  Can I make sure the work continues through this ridiculously tragic moment?  Do I embrace embarrassment or hide until the day has ended?  Can I hide?  If I could would I really want to?

How will my actions show everyone who sees me a demonstration of what I believe to be true about myself and the work that I do for young people?

It was funny.  It was embarrassing.  It was my life for most of a day.  I owned it.  I kept working.  And I told EVERYONE around what happened.  We don't get to choose these moments, we only get to choose how we greet them wen they arrive.  I greeted the moment with a smile and a lot of sharing.

When you have a day that you must Incredible Hulk you way through moments AND CLOTHES, own the ridiculousness.  I kinda wish I had googly eyes to put on the back once I got home to take the pics and realize the degree to which I had torn my trousers.  Thankfully, it is Winter, and I had a sweater for my waist.  With this pic, I leave you.  On to Day 4, my friends...

Day 2 was an interesting day for me.  I made plans for visiting classes and questioning kids about their learning processes.  Here are some questions I came up with, so let me know what you think:

• What are you learning?  How are you going to share your newfound knowledge and with whom?
• Why are you learning this?
• In 1/3/5 sentence/s, summarize your learning experience here in this class/grade/school.
• Based on your experience, what do you think this teacher/leader/school believes about learning?

But some days are not built for curiosities and questions to be easily explored.  There are other lessons to be learned, deeper questions to consider about systems and structures.  Sometimes people just have a bad day.  Today was busy, and it served as a reminder of the life I used to lead on the front lines of teaching and leading at my old school in East Harlem.  It's like learning to ride a bike again, or walk in the snow after Winter's first dusting.

Every Winter, after the first snow, especially if, like me, you get caught in it on the way home in the wrong shoes, you quickly remind yourself of past lessons learned treading through snowy sidewalks and streets.  But until you've done it once, and especially until you've done it in the wrong shoes, you probably won't get it.

I was on my way home from work at the end of last week.  The snow came down on me right as I stepped out the door to quickly get home.  And as quickly as I moved, the snow was falling quicker.  And then it happened, the harsh reminder - a foot suddenly slips beneath you!  Thankfully, I caught myself.  I righted my footing and left the streets for the subway.

After arriving in Brooklyn, I patiently made my way uphill and then down the 12 block direct path to my home.  And each block offered a different type of path, and I had to make a plan for each.

• Was the trodden snow already to ice packed for me to safely walk in these most slippery of dress shoes?
• Can I aim, as I often do, for the still fluffy snow on the side that offers me surer footing, but an unknown depth with potential presents left by my community canine company?

There are a lot of options, and after about 5 blocks, I found my rhythm, my snow-step, that I had forgotten over the Spring, Summer, and Fall months past.

It doesn't take long to get back on track when you have the experience of learning and interacting and creating memories, especially when they get to be coupled with new learning that you start to integrate into your mind's pathways for making sense. 

This "learning to walk in the snow again" was my guiding sense today as I tried to tackle new events that I had never encountered before and juggle the typical events of a day in a school.  It took a little while, but I have my footing now.  I can't wait to get back in there with these young people that have me so deep in thought each day.

I promised myself to model learning as a leader, and today is day 1 of this 30 day adventure.  I hope to focus my learning in 2 distinct areas:  (1) improve my questioning when coaching and giving feedback and (2) communicating using American Sign Language (ASL).  

While today is not officially day 1 for ASL, it is the first in a 30 day, non-stop practicing series.  I am following lessons I find on the American Sign Language University website.  I'm starting with Lesson 1 and proceeding one at time while I attempt to integrate the signs into my everyday life.  I find it easiest to share my newly acquired signs through a Share-out Activity with a colleague who kindly allows me to fumble through this new language.

I am also finding myself thinking more often about what signs I might use to communicate the random thoughts that enter my brain as I'm walking to and from work and home.  Visualizing has been really helping me.  I'd swear I read somewhere that visualizing can, in fact, help with new movements you are attempting to learn.

I haven't taken pictures of videos of myself signing yet.  I hope to take the time to do that soon.  

I am spending time at a school site this week to lead the building.  What a perfect opportunity to work on questioning more and answering less!  Coming up with answers is a tough habit to break.  I'm a solution guy.  I look for answers.  Usually to questions that I am asking.  But this desire to find answers is tough to fight.

A few times today, I found myself internally reminding myself that I do not have to have the answer.  It is more important to build capacity in the person I am working with to think about and find their own answers. 

Young people really made my day today, and it happened because I gave them the opportunity to figure out their own answers, and they answered in pretty amazing ways.  They are so much more capable of solving problems and leading their learning than we give them credit for on most days. 

A young man in the middle school appeared to be restless and not working on an assignment, so I walked over to ask him what he was learning.  His response was, "I don't know."  I just kept asking or more information about his work and progress, and then he took me on a journey through his thought process that he said was "not exactly the same topic, but it's what I want to know."  He shared some assumptions and inferences that answered the inquiry questions he designed to "take his readers on a chronological path" through his paper.  I asked how he would find evidence to support his answers, and told me it would take more time to search for his answers in his text and through some articles, but that he would spend the time to look.  Who would I be to deny his inquiry and desire to work through this path?  I smiled, encouraged, and then got out of his way.

I was also happily taken on a learning journey (a learney, if you will) by a young man in elementary school.  His class had taken a field trip, but eh did not attend the trip.  He found himself in a class that was a grade level higher than his class.  By the end of the day, he was distracting students trying to learn Mathematics in his host room.  He found his way to me to settle for the last 20 minutes of the day.  He told me I could call him Little E.  I told him to call me G, and we shared a special handshake.

I asked him what liked to learn the most.  He told me, "Math is my favorite subject," but multiplication was just too hard for him to learn.  He told me he could add pretty well.  So we talked about money, and how much money did a group of 3 friends have if they have $5.00 each.  We counted together.  We counted by 5s.  I showed Little E the equation 3 x 5 = 15, and then it was non-stop multiplication practice for the rest of the day.  "Give me a harder problem!"  It was a joy to end my day with him jumping from imaginary place to imaginary place, pretending to be each person and counting their money as he worked through the problem in his head, step-by-step, jump-by-jump, and then gave me the total and wrote down the equation. 

I think the best line I heard today that has me thinking pretty deeply right now is, "No, let me do it."  Thank you for that little gem, Little E.  I'll see you in the AM.