The Final Track

Hope.  It comes in so many forms.  Sometimes it a politician promising you change.  Or it's rooting for your special team to complete a seemingly impossible upset.  Perhaps it's seeing a movie with certain rebels battling against all odds against the empire.  Every day, every minute, hope is always around us.  We hope for good news.  We hope for better days.  We hope our friends will make better decisions.  A principal I worked for used to say as educators we peddle hope for our students.  I could not agree more.  As educators we are constantly closing gaps, opening doors and creating possibilities.  It is hope that feeds the soul of truly great teachers.  I see it every day when teachers and support staff give everything they have to make sure that their students get what they need to be successful.  They create hope.

As I wind up the Mixtape experience, I wanted to say thank you to all of you for checking in about the blog.  It has been fun listening to all of these soundtracks.  Music inspires me like nothing else in the world.  It truly reflects our society and offers new perspectives.  Regardless of genre, music can touch the soul of any human being and unite people.  It takes a lot of great people to create a song and perform it.  The Mixtape will always hold a special place in my heart because it is my (and any person that created a mixtape) attempt at making the sense of the world by placing together music in a meaningful way.  I always knew that I had a good mixtape when I could just wear it out from continuous play.  The mixtape was always meant to share.  I hope you create some awesome educational mixtapes that are a tapestry of student achievement in all forms!

As I close, I want to share a story with you about a former student who I recently had coffee and Jamba juice with. Cindy Tung was a student in my English class and was phenomenal.  She was extremely organized and creative.  She brought great joy to the class.  I was so proud to hear that she decided to answer the call for teaching.  From hearing her talk about her kids, I could see she taught more than her subject area... she taught hope.  I remember an acronym that I shared with students about analyzing literature and pretty much all things life.  It's called UFISCH (thanks Stan Bidlack for this great tool) and it helps describe how an author or artist has an intended effect on an audience.

Unity --  What makes the story/art piece have a sense of togetherness?  In other words, how do all of the pieces seem to connect to create a concept?

Form -- How is the piece organized in a physical or structural sense?

Imagination -- What type of strategies does the author/artist use to appeal to our senses?

Style -- What unique attributes can you associate with this author/artist/group?

Characterization -- How does the artist create a character that resonates with an audience?  How does the character develop?

Humanity -- What themes of life and human existence does the author explore?

The students used to hate me for the continuous references I made to UFISCH.  I used to torture them them about analyzing anything they say, heard or experienced.  It was fun to watch them connect the UFISCH elements to anything including their own life.  As I look at this acronym, I think it's appropriate to say that great schools and classrooms explore these themes in various manners.  They are creating with intention a special place.  Thank you again for being a part of this journey. I bid farewell to this blog and hope to find another muse.  My last mixtape for you is simply songs of Hope.  Be great.

One Day

Waving Flag

Rise Up

Seasons of Love

For Good

Beautiful Day

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Instant Karma

In My Life

Here Comes the Sun

Don't Stop Believing

Beautiful

We are the Champions

What a Feeling

Lovely Day

Track 8: Classic

Howdy everyone!  I took a much needed break, but I am back with my newest and latest blog.  I hope you enjoy it.


When I first started out teaching at Bonita Vista High School, I was in awe of two of my English colleagues -- Ann Ransburg and Joy Sobel.  They were veteran teachers who brought passion and creativity to the classroom every day.  Not only did they have high expectations, but they were known to be two of the most caring teachers on campus.  I consistently sought their advice.  I will never forget the moment that I realized that teaching is truly a lifelong endeavor.  One day I ran into an overly exuberant Joy in her classroom.  She was beaming.  I asked her what was up and I will never forget what she said.  "You know Rick, I think I am getting this teaching thing!"  I sat there in disbelief.  Here was a veteran teacher of over 25 years telling a new teacher that she was finally understanding how to teach. Now, 20 years later... I understand.

One of the "strangest" mixtapes I made consisted of nothing but music from movies and classical composers.  It was only strange, because most people did not figure me for a classical-music-kind-of-guy.  I absolutely love it.  They capture so much emotions without even a word.  The songs I am going to share in this episode of Mixtape I know will bring back a lot of memories about movies or specific scenes.  Joy and Ann were like that classic mixtape.  Their style and dedication to student stood the test of time. They relied on the classics of teaching such as checking for understanding and reflective learning.  But, yet they never resisted learning new strategies and utilizing technology.  As I became a veteran teacher, I realized how important that conversation with Joy became in my life.  She showed me that the classics never go out of style.  She and Ann were championship-level teachers because they were committed to their growth.  They complemented whatever they learned with what they knew worked well in the classroom.  Going into year 20, I can say that I still don't know everything about teaching and because of that, I can appreciate what it truly means to be in education... we are lifelong learners.

Over the past year I saw some class bands, but one stood out to me... Foreigner.  They are getting up there in age, but they presented their music as though it was the first time.  Man... I wish I could rock at that age.  There was one senior moment when the guitarist forgot the song!  I could not believe how much energy they brought to the stage.  I believe that the great teachers are always in style because they bring that same type of energy on a consistent basis.  They strive to always bring a joy of learning to the classroom.  Like the classics, you could always count on them!  Here are some of my favorite classic songs that I always used in my classroom to set a mood.  As you listen to the music, I hope you look around your classroom and at your routines and ask yourself, "Am I and this classroom showing up in the best possible way for students?"  Will you be a classic?  Think about this video below and ask yourself, "Will I be a classic?"  What is your legacy going to be?

I want to invite you to consider bringing music into your classroom.  There are some great articles out there about the power of music.  Here are some to consider:

Edutopia and Music

Music and Subject

When I taught in the classroom, not only did I ask students to make a soundtrack of their life, I made sure our class was a living soundtrack.  I used music for routines and for lessons. For example, I used to teach figurative language through music or I would compare the music of Johnny Cash with Rap Music and it always brought up lively dialogue about expectations.   For mood in the classroom, I used a book called The Greenbook of Music that captured mood with songs.  Today, you can use a myriad of apps.  Check it out:  Music and Mood.  Without further ado, here are some of my topic songs for routines.  Watch out... they are old school!

Mixer (kids moving):  Ferris Bueller

Motivation before a test: Rocky (of course)

Quiet Reflection:  The Ludlows and Forrest Gump Suite

New Concept:  Indiana Jones and Star Wars

Celebration:  Canon in D

There are so many songs and situations that you can play with.  Yes... it was cheesy, but the kids always could attach the mood to the routine and I always wanted their to be joy and excitement to my class.  Music was an easy way to accomplish this goal.

Track 7: Hero

I was elated to find out toward the end of the 2016-17 school year that I had been appointed the principalship of Eastlake Middle School.  What an honor  it would be to serve the community that I live in. Over the next couple of months, I would experience a lot of different emotions from anxiety to excitement and everything in between.  As I looked at the list of strengths and challenges from the parent and staff forum, I quickly realized that I had to tend to two very important concepts -- relationships and organizational systems.  I knew that I wanted to address relationships first as without a positive and trusting school climate, very little could be accomplished.   I decided that during our first meeting as staff we would address issues of the heart or the relational issues.  We did a number of different team-building exercises and discussed where we wanted to be as a staff.  I remember sharing a video that seemed to move everyone.  I played Michael Junior's "Know Your Why."  He eloquently captures what I believe all educators should strive for each day... Having a positive impact on the lives of young people and helping them become their next best selves.  In other words, he showed the power of knowing Why you do something and the passion behind it.  When you know your Why, "You step into your purpose."  I love that statement... You step into your purpose.  Watch this video and tell me you are not thinking about your Why.  I think our Why starts with positive relationships with our kids, community and colleagues.

So, I hope you stood up and clapped while watching that video.  I know I did!  Hattie has done extensive research on a number of pedagogical practices.   In one of his articles, he shows what many other researchers have pointed out... no significant learning can take place without positive relationships. Take a look at this article on relationships and see how your Why can be developed much faster.  In addition, see how trust can be developed to foster those positive relationships.

I am a big fan of Lionel Richie and when he came to town with Mariah Carey it was like ice cream with all the toppings.  They both put on a great show.  I can only hope that I can step into my purpose like Lionel does when he sings and entertains.  Hello?  Isn't that we are looking for?  Okay, bad joke. Just remember, you're once, twice, three times an educator when you know your Why!  There are a lot of great Lionel Richie songs out there, but I love Mariah's Carey's Hero and what it says about relationships.  Her live performance of this song was amazing.  So, be that hero to your kids and show them how to be heroes to others.  It starts with relationships.  Our kids are our Why.

Okay, I had to throw in a Lionel Richie song just because... so here we go.  I give you Dancing on the Ceiling because every day should feel like an 80s pop song.

Track 6: Help!/Man in the Mirror

I am blessed with two wonderful children.  Each has his/her own talents and challenges.  I love watching my children grow and discover new passions.  My son, however, has some challenges that require more attention.  He was recently diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum.  At first, I was both confused and crushed.  I thought, How can my son have a normal life?  There are times when I am so frustrated at trying to explain concepts or expectations that I have to walk away and re-strategize.  One day I was trying to explain a joke to him and I realized that he does not truly understand the context or meaning behind jokes.  I could see him struggling trying to fit in and I realized that I need to be a better dad and a teacher.  I needed help!  I am not afraid nor embarrassed to say that I sought out coaching and professional help.  Likewise, as educators, we can all use Help!

It's a tough profession if it we go it alone.  That's why the summer is such a great time for educators. Not only do we get to recharge our batteries, we get to reflect and learn.  I know there are many great professional development opportunities, but I would like to encourage my fellow educators to consider the simple act of reflection.  I love the video of two people stuck on an escalator and needing help.  Sometimes, the answer is as easy as walking.  We get paralyzed with inaction and don't have plans for when things might go wrong.  So, when it comes to students, we must learn sometimes we just need to simply walk with them instead of making them go alone.  By reflecting on our practices, we can think about better ways to address possible challenges.  As my old boss loved to say:  If you can predict it, you can prevent it.

As a mixtape artist, we always realize that each song has a special meaning to it.  In the case of my son, I realize that he is own special limited LP.  Many times, we come to find that our own students are struggling with issues that we may or may not know.  As is the case with my son, I have to always ask myself, How can I be more pro-active and impactful for what my son needs?  Every act a student does is about an opportunity for education.  When they act out, let's approach students from the mindset that they are in actuality seeking help.  Being a child of the 80s, my favorite artist of all time is Michael Jackson.  His music means everything to me.  My daughter recently became a convert (actually, I made her listen).  She loves all his songs, but when she listens to Man in the Mirror, she absolutely gets lost in the message.  She explained it to me so simply, Isn't this just about people being better?  My question for you is this:  When you reflect on the past school year, how could you have shown up better for your students?  In other words, How are students better because of what you do?

Have a great summer and make that vacation soundtrack memorable.

Track 5: Unwritten/In My Life

Summertime and the living's easy...

School's out for summer and I hope that all of us engage in opportunities to pursue our passions and interests.  I know when I was teaching (and was young and had no kids or a dog), I couldn't wait to travel.  Traveling gave me a strong sense of connection in this world.  I loved meeting new people and seeing amazing sites.  Traveling always gave me a steady belief that the world is mostly beautiful and that people really are people for the most part.  We have have the same hopes and dreams.  I remember one summer traveling through Mexico and meeting some students on a bus.  My Spanish was poor, but I could see that they were practicing English.  We spent the whole bus ride teaching each other.  It was amazing.  And it dawned on me, I am always in teacher mode!  I think it is the curse of teaching.  I am always thinking about ways to engage in teaching and learning.  I remember friends even telling me to stop using my teacher voice when we were having conversations.  I do not have the best advice for turning off the educator voice in our heads, but I wanted to share a story about the need to recharge our batteries and reflection!

Traveling is tiring and can be expensive.  When I was in my twenties, I would strap on my 60 pound backpack and show up in whatever countries were on my list for that summer.  Most of the time, I traveled by myself.  Usually, my best friends that summer were books.  It was exhausting at times carrying that backpack through cities and mountains.  It was exhausting always having to watch my backpack.  It was exhausting sleeping on cramped busses and quarters.  And it was worth it.  When I climbed to top of a pyramid in Mexico or walked the Great Wall of China or saw the amazing Iguacu Falls, my backpack felt light as a feather.  The journey was everything to me.  Of course, as I got older, I started booking traveling tours.  I used to wonder why until I tried to backpack through Europe with my then fiance and realized that my mind said yes, but my back said, "Oh hell to the no no!"  The one thing that I enjoyed the most though were those still moments on a train or in a site, where you just had a moment to reflect on how awesome this moment is.

I try to leave teaching behind, but it won't leave me alone!  So, I embrace it. I am a life-long learner and I revere summer as an opportunity to both recharge and reflect.  I might take some professional development course, but mostly, I try to use my break to rest and think, How I can become my next best self as an educator?  I love when the creativity flows and I see better versions of what I can be. Sometimes, I will listen to a podcast or watch Ted Talks like this one...

I look for inspiration in my time off from the education world.  As you spend your time pursing your passions and spending time with loved ones, I hope you envision what you want to become next in your education career.  I hope you aspire to be forever young in your thinking and forever wise in how you grow.  Our students need to see us as learners well.  And most importantly, don't forget that you make a big difference in the lives of young people.

I remember seeing Natasha Bedingfield with Maroon Five many years ago and she had a great song that captured the essence of growth and reflection in my opinion.  It's called Unwritten and she boldly states:

I am unwritten, can't read my mind,  I am undefined

I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

I think this song captures the true essence of summer break and reflection.  We have the power to keep redefining ourselves.  We are all the authors of our lives!  But, if there is one song that always gets me in a reflective mood, it's In My Life by the Beatles. It always seems to recalibrate my compass on what is most important in my life.

 Have a great break and I hope your soul is fed.

Track 4: Runaway Train

The mixtape game has been strong of late.  I have seen it in various shows such as 13 Reasons Why and The Get Down (yes, I love Netflix and I am trying to see if I can just get rid of cable... I just can't quit you cable).   One of the powers of the mixtape is to bring together songs that breathe life into our daily routines.  I remember playing my mixtapes everyday before practice or a big event where I needed inspiration (again, I had no game with my love interests, so it was usually relegated to sports).  The mixtape always provided familiarity.  I could always anticipate the next songs just after a few bars or even a few notes.  There was always a comfort level that calmed me.   I have found that when we give the mixtape to others, we also find new ways to connect.  Others get to peek into your life and interests.  There is a new connection that you build that allows for a deeper understanding of one another.  I wish there was a way that all of our assignments as educators was met like a mixtape.  I do believe, however, the next best thing we can do is to understand those we serve.  Empathy, in my opinion, is the key to creating powerful learning experiences and opportunities for students to engage with you and the lesson.  Whatever your job might be in education, I believe it is critical to our success that we understand what it's like to be a teacher, student and community member.

Two weeks ago, I started my empathy project.  I try to do this every year that I am in education.  I might do home visits or in this case, I go undercover as a student.  With a quick shave of the goatee and the purchase of navy blue khakis, I was able to blend in as a student and spend a day with them.  My goal was to see the world through their eyes.  Some students started to think I was actually the assistant principal, but I was able to distract them and blend in seamlessly as an ELD student.  My plan was working.  My schedule looked like this:

1st Period: Science 1
2nd Period:  ELD 1/2
3rd Period: PE
4th Period: Spanish
5th Period:  Math
6th Period:  World Cultures

The first thing I noticed, regardless of class, was that routines are important to students!  Our teachers chunked ideas throughout the class and consistently checked for understanding.  I was relieved to have a set of routines much like the mixtape.  I could predict what was coming.  The other item I noticed right away was the need for structured student interaction.  There was an element in each class that allowed me to collaborate with others.  I found Spanish to be challenging as I was trying to pretend to be an ELD student in a new language.  Now, I know some Spanish, but it was muy dificil when my teacher called on me.  I was actually nervous!  I can't imagine what a newcomer must feel like on a consistent basis.  I appreciated so much how our ELD teacher and our other teachers supported the students by giving think time.  I knew I would be in trouble in PE.  Back in my day, we mostly played sports for PE. Today would be different and my abs would never be the same.  We actually had a series of workouts.  I kept thinking, Slow down P90X woman!  No relief in sight.  I made it through the class and I found a new appreciation for PE!  Those students are held to high standards!  My abs can attest to that!  That's the mixtape effect.  I had a chance to connect with the teachers and now I feel that I have a better understanding of what the students and teachers feel everyday.  I never want to lose my connection as a teacher.  In addition, I decided that I would be a teacher for a period and I took the same PD (Wilda Storm Vocabulary) that several teachers were taking.  I volunteered to teach a class and be coached by Wilda and observed by several teachers.  Let me tell you something... Was teaching always this tiring?  My head was spinning several time thinking about transitions, checking for understanding, etc. I enjoyed being coached up and seeing how difficult change can be.  I connected with my teachers and I felt that I was a series of B sides on some hit songs.  Good stuff, but not necessarily radio material.  I need to get into the classroom more and practice my craft as a teacher.

I truly appreciated being a teacher and student for my empathy project.  I highly recommend that everyone consider it.  If you are a teacher, be an administrator or counselor for day.  If you are a classified member, try being a parent for a day.  There are so many opportunities to better understand those we serve.  I would argue that empathy is the most important skill we need to create powerful learning experiences from both the perspective of the teacher and the student.

When I was in high school and when I taught high school, I met many students who lived with many challenging situations.  I marveled at how they made it through life.  If you have ever done a home visit or visit a student in juvenile hall, you soon realize the power of empathy.  This song gave me the chills when I heard it and taught it.  It's called Runaway Train by Soul Asylum and it captures the power of empathy and the hidden struggles of many students.  When you know your kids, you can reach 'em.  And once you reach 'em, you can eventually teach 'em.

And the other song, of course, is Everybody Hurts by REM.

This song really made me think as a high school kid about other people.  Made me take the focus off myself and try to understand others.  When I taught To Kill a Mockingbird, I always loved what Atticus said to his daughter Scout about understanding others:  If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.  

So, let's climb into the skins of those we work with.

Track 3: Changes

I just spent the last month observing and working with some incredibly talented educators.  In each case, they were innovative practitioners using a wide variety of strategies to engage students.  I was fortunate to be  a speaker for the Achievement Gap Task Force presentation in San Diego.  We had a number of great speakers and presenters at the conference who were amazing.    I was especially inspired by the keynote speech presented by George Couros.  If you have not have heard of the Innovator's Mindset, I highly encourage you check it out.  It's chockfull of ideas that will stretch your ideas around teaching, learning, and leadership.  One nugget of wisdom that I took from Couros' presentation was his conversation piece around the topic of change.  It seems as though the field of education has not done a great job keeping up with the sweeping changes of progress.  Public education has remained largely the same since its early inception in the US.  George went on to tell us about students having more choices than ever for their education (charters, homeschooling, etc.).   We need to provide a more robust teaching experience for our students.  Mark Twain once quipped: "Don't let school get in the way of your education."  Twain's sarcasm speaks to the challenge of relevancy.  What I appreciated most of George's message was a simple call to action to make learning a joyful process.  I love this video that he shared of what true discovery learning resembles.

I wish every moment for students could resemble this little girl's experience with rain, but we can at least strive to provide our students with opportunities to construct their own learning experiences and projects.  One way to do this is to unleash creativity.  I enjoy reading Matt Miller's Blog about technology and Teach Like a Pirate's Dave Burgess' approaches to bring innovation to teaching. Check them out!

The big question about education by students will always be, How can I use this?  I think it's our job to look at education from the perspective of the user and always construct our lessons so that this question guides us.  How can we add rigor and relevance so that our students see the need for a strong educational experience.  I have heard that the goal of education should be to provide students with powerful learning experiences that prompts students to see their world in a number of different ways. I think Couros, Miller and Burgess' conversation about innovation can be a strong discussion point about creating these powerful learning experiences.   James Brown had a unique (albeit a little bit melodramatic) view about education in his funky jam, "Don't be a Dropout."

As we reflect on the state of education, I always think about music and how it consistently changes and reinvents itself.  As I am old school to the core,  I laugh at how I sometimes judge the kids' music today.  I give them such a hard time.  It is like that for many people.  We get attached to what we know.  So, let's embrace what David Bowie says in "Changes" and pass the baton to tomorrow's creative opportunities.  Like music, we as educators need to adapt and appreciate the new sound even if it does not match up to what we think "good music" should be.  Okay... I do have to admit that rap from the late 80s and early 90s is still the best.  That is all.