The Best thing I do...in my work

As part of the #EduStory, I am writing about "What is the best thing you do in your classroom/school/district/job? from @MsVictoriaOlson".

This is a very good question, but to be fair, I need to explain my job first.  I have a terrific job.  I am the CIO (Chief Information Officer), Director of Technology, and a district level administrator involved in many projects across the district, some pertaining to technology, some pertaining to instruction.  Each and every day is unique.  Some days, I work with teachers implementing new technology such as iPads, or Google Classroom, while on other days, I work with building administrators as they decipher and decode data from standardized assessments such as NWEA's MAP assessments

I recently blogged about the way to get from "I can't" to "I will try" and also here, as I experienced a group of teachers willing to try something new to solve a problem they were facing.  In that case, we used Google Classroom as a way to solve their publishing issues.  I went to their school several times last week to check on their progress.  The first day I went, each teacher spent time to show students how to log into their Google accounts, then to join their classrooms.  I enjoyed being there as the "tech support".  

I returned a couple of days later to see how much of their persuasive essays were completed and to see how things were going.  

I also look at this #Edustory a little bit differently than it is presented in the question.  I don't just do things at work.  I "get to" do things.  There is an important distinction in the mindset of how you think about the things that you do on a regular basis.  Here was a recent blog post on that distinction.

This became the best thing I get to do by far.  Before I became a school and district administrator, I was a classroom teacher.  Each and every day, I would be reminded of the amazing things that I got to do, most notably, share my passion for science with my students so that they left my class each day with a piece of me.  As a school and district administrator, those moments of satisfaction, knowing that you have made a difference in someone's life become more distant and less likely.  Working with the teachers and students on the Google Classroom, allowed me to walk away knowing that I was making a difference.

I know that each teacher now has a new skill and tool to use with their students.  I also know that the students can be engaged in their writing like never before.  It was a pleasure seeing them engaged in writing and so excited to use a tool like Google.  I left that building with a big smile.  I will return again this week to see how they have progressed.  This coming week, each student will share his/her writing with a partner.  They will then share comments, feedback and suggestions to each other.  I cannot wait to talk to them about this process.  

Next up...working with 7th grade teachers using Google Classroom in the same way.  I hope they will embrace it the same way...fingers crossed.


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We are Going Google Are you?

Yesterday, my colleague and I introduced Google Drive to the faculty of our middle school.  I know it will be a difficult hill to climb to get our teachers out of their comfort zone to use something that is so unfamiliar.  However, I started the introduction with 2 ideas.

The first idea was that using Google Drive is to their current structures as digital music is to 8 Track tapes.  The current model, probably common in many places includes logging into the network through a client (in our case it is Novell), then using network shares to access and store files with limited ability to share with colleagues across the district.  Going Google allows our teachers much more flexibility. (more about that below)

The second idea was that our teachers need some assistance and we will be there for them each step of the way.  I used the following video as a way to get them in a good mood:

I know that change is difficult, and is usually avoided. I wrote about that in 3 separate posts:  the Pessimist, the distracted, and the procrastinator.  I know deep down that teachers will embrace going Google, once they realize its potential.  I decided that I would speak to some of those potentials here:

1.  Going Google allows teachers access to their work anytime, from any device.  Whether they are a traveling teacher who teaches in 3 separate rooms, or the teacher like many people in the world that uses 4 different devices to access information such as a phone, tablet, laptop and desktop, going Google will help everyone access work from any device.

2.  Use of the "Drive" and a smartphone as a scanner to display work on their smartboards.  Every teacher in our district has a smartboard in their classroom.  They all want scanners.  Scanners can now be replaced with the technology they already have.  All they need to do is snap a picture of the document, and send it to their "Drive" and then display it on their smartboard.

3.  Collaboration has never been easier than with Google.  Sharing a Google doc with multiple colleagues as they work on a common assessment or curriculum plan is one click away.  They can even limit the collaboration to comments only.

4.   Auto Save.  No more "File Save as", "Ctrl-S" and certainly no more...."oh no! the computer crashed and I forgot to save"

5.  Google for Education gives them unlimited storage.  Wow...unlimited storage?  Yes, Unlimited storage.

6.  Google Classroom is a tremendous resource for teachers.  I just introduced it to our 4th grade teachers and posted a short blog on it here and here. 

There are many more reasons that going Google is the way of the future.  The more they use it, the more they are going to love it.  I am going to my first Google Summit the weekend of March 14, 15 in NJ.  I cannot wait to learn more and share it with my colleagues.


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How to get from "I Can't" to "I will try"

How to get from "I Can't" to "I will try"

In the world, there exists two groups of people...people that say, "I can't" and people that say, "I'll try".  Plain and simple, there is nothing else.  

Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”  Like other topics I have posted about, this is no different.  It all boils down to confidence and a belief in yourself.
My posts on being scared, being a non-believer, and  believing in yourself, all talk about a mindset.

New and different things are scary to people.  Technology is no different.  I hear excuses all the time:

• This just won't work.
• It is too hard.
• I'm not comfortable with change.
• I don't have time to learn something new.

It takes a tremendous amount of energy to make excuses and not try, but it only takes a small effort to try something new.  

Here is a nice approach to trying something new for 30 days, TED talk by Matt Cutts.  The approach is quite simple.  Try something out each day for 30 days.  At the end of 30 days, you can then make a decision about how useful that approach is.

Today, I watched teachers willing to try by using Google Classroom.  They had the right attitude.  They were willing to try, even though it was new and different.  They introduced it to their students, and modeled how to access a Google Doc and publish their writing.  In the next few days, they will introduce students to sharing their work, asking for feedback, providing feedback to a peer and communicating through the Google Doc with their teacher.  

Here is link to a nice resource on how you can try new things.  

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things

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My favorite teacher...and how I was influenced

I came from a small town in a suburb of New York City.   It was the kind of small town where everyone knew your story.  They seemed to know everything about you, who you were, and who they thought you could be.  That in itself could be a whole blog post, but I will save that for another day.  Back to my story...I came from a small town.  The town was so small that the High School and the Junior High School were in the same building and many of the teachers taught all the way through.  It was a good thing, and it was a bad thing.  I had the same English teacher 4 times, the same math teacher 3 times and the same science teacher twice.

My favorite teacher was Mr. Reuth.  He was my Biology teacher in grade 9 and my AP Biology teacher in grade 12.  Thinking back on those years, I would imagine that he was a fairly young and inexperienced teacher when I was in 9th grade.  I can remember some of those "out of control" days when a few of my classmates would get him sidetracked and off topic and he would tell us weird, but funny stories.  I guess they connected to science, like the story of the cadaver that burped in the morgue.  I guess that was funny to a bunch of fourteen year olds.  I even used some of his stories in my early teaching days as a "hook" to engage my students.

Why was Mr. Reuth my favorite teacher?  That is a good question.  If you read a recent post, you would know that I did not have much confidence in myself growing up.  Mr. Reuth helped me gain my confidence.  He gave me my passion for science.  I should say, he unleashed it, since I believe that I always had the passion.  He never gave us the answers to our questions.  The best part about his class and his style of teaching was his ability to make me think.  I liked that.  It became a challenge every single day.  It encouraged me to study, to read, to question  the world and that continued from 9th grade through my senior year.  In my senior year, in AP Biology, I believed that I wanted to learn more about biological sciences, so much that it became my major in college.  I can remember almost every lesson, every dissection, every story...even the ones that made no sense like when he got his car stuck somewhere with his wife.  I remember that story because he had a Dodge Dart...not the cool one...the 1970's Dodge Dart.  We occasionally poked fun at him about it, but in a nice way, in a "cool" way.

His influence inspired me to later become a teacher, because I learned early on in my college days, that I was better suited to be a teacher, than a doctor.  (Another post - I better keep a list of future blog post ideas somewhere)  Mr. Reuth inspired me to share my passion for science as a teacher, because that is what he did.  When we entered his classroom, he had a smile on his face from ear to ear, because he had the privilege of inspiring our passion for science like his own.  He got it.  He wasn't the "sage on the stage".  I certainly knew that he loved talking about science, teaching science, asking questions and seeing the look in our eyes when we all "got it".  Those are the feelings that I tried to inspire when I was a teacher.  I wanted my students to share in the love of science.  I wanted them to find the awe in it like I did.  I wanted them to wonder about the world, and seek out the answers.  That was his legacy to me...inspire a new generation of students who want to learn about the world, not because there is a test, but because they just want to know.


This post was inspired by @AppEducationFox

  in the #YourEdustory Challenge 2015
  
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I believe in myself, do you?

It has taken over forty years, but I finally believe in myself.  In a nutshell, I have been told over and over, time and again, that I would not succeed, but in the end, the only thing that matters is that I now know I will succeed.

I wrote in a previous post about the "non-believer", the person who lacks the confidence to be successful.  What I forgot to discuss is how we get to that point.  I am a perfect example of someone who lacked confidence and I certainly lacked a belief in myself.  We aren't born that way.  We are born with a certain confidence, maybe even a cockiness, or perhaps it's a lack of fear.  In any event, children are born with trust and a desire for independence.  Independence in itself requires confidence, otherwise we all would be by our mother's side for our entire lives.

So here is my story...at least what I can remember...

When I was five I can remember being teased by kids in my school for the way I looked.  It made me feel bad, because I thought I was good looking...until that day.  I no longer believed in myself as a "looker", no matter how many times my grandmother squeezed my cheeks, "Oh how cute...my boobala!", she would exclaim as she squeezed my cheeks until they hurt.  No matter this expression of love from my grandmother, the words of my peers echoed.  I did not believe in myself.  Would you?

When I was eight, I remember singing in the class chorus.  The music teacher stopped the entire chorus and asked us each to sing the song as she listened really closely and walked around.  She then got close to me as we continued to sing.  What was I doing wrong, I thought to myself?  At that instant, she stopped the chorus, looked right at me, told me that I sounded really out of tune and placed me in the back of the chorus.  Now, this was over 30 years ago and I am sure the details are off a bit, but that was my perception.  I thought I was a great singer.  I loved to sing in the car with my mom, at the dinner table with family and friends and of course, in the shower...and up until now, nobody told me I was anything but good.  Now that my teacher told me I was bad, I believed it.  I never wanted to sing again.  Would you?

A few years later, as a 90 pound 9th grader, I tried out for the wrestling team. "You're not going to make the team!" someone said as I tried out at the first practice.  Well, I did make the team, but not because I was good.  I made the team because I was the only 90 pounder trying out and they needed a lightweight on Varsity.  It was good, but it was bad.  As I lost any belief in who I was, I lost almost every match.  I can remember my coach telling me, at least we didn't forfeit the weight class, as that was actually worse than me losing a match.  I didn't believe in myself.  Would you?

When I decided to apply for colleges, I went to my guidance counselor and told him that I wanted to apply to Columbia, Cornell and Northwestern.  Now, I had the grades.  I had a 97% unweighted average.  I was enrolled in 5 AP classes.  What he then told me, shocked me.  He told me that those schools were way out of my league, that I wouldn't get in.  I could apply there, but I better have some backups.  I didn't believe in myself.  Would you?

I did get in to Cornell, I was on the waiting list for Columbia and Northwestern, but I decided to go to Syracuse University.  There I studied to be a teacher, and graduated with Honors. Here is where my story turns.  I became a teacher.  As a teacher, I learned to hide my insecurities and my lack of confidence.  Actually, my confidence began to grow as I learned how to teach.  I no longer had to hide my insecurity, or my lack of confidence, because there were none.  I finally believed in myself.  I knew I had the skills to be a good teacher and that I could make a difference in someone's life.

So the story doesn't end there.  After teaching for 10 years, I wanted to be a school administrator.  I interviewed in 20 different districts and I consistently heard, "You just don't have what we are looking for."  That stung each and every time.  I resorted back to my younger life when I lacked confidence.  Again, I didn't believe in myself.  Would you?

I finally landed a job I was looking for as a department chairperson when someone took a chance because she believed in me.  I then moved on to be an Assistant Principal, when the Principal I met believed in me.  I then moved on to the position I currently have because there are many people around me that believed in me.  With everything I have been through in my forty years, I now fully believe in myself, but it didn't happen on its own.  It began to happen when I decided to believe in who I was and what I stood for.  It changed when I learned to have a passion and work hard to achieve goals for my students.  I no longer need the pat on the back, or the words of encouragement from my bosses.  I know I am successful.  I know I can be more successful.  I know I make a difference.  I believe in myself, so should you.

 
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Changing a Culture - Digital Age Learning Culture

According to the ISTE Standards for School Administrators: Standard # 2

Digital age learning culture
Educational Administrators create, promote, and sustain a dynamic, digital-age learning culture that provides a rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students.     

• Ensure instructional innovation focused on continuous improvement of digital-age learning 
• Model and promote the frequent and effective use of technology for learning
• Provide learner-centered environments equipped with technology and learning resources to meet the individual, diverse needs of all learners
• Ensure effective practice in the study of technology and its infusion across the curriculum 
• Promote and participate in local, national, and global learning communities that stimulate innovation, creativity, and digital age collaboration

As the CIO and Director of Technology I make it a priority to continue to push my colleagues towards this end.  I feel that it is my responsibility to provide learning experiences for them and give them the resources that they need.  However, I should not take this challenge on all by myself.  There comes a point when everyone in the organization, including teachers and administrators must take it upon themselves to seek out new ways to utilize technology to improve and enhance instruction.

"How can technology be used in an effective manner to improve instruction?"  This question has been asked of me many times over the past year.  Here is the way I answer it...

Everything that we do when it comes to incorporating or infusing technology starts with instruction and pedagogy.  Good pedagogical practices must be in place for technology to even be incorporated.  Without sound instructional practices, technology is a waste of time and money.

Modeling and promoting the frequent and effective use of technology for learning is essential by all stakeholders in the school community.  Principals, assistant principals, directors, supervisors, and teachers all must model innovative practice.

Here is a question for us all to think about.  How do we successfully engage our administrator colleagues in this practice?  By getting all of us to engage in modeling and promoting the use of technology for learning, it will bleed successfully into the instructional program.  But how can this be done?  Do we model it ourselves and hope that other administrators follow suit?  The question is which to change first...the belief that it is important enough to infuse technology, or the structure to allow it to happen on its own?  Feel free to comment.

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Being Inspired by the willingness to try something new

In my day to day job duties, I often walk the buildings I work in talking with teachers about their existing technology.  Quite often, teachers tend to tell me what is wrong or not working.  I don't blame them, actually, I encourage that.  I want to know when something isn't working...I guess because I am a problem solver, or fixer.  As I walked around today, I came across a teacher with a different approach.

This conversation started out the same as the many others I had during this particular walk.  She started to tell me how difficult it was to have students use the laptops we had because they were not allowing students to save to the network.  We've been having this problem ever since we purchased these macbooks and updated them to the newest OS (We never updated the scripts in binding them to the network).  Anyway, back to the story...she also told me how her students couldn't type their entire stories in one sitting and since they had no way of saving, she was not sure how they would "publish" their writing.

So here I was...many ideas racing in my head, you know, since I'm a problem solver.  The first idea that popped out involved using Google Docs.  Since students could access the internet from any laptop we had, they could then create and write their stories in google, which saves automatically.  My ideas kept spewing.  Students could also partner with "writing buddies" to provide feedback in the form of "comments" and the teacher could set up a google classroom so that her students could submit their writing to her...again for feedback.

Now,  as I was saying all this, I was trying to read the expression of this teacher.  Was she going to accept my suggestions and "try" this idea?  Was she going to tell me 15 different reasons why it wouldn't work?  Was she going to just tell me that she was going to give up and just have her students do their writing like they always had done before?  Nope.  Not this teacher.

To my amazement and glee, this teacher was so happy and excited to be trying something new that we talked for another 10 minutes discussing how we could get the ball rolling on this new idea.  Embracing challenges like trying something new could be difficult because in many ways, it can be scary.  This teacher, like many we have in my district knows the importance of trying something new and embracing this "brave new world" of technology.

It inspired me today to work with this teacher and the many others that I get to work with on a daily basis.  I wrote a previous post on the difference between doing things that we "have to do", and doing things we "get to do".  Today, I got to briefly work with an inspiring teacher.  I'm so glad that I get to do these kinds of things.


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Rethinking existing technology

I have been meeting with teachers over the past few weeks to discuss the implementation of iPads in their classrooms.  As I always do, I start each meeting asking how things are going...how is the wifi in each room, and anything else tech related.  I want to give teachers a platform to vent, ask questions and share with me both frustration and confusion.

The responses often start out, "Things are ok, but..."  Being a problem solver, I love to entertain these statements.  Tell me what could be better, tell me what isn't working and we can work together to fix it.  So, recently what keeps coming up is that teachers have these scanners that we purchased a few years ago.  They love these scanners.  They use them all the time.  They scan student work, they scan assessments, they scan pages of a book to show on their smartboards.  They seem to scan everything.  Now that we are fully Windows 7, many of the scanners don't work.  We actually knew this was going to happen.  It happened years ago with our printers when we moved from Windows 95 to Windows XP.  Drivers just aren't updated as often.  I guess it's a reason to keep on purchasing new scanners.

So I came up with a very good solution.  We don't really need to buy new scanners.  I told the teachers with the 5 ipads in their classrooms, they now have 5 new scanners.  They said, "What?  Really?"  Yes, really.  There are many ways to use iPads or any smartphone as a scanner and make it relevant to instruction.  Here is one easy solution:

 Google Drive - Install google drive on iPad

• Once installed, you can open the app, click on +
• There you can use the camera to snap a photo (scan)
• It will automatically appear in your google drive to access from any computer.  If you have a computer connected to your smartboard, you can then open the document there and present it for all to see.

 In fact, any classroom can do this even without an expensive ipad.  All you need is a smartphone.  You can follow the steps above and have your scanner.

Today, technology is changing so rapidly.  Very often, where there used to be a device to do something unique and specific, today there is an app.  Think of all the devices that are contained in one smartphone:

1. Scanner
2. Phone
3. Computer
4. Fax
5. Movie player
6. Music Player
7. Clock
8. Alarm
9. Calculator
10. Video game player
11. Camera
12. Video Camera
13. Calendar
14. Photo Album
15. Flashlight
16. Compass
17. GPS/Navigator
18. Address Book

Plus many, many more.  See link:  99 Devices and Services your smartphone replaces

The important lesson here is to be able to know what you want to accomplish and use the resources of what you have to get it done.  It doesn't always mean spending more money on new technology.  Sometimes the technology is already there and doesn't cost anything.


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Why Blog?

Why Blog?  This is a question that I have been asked numerous times over the past month as I have been inviting others to blog with me.  I have read many articles, books and other blogs on the topic and have come to the conclusion that I should be blogging...and from a previous post...it is not because I "have to", rather it is because I "get to" share my experiences and knowledge with whomever wants to read it.

Here are the two main resources I used to "convince" others to blog with me:

1.  http://drspikecook.com/2012/09/30/why-i-keep-blogging/

2.  http://pernillesripp.com/2014/12/21/a-few-nontraditional-tips-for-starting-your-own-blogging-journey/

I also recommend Eric Sheninger's book, "Digital Leadership".  You can follow these three leaders:  @DrSpikeCook   @E_Sheninger  @pernilleripp

So here is my take on why I blog:

I blog to share my experiences and my knowledge with others.  I don't know everything and I certainly have many more questions than answers, but I enjoy putting my thoughts on paper...or in this case, on the internet.  I also need the space to think through what it means to be a learner in this day and time.  Blogging helps me think through the questions, the thoughts, the possibilities, the ideas, and the "what ifs" without any judgements.  

Another main reason to blog is to open up doors that may not have been open before.  Blogging allows me to make connections to my PLN through twitter or through the Google + network.  While it is still early in its development (my blog), I am certain that it will pay huge dividends in the future.  Isn't this what we want in our students?  Don't we want all kids to be lifelong learners, to read each and everyday, to write down their goals, their passions, their ideas?  Don't we want to keep our eyes, ears and our minds open?  That is why i blog.

We all may not agree on why, or even how...but regardless, we should continue to do, to continue to write, read, ask questions, post comments, push each other to being better tomorrow than we are today.  This will not only selfishly benefit ourselves, more importantly, it benefits our students...and isn't that the reason we are in this business.

If one teacher is changed by even one word of my blog and goes out and changes one thing that improves the life of one student, then I am successful.

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Too scared? Just jump right in!

From Lolly Daskal's 13 Personality Traits that can keep you from success, "The frightened lacks the courage to jump in, to feel the fear and do it anyway. Fear of doing is another way of fearing success."

There are many things in life that will keep you from your own success.  One thing that shouldn't is a fear of failure.  As Babe Ruth once said, "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."  At some point, we all fail, however, it is what we do after we fail that makes all the difference in the world.

In education, either as teachers or as administrators, we are constantly asked to make decisions.  A fear of failure is an easy way out of making difficult decisions.  Many even are seen as thoughtful, pensive, cerebral, and deliberate, while in fact they are scared to make a final decision.  I know decision making is difficult and needs thought and time, but it can also be a way to enable the fear of failure. 

Education is a tough business that is constantly changing.  We must work each and every day to adjust based on the needs of students that are in front of us.  If we continue to teach them the way we learned, we will be making a huge mistake.  Change is frightening, but change is inevitable.

The best way to overcome your fear is having a purpose and mission.  If you identify the reason you need to do something, you are more likely to overcome any fear or anxiety and accomplish that goal.  My professional purpose is to insure that all students have the best education possible.  This mission will help me overcome any of my fears including the fear of failing and the fear of change.

Good luck overcoming your fears...don't be a scaredy cat.

My post connects nicely to Pernille Ripp's Post:  Be careful but don’t be so careful that you do not change.  That is my wish for 2015.



Resources:

Turn into the Storm via @Leadershipfreak
Be Careful via @pernilleripp


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Are you a "non-believer"?

From Lolly Daskal's 13 Personality Traits that can keep you from success, "The nonbeliever isn't built for faith, and can never see the possibility of his or her own success--another self-fulfilling prophecy."

As a big baseball fan, I am always in awe of the successful major league player.  When interviewed about their success, most highly successful players will tell you that they can see their success happen before it actually does.  Whether it is seeing a vision of themselves throwing strikes or hitting a ball, they have an idea of what their success looks like.  It is a confidence in what they can accomplish. It is also a confidence in their growth and success over time.  Many of these highly skilled and highly successful professionals knew at an early age that they were destined to be successful. 

In education, like any business, we have to imagine what success looks like before we can achieve it.  We need to believe in ourselves, our colleagues, and the system as a whole in order for us to get things done. Confidence can be a tricky thing.  Too much confidence can be seen as "cocky" behavior and can deter others from leading with us or following our lead.  It can also prevent us from seeing the big picture...(Seeing the forest through the trees idea).  Too little confidence can be seen as insecurity, or even as a lack of knowledge.  There is a fine line between too much and not enough confidence.

Identifying what you stand for and how you live your life on a daily basis is the place to start.  In my case, I am an educator that believes wholeheartedly that all students can be successful.  This success can only be achieved if the system is set up for their success.  That is where educators come in.  An organization must do everything in its power to insure the success of all students.  As an administrator, I must believe that I have the ability to influence the system to enable it to do what it needs to for every student.  My purpose each day is to continue to believe in that ideal.

I am also a fan of @leadershipfreak and the many blog posts Here.

12 Ways to find your Confidence:

Finding confidence:

1. Reflect on and embrace your beliefs.
2. Reject cocky behaviors. When you feel like pushing others away, pull in, for example.
3. Focus on giving more than getting.
4. Accept your strengths and weaknesses.
5. Develop experience.
6. Adopt a learners attitude.
7. Admit mistakes without excuse and commit to improve.
8. Hold your ground, kindly.
9. Separate performance from intrinsic value.
10. Smile.
11. Plan. Develop first responses to unanticipated questions. Say, “I’m not sure of the answer, let me get back to you,” for example.
12. Share insecurities with friends. Bringing insecurities into the light often weakens them.

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What do you "have to do"? Get from "have to" to "get to" in 2015

What do you "have to do"?  Get from "have to" to "get to" in 2015.

I have previously written about how having a positive mindset can change your entire day.  Here I want to share my thoughts about the difference between having to do something and getting to do something.  2 years ago, my son was a bar mitzvah.  During the ceremony, he spoke on the bimah and read from the Torah.  As part of the tradition, I was asked to come to the bimah to share some wisdom with him and the congregation.  For months I planned my speech...what words of wisdom was I going to share at that moment.  I spent a tremendous amount of time trying to find the right words.  One day, when he was complaining about having to practice so much, it all came to me.

When I spoke to my son on the bimah in front of our entire family and all our friends, I spoke of the difference between "have to" and "get to" when it comes to life.  It is a subtle change in mindset to get from "have to" to "get to" and it's all about a positive attitude.  So, for my son, getting up on the bimah to recite from the Torah can be viewed as something extraordinary that many don't get the opportunity to do.  I even looked at the opportunity to get up on the stage with him as a reward for my hard work as a parent, while my wife, who is much more introverted was scared to say anything publicly and looked at the opportunity, not as a gift, but as a chore. 

In life, there are examples of things that we don't want to do, that through the courses of our days we just "have to" do, but almost all can be thought of in a more positive light.  Today, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. to get to work after having 2 weeks vacation.  I could have thought of it as a chore to "have to" wake up so early, to sit in an hour of traffic to get to work.  Instead, I looked at it as an opportunity to make a difference.  Today, I got to wake up early, I got to come to work, and I got to make a difference in someone's life.

While we can all be pessimistic some days, today we can choose to be more positive and live life as if we have this gift...the gift of making a difference in someone's life.  As educators, we get to experience this every single day, we just have to open our eyes to it and allow it to happen.




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