Finding the positive

I'm not going to write a post highlighting the crap of 2016. I don't need to, because we all have our own pains from this year. We don't need this post to rehash more of those feelings that we can simply find in watching a news broadcast or in reading the headlines of any news source. 

So, I want to talk about a highlight of mine that I keep coming back to that needs to be shared. I have the privilege of working as a teacher to over 100 students a year. That means in the last 12 years I've at least touched the lives of 1200 different people. That means there are 1200 individuals with whom I've had the honor to share life experiences. My goal each year is to make those as positive as I can, so that I can do my part in shaping the world in which my family and I live. And I know that I have my good moments when I get the thank you notes, or the after school drop-in visits, or the facebook friend requests to let me know that I'm having the positive influence I strive to have for my students. 

The crazy part is that too often I have focused on my role as a force of positive energy for my students that I failed to open myself to all that I can learn from them. There are so many stories of strength, bravery, and inspiration that run through the lives of my students that in the hecticness of a school setting they don't get to share, because I simply don't give them the opportunity to do so in my math class. 

But on this one day about a month ago, I stopped a student (we'll call him Joe) at the start of class to ask him a question. I had grown curious to understand the story behind his relationship with a student that is part of our intensive resource program. This student has figured out Joe's schedule, and used the passing period to wait for Joe outside my room. My other students all say to the boy using his name, and giving him hi-fives...which is already awesome. But Joe gives the boy a hug each time, and spends a minute talking with him, before making sure he gets back to his class. 

After their exchange this one day, I asked Joe how he knows the student. There are always moments where I'm prepared for an answer, but I didn't see his coming. Our exchagne went as such:

Joe: Mr. Mach, he's good friends with my brother. My brother has down syndrome as well, and he comes over to our house to hang out.

Me: Oh. So, does your brother go here too? 

Joe: No, he will next year. He's in 8th grade now. 

Me: Are you excited to have him here in school with you next year?

Joe: Well.. <hesitating> No. I really don't like what they do here. It actually makes me very upset to see how they treat the students in the program. They are so much better than trash collectors. They're treated like they can't do anything. Sure it's good that they learn life skills. They need those. I know that. But, my brother didn't even know consonants and vowels, Mr. Mach. I taught him those in 15 minutes. He knows the difference now, because of me. Not the schools. They deserve so much better. 

Me: Wow. I really appreciate how passionate you are with this.. are you thinking of pursuing a career in this?

Joe: I know that I could do a better job right now. But, yeah. I really believe in these kids, and I know that I can be a voice for them that they need. 

 The conversation wrapped up shortly after that, and I did all I could to hold in the tears of pride and appreciation I had for Joe in that moment. As I mentioned above, I've worked with so many kids at this point, and I have 5 of my own.. and it's that passion I heard in his voice that all kids deserve from the adults around them. It's that drive for positive improvement I found echoing through all he was saying that pushed me to see that we're all okay. While we want to hear, and believe that the kids these days are not as connected to the world around them, I see examples like the one with Joe that prove that kids these days are just as remarkable as we need them to be. So, I'm ready for 2017 knowing that we will get through all that is thrown at us. 

Please help shine the light on the positive by sharing this uplifting story as well as one from your year. 

Thank you all of being a part of my Teacher Dad world and cheers to a safe, productive, and family centered 2017!  

A teacher and a tie

"I don't trust a teacher in a tie."

This was spoken in my direction from a fellow teacher as I was leaving my school recently. My quick response was, "I know, right? So, untrustworthy." This teacher was walking ahead of me and continued by saying, "I at least recognize you, so it's not your first year." It's at this point that I realized this person was suggesting that I was only in a shirt and tie because I was new to the school. I could feel the resentment to my newness. So, I hit my teaching peer back with, "no, it's my second year here, but my 11th year teaching."

As expected my teaching comrade spun around with a distasteful look, and said, "oh, so you're going to be an admin then, huh?" The disgust and judgement oozed off of every syllable of the question. I answered, "possibly." The reply was, "figures." And that was the extent of the conversation.

When I got to my car I laughed. Having just finished reading this blog post written by a veteran teacher calling out other long time teachers for their lack of leadership, and overall negative approach to the teaching profession, I realized I had just experienced this veteran teacher angst first hand. Sure it stung a little, but I totally get it. Teaching is just f#@$ing hard. I know to the outside world it doesn't look like it is, but when you do it right, it's exhausting to put so much passion and effort into teaching 100+ kiddos a day. Sure we get summers off, and nice holiday breaks, but after 20 years, it takes it's toll.

So then to watch the world around you change, and the social perception of educators change, it has to be so hard to wake up bounding out the door to work with kids that simply need you to motivate them to learn. It becomes easy to cash it in, and just start making it through year to year. You pick your top yearly lessons and hang your hat on the popularity of that single moment in the year. You adjust how it's written to meet the newest content standards that have been passed down to you.

Then you watch as the next crop of young teachers step in with tons of energy, enthusiasm, and "strategies." It's just hard. I totally get it. I'm 11 years into the profession, and I've tried leaving multiple times. I've interviewed for business positions trying to dust off my marketing degree. I'm tired too, but for me I always get called back to wanting to be in the classroom. It totally helps that I'm new to this school, and that over my 11 years teaching I've been in 3 different schools. I've mixed things up, and not allowed my career to be stagnant. My guess is that many of these "grumpy" veteran teachers have been in the same classroom for over 10 years! They need a change, and summers just don't cut it. They need a new class to teach, or a new school, or a new set of responsibilities. Sure that puts more on admins to recognize when a teacher needs that jump start, but it's super necessary.

Because the alternative, is a bunch of veteran teachers picking on people wearing ties.. and that's not cool! My mom gave me that tie! And I look damn good in it! I've been wearing a shirt and tie to teach for all of my years in the profession. I know that most teachers don't, but for me I see it as another way that I demonstrate to my students how seriously I take my job. I want them to know that dressing professionally isn't just for business folk, and that being a professional is something that you can display in looking nice for work.... and my MOM gave it to me! It's a nice tie!

Have you been "bullied" by a grumpy veteran teacher? Tell me about it in the comments below. And what do you think, is the veteran teacher angst just exhaustion from working a tough job for so long?

So.. why not teach?

Shopping for a family of 7 presents many challenges. There's of course the financial aspect of it all:

7 mouths to feed + 5 of the 7 are growing kids + keeping it healthy = big % of paycheck bye-bye

And then there is the logistics of finding the time to do the shopping when I teach, wifey owns a business... oh, and that little fact that we have 5 kids under the age of 10!  

2 working parents + 5 kids + 1 store = extra vino in the cart

Pretty much me.. sans the earbuds! ha!

The final answer to our shopping insanity is to do it late at night after the kids are asleep. This actually isn't too bad for me. Since I do the cooking, it's easy for me to then do the shopping. My wonderful wife gets time to work in her office, or relax, while I load up a podcast and do some shopping! I look at it as great me time. 

I get to meet and/or see a lot of interesting people shopping late at night. Typically, the stores are pretty quiet too, so the people working at the check-out are really bored. Since I always pop my ear buds out when I'm in line, conversation naturally happens. I always ask about school, where they went, what they liked about it, who was their favorite teacher and why? 

This past week, on my run to the store, I found myself in conversation with a college aged kiddo. When it came up that I was a teacher, she smiled and said, "I think I really want to be a 1st grade teacher, but I don't know... Everything about teaching seems so crazy anymore."

And it's true. There are teacher shortages, strikes, student test performance linked evaluations, and the dreaded common core <said in spookiest tone>. All of these are true, actual things that are happening in the world of public education. I hear many teachers having a hard time encouraging others to become teachers. That under the current demands, teaching just isn't a profession that they would recommend to people. I get it. And in that moment when she told me that, I could have said all of those things. 

But, the look in her eye when she said that she wanted to be a teacher stopped me. Because there was that look of passion that only a TRUE teacher has when talking about the profession. I could see that she would be an excellent teacher for a group of 1st graders. That she would be the type that would do what was best for the kids, and eventually get past the worry of all of the above mentioned strains. I saw a person who would truly LOVE the job. 

Don't all kid deserve a teacher
that loves teaching?

Ultimately, being a teacher is about loving the job. It's about surrounding yourself with people that support you in having a positive and lasting impact on the lives of others. I couldn't do this job without the support of my wife. I couldn't do this job if I hadn't learned from my teaching mentors that all of the common core mumbo jumbo is just another fad that will dwindle away into something new. And that the key to me being successful as a teacher has to do with my passion for being a role model for my students. 

So, I did for her what she needed. I told her to do it. That I could tell she would be a great teacher, and that I believed in her. And as I walked away to load my car with groceries, I could still feel her smiling behind me. I truly hope she becomes a teacher. And any of you that want to do it, that want to make the jump into teaching, go for it. It will only help us current teachers to have more passionate, hard working, kid centered teachers around us. It makes the profession look that much better! And as a father of 5, I WANT those teachers for my kids. I want the ones that LOVE the job, and have the passion I saw in that young adult! So, why not teach?! Sure there are all of the glass half empty reasons to keep you away, and if those are the ones you see.. go find another profession! Stay away from mine. But if you see the glory of what teaching kids can bring to your everyday, then PLEASE step up and be a part of team! 

The bad business of education

I was recently removed from consideration for a teaching position out of state. This shouldn't be too big a surprise being that all new personnel options get moved from the list until the final candidate is chosen. The part that I had a hard time with was the reason I was eliminated from consideration.

I had made the short list of candidates (about 5) for interview and consideration at a school that I had been in contact with for a few years. Let's say that I have a few connections. I was so excited to get the email letting me know that it was interview time! But when I went to schedule the interview, I learned that I was no longer on the list, because I had too much experience. Huh?

Was I qualified? Most definitely, I made the short list. But without even an interview, I was overlooked simply because of my experience. My personality match, work ethic, references, all of it overlooked, because I've been teaching too long and they couldn't match the years.

As a teacher, I totally get this. Budgets are tight everywhere in the ED world. It was fortunate to even find a school to have a math opening.. 3 math openings. But as a man with a business degree and 4 children of my own, this decision just doesn't make any sense.

It's sad that we look at schools as a place to trim budgets forcing schools to operate at limited personnel levels with new teachers that are frequently thrown to the wolves. At no point, was the question about what was best for the students. You know... the reason we have schools. It was never about the candidate that would have the best impact on the school and the department. It didn't become a question of who could come in and bring a spark of energy and creativity that could make the building that much better for the students. Or maybe it did, but at the pay range that suited them best.

I know this type of stuff happens in the world of business. But typically not to a 36 year old; some one in the prime of productivity and experience. Maybe to someone in his 50s... 60s that has reached the top, and was cut due to greed, mergers, or both.

But for schools, where the "business" is educating kids, the best fit should always come first. It shouldn't always come down to money. Would it have sucked to have heard, "Well Ken, we just don't think you're the best fit for our school right now." Sure it would have! But, at least the decision would have been about the school and the kids. At least I would have had a chance to interview and meet the people I would have been working with. Instead, I'm sitting back and contemplating the state of education.

I've realized that one of the main problems with education is that we continue to run it with a bad business plan. We greedily funnel the money to the top, and neglect the overall product. The best business minds in our country can be found at their offices mingling with employees, nurturing them to help create the best product and service for their clients. The decisions made are always about what is best for the customer, and not strictly about the bottom line. There is trust in the employees to do their jobs, and to maintain that trust there is mutual respect from the top all the way down. But that's just not the case in education. The news is hardly about what is best for students. We are constantly told we are not cutting it. Decisions are made at a larger level that fall to the shoulders of the workers. The best of us meet all challenges head on, and work to have a voice for change. The majority fester in frustration, anxiety, and fear. The majority that represents our work force in the media, and in political discussions. How do you think their classrooms are for students if there is the constant sound of disgust coming from outside voices?

At the rate things are going, I don't see a change happening any time soon. Quality education leadership is hard to come by, and those that are great find their own voices limited in the political arena. To their credit, they're out there, and they're trying. It's just hard to move forward when those in charge are fearful of you.

It also appears as though I'll be teaching in this district for quite a bit longer. At least, I know that what I'm doing in my classroom is student centered, and supported by my students, their parents, and my principal. It's not like our boss (the "super") is checking in on us anyways... I wonder how his paid Admin leave is going....? I'm sure a post about that would get me in trouble... darn.

Seriously, what's my motivation?!

You may not have known this, but I spent my four years of college life studying for a degree in business. Out of college, I worked in customer service, sales, and management before realizing my calling as an educator. With the loving support of my wife, I made the career shift and here I am now. The hardest part of it all? Wasn't working with the kids, lesson planning, or having to go back to school to get a masters. No.. in the end all of that was fine. The hardest part for me has been transitioning into a very different way of approaching work.

I spent my childhood watching my dad bust his butt in corporate America, and work his way up to executive positions. He was professional, trustworthy, and driven. Those qualities led to his success. I saw that, and lived by that out of college becoming an assistant manager of an Enterprise Rent-A-Car office just after a 1 year with the company. I work hard, I have a great attitude, and I strive to be the best. Promotions and raises followed in each of the positions I held before going back to become a teacher. So the challenge has been finding the driving, motivating force each year to become an even better teacher.

I get the idealistic concept of getting better for "the children." Sure. But isn't that why I got into the profession in the first place? Of course I work for the students each year. I give everything I have to motivate and inspire my students to be dedicated learners. I exhaust myself to the point that I'm not my best in my own home sometimes. And with each year I give my all, I have to find/create ways to motivate myself into the next year. And for a driven person a new motivation will be found, but for those teachers that aren't... well don't we see so many grumpy teachers doing the same thing EACH and EVERY year?

Now, please understand that I'm not tying this all to $$. I don't necessarily think that providing incentives in the form of money always leads to the most positive things. I mean just take a look at how corrupt corporate America can be when incentives are solely $$ based. We don't need that kind of drama in our schools.. we have plenty already! But I do think that there are creative ways to encourage/motivate teachers to continue to bring new ideas and energy year to year. For example, give those teachers that are leading the way opportunities to lead professional development. Give them a voice, and an opportunity to feel their value in front of teaching peers. Or what if positive performance evaluations could lead to supplemented teacher education. I know that I'd love to be working toward having an ED Leadership Degree paid for, instead of having to fork over $5K to $8k for a promotion into an Admin position. Yeah, us teachers have to pay more $ for the opportunity to move into an Assistant Principal or Principal position.

At this point, I'm thankful to have a drive to success that was handed down to me by my parents. I strive to be the best, and when I thought I had reached that I started to get negative about the profession.  It was hard to work to be even better when I felt I was already at a level beyond a lot of teachers around me. Then I found out, I wasn't even close. I reached out with technology and found a base of teachers and administrators that have further inspired me. This inspiration has led to new changes in my classroom that I know continue to set me apart from my peers. And, these connections continue to help motivate me to step further down the path to Education Leadership. I see so many changes/challenges coming to education, and I want to meet those head on!

So, for me, I'll always find a way to become better because that is simply my nature. I want to be the best, because I want my students to be the best. And when I felt exhausted, I reached out to find others like me to help build me up to keep going. But how do we inspire those teachers that don't have that drive? The ones that are not changing and growing as professionals? The ones that aren't looking for their motivation?

I'd love to hear some suggestions, so please comment below. Tell me what you'd like to see school districts/communities do to further encourage/motivate teachers to strive to be better. Or tell me, how you find inspiration to be better year to year.