Sunday, October 5, 2014

Assumptions

Update for Oct 6 -10



During my junior year in college, I took a class on the history of U.S. diplomacy. Now, I am sure the title alone causes your eyes to glaze over, but it was an exciting course for me.  I enjoyed the discussions we had about the factors that caused major events in our country’s history and it was one of my favorite courses during college.  
The final exam for the course was to write a paper that argued a certain perspective on U.S. diplomatic history. I had drafted the paper, made my revisions and on the night before the paper was due, I started typing on my roommate’s laptop. Near the end, a major fail happened. It was a fail that is so cliche that I should have predicted it would happen.
The laptop went completely dead.
All of my work was gone.  I had nothing to turn in for the final exam.
I looked at the clock.  It was past midnight. What was I going to do? I felt anger, despair, anxiety, and nausea all within 5 minutes.


I decided that I needed to find another computer and try to write my argument from memory. I went to one of the 24-hour computer labs on campus and spent the next 5 hours trying to recall my line of thinking.  By the start of class, I had my paper written.  
I was tired; so tired I was jumpy and disoriented, but the paper was done. At the start of class, I went up to my professor to hand in the paper.  I knew that I should have said something to him like, “My laptop crashed on me last night. This isn’t my best work.  Could I (get some sleep and) have an extra day?”
Instead I just turned and walked away.
To my dismay, I got a C on the paper.  Too many mistakes and the line of thinking wasn’t clear. Both of those issues would have been resolved if I had asked for more time.
The problem was I didn’t want to bother the professor with my problem.  It wasn’t his fault the laptop crashed. Why would I deserve to have more time? Instead of just talking to my professor, I assumed he didn’t want to be bothered. He had never given me or any of the other students any indication that he didn’t want to help us. In fact, he made it quite clear he wanted to help.
But I still assumed that he didn’t want to be bothered.
I bring this story up because I am finding myself on the other side of that situation. I am getting this sense that others see me as unapproachable or someone that can’t be bothered. I’m not quite sure what to make of it yet. Maybe it’s because we are still getting to know each other as principal and staff. Or maybe I am just assuming everyone knows that I am willing to help.
So I want to take this opportunity to share with you, in print, that I am here for you.
I am here to listen, to help, to celebrate, to encourage, and to support you.  The work we do together for kids is so important that I want to do whatever I can to make that work excellent for every second of the day.
So if you are having a problem or you are worried about something, please let me know. Call me at 3:00am, I will answer.  If you want to meet me at 6:00am, I will be there.


Just know that I am here to lead and I am here to serve.

Upcoming Dates --
Tue Oct 7, 2014
3rd Grade Fall Reading OAA --
The assessment will take place in the morning, but some students may be working on the assessment throughout the day. Please help provide a quiet learning environment on this day.
  
8am - 9am Building Improvement Team mtg -- Team members - Please be ready to share examples of PBIS in other buildings (A Google search will provide many examples).  We will be working on finalizing the "matrix".  Thanks!
Fri Oct 10, 2014   
9:30-11:00am Kids’ EdCamp!
Mon Oct 13, 2014   
3:35-4:20 ADE/DCR Staff Meeting at ADE
6:30pm - 7pm PTO Executive Mtg
7pm - 8pm PTO General Mtg
Thu Oct 16, 2014   
Spirit Day

Fri Oct 17, 2014

Central Ohio In-Service Day - No School for Students
Wed Oct 22, 2014
3:35-4:20 ADE/DCR Staff Meeting at ADE
Mon Oct 27, 2014
Yearbook Art Contest Begins (Ends Nov 7)
Tue Oct 28, 2014
Fall Concert at Bradley High School
Thu Oct 30, 2014
5:30pm - 6:30pm Market Day
Fri Oct 31, 2014
Halloween
Tue Nov 4, 2014
Waiver Day - Half-Day Meeting at DCR
Fri Nov 7, 2014
Newsletter Home
Yearbook Art Contest Ends
8am - 9am Building Advisory Committee Meeting

Articles Worth Reading
“But why aren’t you hysterical?” by Seth Godin
The EdCamp Mindset - How An “Unconference” Can Yield An “Unclass” http://theasideblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-edcamp-mindset-how-unconference-can.html

Videos Worth Watching

EdCamp? Hope not…

The flipped household…

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)